Joni Mitchell to Unearth Late Seventies Rarities This Fall

Angie Martoccio
·9 min read
Joni Mitchell - Credit: Jeff Goode/Toronto Star/Getty Images
Joni Mitchell - Credit: Jeff Goode/Toronto Star/Getty Images

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Joni Mitchell will open the vault this fall, unearthing gems and rarities from the late Seventies.

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Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980) arrives Oct. 4 via Rhino Records. It documents the creative process behind her studio albums Hejira (1976), Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (1977), and Mingus (her collaboration with jazz legend Charles Mingus in 1979). It also includes her time on Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1975 and 1976, as well as the Bread & Roses Festival and the Anti-Nuclear Rally.

Ahead of the release, Mitchell shared a live cut from the Rolling Thunder Revue tour when she introduced her future Hejira track “Coyote” to the stage in Montreal in December 1975.

“It’s kinda like running away from home to join the circus,” she says of the trek. “Anyway I’ve got this tune that has been growing, started off with two verses and couple of nights later I added another one. Last night I got a fourth one. I think it’s finished, but I don’t know, maybe there’s a couple of more chapters to go. But it’s called ‘Coyote,’ and it goes like this.”

Vol. 4 will be released via CD and LP editions, both containing rare photos, liner notes, and a conversation between Mitchell and Cameron Crowe. Check out the track lists below.

As with her previous Archives releases, Vol. 4 is accompanied by The Asylum Albums (1976-1980), a box set of the remastered studio LPs she released earlier this summer. The series began with 2020’s Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967), a documentation of her folkie days, followed by 2021’s Vol. 2: The Reprise Years (1968 To 1971) — the remastered release being The Reprise Albums (1968-1971). In 2022, she released Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975) alongside The Asylum Albums (1972-1975).

Vol. 4 CD Track List

Disc One:
Rolling Thunder Revue
Live In Niagara Falls 
Convention Center, Niagara Falls, NY, November 15, 1975
Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal

  1. Jericho

Live at Harvard Square Theater
Cambridge, MA, November 20, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan

  1. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth

  2. Edith and the Kingpin

  3. Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow

Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, November 21, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

  1. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth

  2. Harry’s House

Live in Bangor
Bangor, ME, November 27, 1975
Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal

  1. A Case of You

Gordon Lightfoot’s House
Toronto, ON, Canada, November 30, 1975
Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal

  1. Woman of Heart and Mind

Live at Montreal Forum
Montreal, QC, Canada, December 4, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan

  1. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth

  2. Intro to Coyote

  3. Coyote

1976 Tour of the United States
Recorded by Stanley Johnston from PA mixes by Brian Jonathan
(Courtesy of the estate of Stanley Tajima Johnston)
Live in Madison
Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, February 29, 1976

  1. Help Me

Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

  1. Love or Money

  2. Free Man in Paris

  3. For The Roses

  4. Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire

  5. Big Yellow Taxi

  6. Shades of Scarlett Conquering

Live at Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, NY, February 20, 1976

  1. For Free

Disc Two:
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

  1. Intro to Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter

  2. Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter

Live in Madison
Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI, February 29, 1976

  1. Just Like This Train

Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

  1. Shadows and Light

  2. In France They Kiss on Main Street

Live at Duke University
Cameron Stadium, Durham, NC, February 7, 1976

  1. Traveling (Hejira)

Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

  1. Edith and the Kingpin

  2. Talk To Me

  3. Harry’s House/Centerpiece

  4. Intro to Furry Sings the Blues

  5. Furry Sings The Blues

  6. Trouble Child

  7. Rainy Night House

Live at Duke University
Cameron Stadium, Durham, NC, February 7, 1976

  1. Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow

Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

  1. Raised on Robbery

  2. The Jungle Line

  3. Twisted

Disc Three:
Hejira Demos
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, March 1976
Recorded by Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

  1. Furry Sings The Blues

  2. Traveling (Hejira)

  3. Dreamland

  4. Talk To Me

  5. Coyote/Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter

  6. Black Crow

  7. Amelia

  8. Blue Motel Room

  9. A Strange Boy

Rolling Thunder Revue
Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX, May 16, 1976
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Engineered by Don Meehan; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

  1. Black Cow

  2. Intro to Song For Sharon

  3. Song For Sharon

Hejira Sessions
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, Summer 1976
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

  1. Refuge of the Roads (Early Mix with Horns)

  2. Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (Early Rough Mix)

Disc Four
Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter Sessions
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

  1. “Save Magic” (Paprika Plains Embryonic Version)

  2. Otis and Marlena (Early Rough Mix)

Mingus Sessions
Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy & Jerry Solomon

  1. Sweet Sucker Dance (Vocals & Drums Version – Take 5)

  2. A Chair in the Sky (Early Alternate Version – Take 6)

  3. Sweet Sucker Dance (Early Alternate Version)

Live at Bread & Roses Festival 
Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA, September 2 & 3, 1978
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

  1. Introduction

  2. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines

  3. Intro to A Chair In The Sky

  4. A Chair In The Sky

  5. Intro to Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

  6. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

  7. Intro to The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey

  8. The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey

Mingus Early Alternate Version
Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY and A&M Studios,
Hollywood, CA, 1978 & 1979
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy & Jerry Solomon

  1. A Good Suit and A Good Haircut

  2. God Must Be A Boogie Man

  3. Solo for Old Fat Girl’s Soul

  4. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines

Disc Five:

  1. Sue and the Holy River

Mingus Sessions
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, 1979
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

  1. The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey

Live at May 6 Coalition Rally Against Nuclear Power
National Mall, Washington, D.C., May 6, 1979

  1. Introduction – Graham Nash

  2. Big Yellow Taxi

1979 Tour Rehearsals
SIR Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Recorded by Joel Bernstein

  1. Jericho

  2. Help Me

1979 Tour of the United States
Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium
Queens, NY, August 25, 1979
Recorded by Joel Bernstein from PA mix by Ed Wynne

  1. Big Yellow Taxi

  2. Just Like This Train

  3. In France They Kiss On Main Street

  4. Coyote

  5. Edith and The Kingpin

  6. Free Man In Paris

  7. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

  8. Jaco’s Solo/ Third Stone From The Sun

  9. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines

Disc Six:

  1. Amelia

  2. Pat’s Solo

  3. Hejira

  4. Don’s Solo

  5. Dreamland

  6. Black Crow

  7. Furry Sings The Blues

  8. Intro to God Must Be A Boogie Man

  9. God Must Be A Boogie Man

  10. Raised On Robbery

  11. Shadows and Light

  12. The Last Time I Saw Richard

  13. Why Do Fools Fall In Love

Live in Philadelphia
Robin Hood Dell West, Philadelphia, PA, August 28, 1979
Recorded by Joel Bernstein from PA mix by Ed Wynne

  1. Woodstock

Live at Greek Theatre
Los Angeles, CA, September 13, 1979
Recorded by Andy Johns & Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

  1. Intro to A Chair In The Sky

  2. A Chair In The Sky

LP Track List

Side One:
Rolling Thunder Revue
Live at Harvard Square Theater
Cambridge, MA, November 20, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan

  1. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth

  2. Edith and the Kingpin

  3. Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow

Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, November 21, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

  1. Introduction – Bob Neuwirth

  2. Harry’s House

Live in Bangor
Bangor, ME, November 27, 1975
Recorded by L.A. Johnson & Petur Hliddal

  1. A Case of You

Side Two:
Live at Montreal Forum
Montreal, QC, Canada, December 4, 1975
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Mixed by Sean Brennan

  1. Intro to Coyote

  2. Coyote

1976 Tour of the United States
Recorded by Stanley Johnston from PA mixes by Brian Jonathan
(Courtesy of the estate of Stanley Tajima Johnston)
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

  1. Free Man In Paris

  2. Shades of Scarlett Conquering

Live at Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, NY, February 20, 1976

  1. For Free

Side Three:
Live at Music Hall
Boston, MA, February 19, 1976

  1. Shadows and Light

  2. In France They Kiss On Main Street

  3. Intro to Furry Sings The Blues

  4. Furry Sings The Blues

Hejira Demos
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, March 1976
Recorded by Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

  1. Traveling (Hejira)

Side Four:

  1. Black Crow

  2. Amelia

Rolling Thunder Revue
Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX, May 16, 1976
Recording supervised by Don DeVito; Engineered by
Don Meehan; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

  1. Intro to Song For Sharon

  2. Song For Sharon

Side Five:
Hejira Sessions
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA, Summer 1976
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

  1. Refuge of the Roads (Early Mix with Horns)

  2. Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (Early Rough Mix)

Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter Sessions
A&M Studios, Hollywood, CA
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

  1. Otis and Marlena (Early Rough Mix)

Mingus Sessions 
Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy & Jerry Solomon

  1. Sweet Sucker Dance (Vocals & Drums Version – Take 5)

Side Six:
Live at Bread & Roses Festival
Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA, September 2 & 3, 1978
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy

  1. Introduction

  2. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines

  3. Intro to Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

  4. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

  5. Intro to The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey

  6. The Wolf That Lives In Lindsey

Mingus Early Alternate Version
Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY and A&M Studios,
Hollywood, CA, 1978 & 1979
Recorded & Mixed by Henry Lewy & Jerry Solomon

15.    God Must Be A Boogie Man

Side Seven:

  1. Sue and The Holy River

1979 Tour Rehearsals
SIR Rehearsal Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Recorded by Joel Bernstein

  1. Jericho

  2. Help Me

1979 Tour of the United States
Live at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium
Queens, NY, August 25, 1979
Recorded by Joel Bernstein from PA mix by Ed Wynne

  1. Big Yellow Taxi

  2. Just Like This Train

  3. Raised On Robbery

Side Eight:

  1. The Last Time I Saw Richard

Live at Greek Theatre
Los Angeles, CA, September 13, 1979
Recorded by Andy Johns & Henry Lewy; Mixed by Patrick Milligan

  1. Intro to A Chair In The Sky

  2. A Chair In The Sky

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