At Least Joni Mitchell Is Alive and Well(ish).
If that alone isn't enough of a Christmas gift, she's got another for you.
In the wake of too many (mostly) women literary icons passing in recent weeks, many of us naturally turned our attention to worrying about another high priestess of creative expression who’s getting on in years: 78-year-old Joni Mitchell.
Concern for Mitchell’s health unfortunately seems warranted. She’s a life-long smoker (although apparently she now smokes e-cigarettes instead) who contracted polio as a child, struggles with a weird skin condition called Morgellons Disease, and in 2015 survived a brain aneurysm from which she’s never fully recovered, making it difficult for her to walk.
Nonetheless, Mitchell seems to be doing alright—and might even return to making music soon…? Today she marked the holiday by posting a Christmas photo of herself to her Instagram account. And earlier in the week, she posted there about the new music video she just released for “River,” the wistful Christmas anthem off her record, Blue, recorded 50 years ago, in 1971.
As she explained in the photo’s caption, “‘River’ expresses regret at the end of a relationship…but it’s also about being lonely at Christmas time…A Christmas song for people who are lonely at Christmas! We need a song like that.”
Yes, we do! Especially this Christmas, when so many people’s plans have been dashed by the latest deadly Covid surge, keeping them from celebrating with family. It’s heartbreaking right now to read so many social media posts by friends and colleagues who’ve lately contracted the virus—or whose partners or parents or children have—despite having done absolutely everything right. It’s even more devastating to read posts by those who’ve recently lost loved ones to Covid.
Growing up Jewish, I got used to being lonely on Christmas. It was my natural resting state on the holiday until I met my non-Jewish husband in 2003, and we got our own tree—my first—and I started celebrating with him and his family. Covid has now precluded these celebrations for two years.
Today is a quiet, lonely day, for sure—the kind of day “River” seems to have been written for. Joni’s music video feels like the perfect gift for it.
Thank you, Joni. 🙏 Take good care of yourself, okay?
Thanks for this. I love Joni!
Yes! Always grateful for Joni!