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This Legendary Joni Mitchell Song Has Been Recorded Over 1,000 Times and Became Judy Collins’ First Hit in 1968
Judy Collins had her first Top 10 single in 1968 with “Both Sides Now”, a song written by Joni Mitchell. Collins released it before Mitchell’s own recording, and the song’s lasting popularity is reflected in more than 1,000 recorded versions.
Collins learnt the song when her friend Al Kooper arranged for Mitchell to sing it to her over the phone. Mitchell said the idea came while reading Saul Bellow’s 1959 novel *Henderson the Rain King* on a plane and looking at clouds. Mitchell won a Grammy for her 2000 album *Both Sides Now*, while Collins’s only Grammy win was for the song; Dolly Parton later recorded it with Collins and Rhonda Vincent.
In short
- Collins’s 1968 recording became her first Top 10 single.
- Joni Mitchell wrote the song after looking at clouds on a plane.
- More than 1,000 artists have recorded it.
Explained simply
Joni Mitchell is a Canadian singer-songwriter whose songs have often been recorded by other performers. “Both Sides Now” is one of her best-known compositions, reflecting on how experience can change a person’s view of life and relationships.
Judy Collins is an American folk singer who helped bring the song to a wide audience with her 1968 recording, which became her first Top 10 single. She released it before Mitchell recorded her own version, and many other artists have since interpreted it.
The song’s many recordings show how performers can give the same composition different styles and meanings. Its success also links two influential folk singers whose careers and recordings have crossed over through this song.
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