Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm

Last updated
Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm
Joni Chalk.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 23, 1988
Recorded1986–1987
Studio
Genre
Length46:25
Label Geffen
Producer
Joni Mitchell chronology
Dog Eat Dog
(1985)
Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm
(1988)
Night Ride Home
(1991)
Singles from Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm
  1. "My Secret Place"
    Released: July 1988

Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm is the 13th studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released on March 23, 1988, by Geffen Records. Her third release on the label, the album features duets with a number of artists such as Peter Gabriel on "My Secret Place", Willie Nelson on "Cool Water", Don Henley on "Snakes and Ladders", and Billy Idol and Tom Petty on the track "Dancin' Clown". Henley also performs backing vocals on "Lakota", and Wendy and Lisa perform backing vocals on "The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms)".

Contents

Background and recording

In early 1986, Mitchell and Larry Klein visited Peter Gabriel's Ashcombe House recording studio near Bath, England. Since Gabriel had mostly finished his album So by that time, he offered Mitchell and Klein the use of his studio if they wanted to record. They did, and the result was the track "My Secret Place", a duet between Mitchell and Gabriel. Mitchell told Musician magazine about this song: "It's a love beginning song. The song's about the threshold of intimacy. It's a shared thing so I wanted it to be like the Song of Solomon, where you can't tell what gender it is. It's the uniting spirit of two people at the beginning of a relationship". [2]

In February 1987, Mitchell saw Billy Idol performing his hit version of the William Bell R&B ballad, "To Be a Lover" on the Grammy Awards show. She felt he captured the original spirit of rock'n'roll along with a new spark of energy, and would be perfect for a cameo on her song "Dancin' Clown". Idol came over to Mitchell's studio one evening a few days after the Grammys and recorded his part, complete with yelps and howls. Mitchell told Macleans magazine about this pairing up: "It was for the contrast he provided. It's a great little cameo for him, and he brings real life to the part." Later, Tom Petty recorded his cameo on the same song.

While reminiscing about her friendship with saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Mitchell recalled their unusual style of collaboration, explaining that since both she and he were painters, they possessed a "visual" understanding of music, where she could abstractly describe an emotion or a scene for him that he would translate in to his playing, an attribute she claimed was unique to him as a saxophone player. Before recording "A Bird That Whistles (Corrina, Corrina)", Mitchell gave Shorter the simple direction that he was "the bird on [the song]", and from there, "the first lick he made was so bird-like, it was perfect". He immediately requested the opportunity to record a second take after finishing his first, but Joni refused, being happy with what she just heard him play. She later said that in that moment Shorter had "slept through his own magic".

About Chalk Mark, Mitchell told interviewer Kristine McKenna: "I've discovered that with your focus no longer on finding a mate, you get a heightened sense of community, and I've become a bit more political – not too political though".

Themes

Contemporary commercialism is addressed in the songs "Number One", "Lakota" which deals with the destruction of Native American culture and the unusual "The Reoccurring Dream" was constructed from samples Mitchell collected by recording TV commercials on her VCR for 2 weeks. "Cool Water" (a Mitchell rewrite of the Bob Nolan original) also discusses water pollution.

War is explored in two very different stories: "The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms)" tells the tale of Mitchell's parents meeting during World War II after a prophetic tea-leaf reading, while "The Beat of Black Wings" is about an embittered Vietnam vet named Killer Kyle, who found it difficult to get the sound of helicopter blades out of his head. This song may be based on a scene from the film adaptation of The Looking Glass War . [3]

In the more straightforward love songs, Mitchell sings of intimacy in "My Secret Place", and young, rambunctious love in "Snakes and Ladders" and "Dancin' Clown".

Release

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Hi-Fi News & Record Review A*:1 [6]
Robert Christgau C [7]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]

Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm was released in March 1988, and the song "Snakes and Ladders" (featuring Don Henley) was issued as a pre-release single to radio stations in January 1988. The first official single from the album was "My Secret Place". The video was shot on grainy, atmospheric black-and-white film featuring Mitchell and Peter Gabriel, and got some airplay on VH-1, where it premiered in May 1988. The video was directed by Dutch photographer and film director Anton Corbijn, perhaps known best for his many music videos for Depeche Mode.

Billboard magazine's Steve Gett reviewed the album and awarded it an early rave. Other reviews were mostly very favorable, and the fact that there were cameos by many well-known musicians brought it a great deal of notice. "Most of the stuff for the isn't-Joni-wonderful club is on side two", noted Fred Dellar in Hi-Fi News & Record Review . "There's a Willie Nelson-assisted version of the Sons of the Pioneers' hoary old 'Cold [sic] Water' that is so immaculately re-shaped it sounds like next year's thing." [6]

The album improved on the chart position of her previous album, 1985's Dog Eat Dog, peaking at number 23 in Canada, 45 on the US Billboard 200, and number 26 in the UK.

To promote the album, Mitchell also travelled to the UK in May and appeared on the Channel 4 music show Wired where she performed "Number One" and gave an exclusive world premiere of the song "Fourth of July", which would later be retitled "Night Ride Home" and be recorded as the title track for her next album. She also visited Australia and appeared on several television shows including The Midday Show with Ray Martin , Rock Arena, and the morning show Sunday where she again performed "Number One" and "Fourth of July".

Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female at the 1989 Grammy Awards, but lost to Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car".

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Joni Mitchell except "Cool Water" (lyrics by Bob Nolan with revised lyrics by Mitchell).

Side one
No.TitleMusicLength
1."My Secret Place" Joni Mitchell 5:01
2."Number One"Mitchell3:46
3."Lakota"
6:25
4."The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms)"
  • Mitchell
  • Klein
4:49
5."Dancin' Clown"Mitchell4:09
Side two
No.TitleMusicLength
1."Cool Water" Bob Nolan 5:25
2."The Beat of Black Wings"Mitchell5:19
3."Snakes and Ladders"
  • Mitchell
  • Klein
5:37
4."The Reoccurring Dream"Mitchell3:02
5."A Bird That Whistles" (arrangement of the traditional work "Corrina, Corrina")Mitchell2:38

Personnel

Track numbering does not match the LP listing (above); it refers to CD and digital releases of the album.

Charts

Chart performance for Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm
Chart (1988)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Australian Music Report) [9] 44
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [10] 23
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [11] 71
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [12] 18
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [13] 37
UK Albums (OCC) [14] 26
US Billboard 200 [15] 45
US Cash Box Top 100 Albums [16] 28

Certifications

Certifications for Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [17] Gold50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joni Mitchell</span> Canadian-American singer-songwriter (born 1943)

Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter. As one of the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her personal lyrics and unconventional compositions which grew to incorporate pop and jazz elements. She has received many accolades, including eleven Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Rolling Stone called her "one of the greatest songwriters ever", and AllMusic has stated, "Joni Mitchell may stand as the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 20th century."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Orr</span> American musician (1947–2000)

Benjamin Orr was an American musician, bassist, co-lead vocalist, and co-founder of the band the Cars. He sang lead vocals on several of their hits, including "Just What I Needed", "Let's Go", "Moving in Stereo", and "Drive". He also had a moderate solo hit with "Stay the Night".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tweet (singer)</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1971)

Charlene Keys, better known by the stage name Tweet, is an American singer-songwriter.

<i>The Hissing of Summer Lawns</i> 1975 studio album by Joni Mitchell

The Hissing of Summer Lawns is the seventh studio album by the Canadian-American singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in November 1975 on Asylum Records. It continues the jazz-influenced sound of Mitchell's previous album, Court and Spark, with more unconventional and experimental material. It features sampling, synthesizers such as the Moog and ARP, and contributions from acts including the jazz-rock groups the L.A. Express and the Jazz Crusaders and James Taylor, David Crosby, and Graham Nash.

<i>Both Sides Now</i> (Joni Mitchell album) 2000 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Both Sides Now is a concept album and studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell that was released in 2000. It is her 17th studio album. The album won two Grammy Awards in 2001 for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for the song "Both Sides Now" and a Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.

<i>Don Juans Reckless Daughter</i> 1977 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Don Juan's Reckless Daughter is a 1977 double album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Her ninth album, it is unusual for its experimental style, expanding even further on the jazz-influenced sound of Mitchell's previous recordings. Mitchell has stated that, close to completing her contract with Asylum Records, she allowed this album to be looser than anything she had done previously.

<i>Dog Eat Dog</i> (Joni Mitchell album) 1985 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Dog Eat Dog is the 12th studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1985. It was her second album for Geffen Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manu Katché</span> French drummer and songwriter (born 1958)

Manu Katché is a French drummer and songwriter of Ivorian descent. He has worked extensively as a session musician, notably with Sting and Peter Gabriel, and his solo albums as a bandleader are largely in the jazz fusion style.

<i>Night Ride Home</i> 1991 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Night Ride Home is the 14th album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1991. It was the last of four albums she recorded for Geffen Records.

<i>Studio 150</i> 2004 studio album by Paul Weller

Studio 150 is the seventh solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It comprises covers of songs by a variety of artists, and showcases Weller's myriad musical influences. It was named after the small Amsterdam studio in which it was recorded. Released in September 2004, it entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 2, its overall peak position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Got 'til It's Gone</span> 1997 single by Janet Jackson

"Got 'til It's Gone" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson, featuring American rapper Q-Tip and Canadian singer Joni Mitchell, from her sixth studio album, The Velvet Rope (1997). It was written by Jackson, Jam and Lewis, with additional writing by René Elizondo Jr., Mitchell, and Kamaal Ibn Fareed. The song was produced by Jackson, Jam and Lewis. It was released as the lead single from The Velvet Rope in 1997, by Virgin Records. The song was recorded at Flyte Tyme Studios in Edina, Minnesota. For "Got 'til It's Gone", Jackson opted for a less polished sound which resulted in an authentic blend of R&B, pop, and hip hop with traces of reggae influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Gabriel discography</span>

This is the solo discography of Peter Gabriel, an English singer-songwriter, musician and humanitarian activist who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career. His 1986 album, So, is his most commercially successful, selling five million copies in America, and the album's biggest hit, "Sledgehammer", won a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards. The song is the most played music video in the history of the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Best of My Love (Eagles song)</span> 1974 single by the Eagles

"Best of My Love" is a song written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and J. D. Souther. It was originally recorded by the Eagles, and included on their 1974 album On the Border. The song was released as the third single from the album, and it became the band's first Billboard Hot 100 number 1 single in March 1975. The song also topped the easy listening chart for one week a month earlier. Billboard ranked it as the number 12 song for 1975.

"Both Sides, Now" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. One of the first recordings is by Judy Collins, whose version appeared on the US singles chart during the fall of 1968. The next year it was included on Mitchell's album Clouds, and became one of her best-known songs. It has since been recorded by dozens of artists, including Dion in 1968, Clannad with Paul Young in 1991, and Mitchell herself, who re-recorded the song with an orchestral arrangement on her 2000 album Both Sides Now.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Klein</span> American bassist and record producer (born 1956)

Larry Klein is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is based in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joni Mitchell discography</span>

Since her debut album in 1968, Canadian musician Joni Mitchell has released 19 studio albums, most recently 2007's Shine. Her most commercially successful period was the early-mid 1970s, which included 1970's Ladies of the Canyon, 1971's Blue and 1974's Court and Spark, all three of which reached Platinum status in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashcombe House, Somerset</span> Country house in England

Ashcombe House at Swainswick, north-east of Bath in Somerset, England is a Gothic revival country house. It is a Grade II listed building.

<i>Misses</i> (Joni Mitchell album) 1996 compilation album by Joni Mitchell

Misses is a 1996 compilation album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. The selections, chosen by Mitchell herself, concentrate on her lesser known, more experimental work, including jazz influenced recordings from the late 1970s and electronic music from the 1980s. Mitchell also designed the album cover, which features her bending down in front of the camera. The album is a companion to Hits, issued on the same day. Mitchell agreed to a request from her record company to release a greatest hits album on the condition that she also be allowed to release Misses. There were also plans to release a Misses 2 but were rejected by the label when suggested by Mitchell.

Larry Klein born 1956) is an American musician, songwriter, record and soundtrack producer, and head of Strange Cargo, an imprint with Universal Music Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Secret Place</span> 1988 single by Joni Mitchell

"My Secret Place" is a song written by Joni Mitchell that first appeared on her 1988 album Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm. Recorded as a duet with Peter Gabriel, the song was released as the first single from the album and reached number 41 on the Canadian singles chart, becoming her first song to reach the Canadian Top 100 since "Coyote" eleven years prior.

References

  1. 1 2 Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). "Joni Mitchell". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. London: Fireside. p.  547. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8. Archived from the original on July 31, 2011.
  2. Flanagan, Bill (May 1988). "Secret Places" (PDF). Musician Magazine. pp. 65–69, 72. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  3. Comment on Joni Mitchell.com Retrieved on 1 August 2010
  4. Ruhlmann, William. Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
  5. Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0195313734.
  6. 1 2 Hi-Fi News & Record Review , June 1988
  7. Christgau, Robert. Joni Mitchell. Retrieved 2011-06-28.
  8. Rolling Stone 21 April 1988
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  10. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 8951". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Joni Mitchell – Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  12. "Charts.nz – Joni Mitchell – Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  13. "Swedishcharts.com – Joni Mitchell – Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  14. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  15. "Joni Mitchell Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  16. "Cash Box Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box . May 14, 1988. p. 16. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  17. "Canadian album certifications – Joni Mitchell – Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm". Music Canada . Retrieved August 23, 2022.