"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]