Court and Spark

Untitled

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	(A)
Rolling Stone
Slant

Court and Spark is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Released in January 1974, the album saw Mitchell infusing her folk-rock style, which she developed throughout her previous five albums, with jazz inflections. A very accessible and commercially appealing album, Court and Spark was Mitchell's commercial and popular triumph—it was not only praised by critics (as were all of her albums of the 1970s) but was also received very warmly by the public, becoming her most successful album. It reached #2 in the United States and #1 in Canada and eventually received a Double Platinum certification by the RIAA, the highest during Mitchell's career. In 2003 it was listed at #111 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

History

1973 was the first year since she started recording that Mitchell didn't release a new album. Her previous offering, For the Roses, was released in November 1972 to critical and commercial success, and Mitchell decided to spend the whole next year writing and recording a new album that revealed her growing interest in new sounds—particularly jazz. During 1973, her stage appearances were fewer than in previous years. She performed in April in a benefit concert at the Sir George Williams University Auditorium and then appeared live again in August twice at The Corral Club, accompanied by Neil Young. She spent most of the year in the recording studio, creating Court and Spark. Finally, in December, Reprise released a new single, her first in over a year, "Raised on Robbery". The public was surprised as Mitchell had released a rock'n'roll number in the old-fashioned style of the 1950s. Maybe because of this unexpected artistic move, the single only reached #65 on the Billboard Singles Charts.

Court and Spark was released in January 1974. Critics and the public enthusiastically embraced the album, and its success was reaffirmed when the follow-up single "Help Me" was released in March. It received heavy radio airplay and became Mitchell's first and only Top 10 single in the Billboard charts, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the first week of June, and reaching #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts. Court and Spark went on to be a big seller that year, peaking at #2 on the Billboard album charts and staying there for four weeks. The album became the pinnacle of Mitchell's commercial success. The album was kept from the top spot by three #1 albums—in order Bob Dylan's Planet Waves, Barbra Streisand's The Way We Were and John Denver's Greatest Hits.

Honors

• February 27, 1974 Court and Spark certified Gold.
• In 1974, Court and Spark was voted the 'Best Album of the Year' in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll.
• In 2003, Court and Spark was ranked #111 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the '500 Greatest Albums of All Time'.
• In 2006, Court and Spark was included in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Track listing

All tracks composed and arranged by Joni Mitchell; except where indicated.

Side one

1. "Court and Spark" – 2:46
2. "Help Me" – 3:22
3. "Free Man in Paris" – 3:02
4. "People's Parties" – 2:15
5. "Same Situation" – 2:57

Side two

1. "Car on a Hill" – 3:02
2. "Down To You" – 5:38
3. "Just Like This Train" – 4:24
4. "Raised on Robbery" – 3:06
5. "Trouble Child" – 4:00
6. "Twisted" – 2:21 (Annie Ross/Wardell Grey; originally performed by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross)

Personnel

• Joni Mitchell - Vocals, including background; acoustic guitar; piano; clavinet on "Down to You"
• John Guerin - Drums and percussion
• Wilton Felder - Bass
• Max Bennett - Bass on "Trouble Child"
• Jim Hughart - Bass on "People's Parties" and "Free Man in Paris"
• Milt Holland - Chimes on "Court and Spark"
• Tom Scott - Woodwinds and reeds
• Chuck Findley - Trumpet on "Twisted" and "Trouble Child"
• Joe Sample - Electric piano, clavinet on "Raised on Robbery".
• David Crosby - Background vocals on "Free Man in Paris" and "Down to You"
• Graham Nash - Background vocals on "Free Man in Paris"
• Susan Webb - Background vocals on "Down to You"
• Larry Carlton - Electric guitar
• Wayne Perkins - Electric guitar on "Car on a Hill"
• Dennis Budimir - Electric guitar on "Trouble Child"
• Robbie Robertson - Electric guitar on "Raised on Robbery"
• José Feliciano - Electric guitar on "Free Man in Paris"
• Cheech Marin - Background voice on "Twisted"
• Tommy Chong - Background voice on "Twisted"