Barangrill

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"Barangrill" is a 1972 song written and originally recorded by Canadian singer songwriter Joni Mitchell on her fifth studio album, For the Roses . It is the third track on the album and its style is illustrative of Mitchell's growing focus on jazz which became central to her work for the rest of the decade. [1] Jazz pianist Robert Glasper later covered the song on his album Covered: Recorded Live at Capitol Studios, noting his love for the song's poetry and its chord changes. [2]

Mitchell has discussed the themes and origins of the song on a number of occasions. At the Troubadour in the autumn of 1972, she referred to the song as a search for a guru in ordinary settings such as restaurants and gas stations. [3] She has also said that it concerns the search for answers to spiritual and philosophical questions spurred by a personal crisis, and the search leading one to a restaurant in British Columbia. [4] In one interview, Mitchell used the song as an example of how her songwriting adapts from the details of her real life experiences. [5]

"Barangrill", along with the rest of For the Roses , was added to the National Recording Registry maintained by the Library of Congress in 2007. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 O'Dell, Cary (2007). ""For the Roses"—Joni Mitchell (1972)" (PDF). Library of COngress. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  2. "Soundtrack: Robert Glasper". www.port-magazine.com. 2015-07-17. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  3. "Joni Mitchell, "Barangrill," Live at The Troubadour, November 17, 1972". Bob 'n' Joni. Tumblr. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  4. Bego, Mark (2005). Joni Mitchell (1st ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Taylor Trade Publishing. pp. 112–113. ISBN   978-1-58979-134-3.
  5. Marom, Malka (2014). Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now. ECW Press.