Hell asked: "Which cover best describes the musical and/or lyrical content
of that album?"
My vote goes for "Song to a Seagull." I think the album cover clearly shows
what the listener is in store for. I love that Joni has divided the album
into two parts and labeled them as "Part 1 - I Came To The City" and "Part 2
- Out of the City, and Down to the Seaside." The artwork on the front cover
clearly reflects Part 2, while the artwork on the backside reflects Part I.
I like the photograph of Joni walking in the dreary weather through the
dirty city, next to garbage cans, carrying all her belongings, and looking
like a poor, young, struggling musician trying to make it - which is what
she was. The songs also reflect this period of her life, living in a
tenement castle, in a cobblestone sea, where the beaches were concrete, and
the stars paid a lightbill. A noisy city where cab drivers are unfriendly,
and where lonely people go window shopping in the rain. But at night, the
city is pretty with all the lights that go waltzing in time.
The artwork with the sea scene is a happier time, with sun on your shoulders
and wind in your hair. You can leave your city satins behind and listen to
the songs that the rigging makes. There are dolphins, mermaids, seagulls,
and pirates. But once again, there is always another opposing view, such as
when sandcastles crumble.
I know Joni was not a big fan of her own curly-Q artstyle, but I especially
love the way the seagulls are flying above the sunset to spell "Song to a
Seagull." There is even a "cactus tree" in the artwork.
Did someone mention that Joni appeared daisy-laden in her wedding photos
from the WOHAM series that was just aired in Canada? The artwork on "Song to
a Seagull" shows what appears to be a distorted headpiece above hair with
daisies woven in. There may even be some pieces of "drip-dry and
paisley"(Chuck?)here.
Mia
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