“A very ‘Goodbye David’ song”: How Joni Mitchell made sure David Crosby got the message in 1966

Joni Mitchell confronted David Crosby over his relationship with another woman by performing a new song directly to him at a party. The episode shows how Mitchell drew on her own experiences for her songwriting, and how a song could deliver a personal rebuke while still conveying affection.

The song was ‘That Song About the Midway’, which Crosby later described as a “very ‘Goodbye David’ song”. Its lyrics alluded to his high harmonies and repeated cheating, according to a passage in David Browne’s book about Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Mitchell sang it while looking at Crosby, then performed it a second time to make sure he understood the message; the pair broke up soon afterwards.