# In 1967, Joni Mitchell heard “one of the greatest songs”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1967-joni-mitchell-heard-one-of-the-greatest-songs/
- Published: 2026-11-03T20:45:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-03T21:57:04+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1967-joni-mitchell-heard-greatest-songs/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Mitchell praised Cohen’s “Suzanne” as one of the greatest songs she had heard.
- She admired its craft despite accusing Cohen of borrowing lines from literature.
- The pair shared a focus on literary songwriting.

## Summary

In 1967, Joni Mitchell heard Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne” and called it “one of the greatest songs” she had ever heard. Her praise showed her respect for the song’s craft and for Cohen as a distinctive artist, despite her later criticism of his use of lines from other writers.

The article contrasts their shared attention to literary lyrics with their different approaches to songwriting. Mitchell valued artistic change and emotional honesty, qualities she brought to her album *Blue*, while she saw Cohen’s “Suzanne” as a song whose beauty made a lasting impression.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.