Miles of Aisles by Joni Mitchell

Miles of Aisles

by Joni Mitchell

Released: November 04, 1974

Jazz, rock, pop

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Breakthrough.

01

The Album

The album features many of her best-known songs up to that time, but includes only one track from her recent album, without its two hit singles, "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris." It also presents two new songs, "Love Or Money" and "Jericho," the latter of which she later recorded for her 1977 album Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. "Love Or Money" has no known studio version and seems to have been performed only live. "Miles of Aisles" is the first live album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1974 on Asylum Records.

02

Inside the Recording

Most tracks were recorded at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles from August 14 to 17, 1974, while "Cactus Tree" was recorded at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on March 4, and "Real Good for Free" at the Berkeley Community Theater on March 2.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

This double album documents her concerts in support…

This double album documents her concerts in support of the Court and Spark album, featuring her backing band, the L.A. Express.

This marked Mitchell's first tour with a backing…

This marked Mitchell's first tour with a backing band; previously, she had mostly performed solo and had never organized a tour with musicians.

The cover photo was taken at the Pine…

The cover photo was taken at the Pine Knob Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan.

Record World noted that the single "Jericho" is…

Record World noted that the single "Jericho" is "a solid musical successor to 'Big Yellow Taxi.'".

Then

Reception

She hired the L.A. Express, a jazz fusion band whose members had played on her previous studio album, Court and Spark, which was her biggest commercial success. A notable track from the live album, "Big Yellow Taxi," was released as a single and reached No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her fourth Top 40 hit after the studio version had previously stalled at No. 67. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and became one of her best-selling records, certified gold by the RIAA.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"Miles of Aisles" is the first live album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1974 on Asylum Records. This double album documents her concerts in support of the Court and Spark album, featuring her backing band, the L.A. Express. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and became one of her best-selling records, certified gold by the RIAA.

This marked Mitchell's first tour with a backing band; previously, she had mostly performed solo and had never organized a tour with musicians. She hired the L.A. Express, a jazz fusion band whose members had played on her previous studio album, Court and Spark, which was her biggest commercial success. A notable track from the live album, "Big Yellow Taxi," was released as a single and reached No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her fourth Top 40 hit after the studio version had previously stalled at No. 67.

The album features many of her best-known songs up to that time, but includes only one track from her recent album, without its two hit singles, "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris." It also presents two new songs, "Love Or Money" and "Jericho," the latter of which she later recorded for her 1977 album Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. "Love Or Money" has no known studio version and seems to have been performed only live. Most tracks were recorded at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles from August 14 to 17, 1974, while "Cactus Tree" was recorded at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on March 4, and "Real Good for Free" at the Berkeley Community Theater on March 2. The cover photo was taken at the Pine Knob Music Theater in Clarkston, Michigan.

Record World noted that the single "Jericho" is "a solid musical successor to 'Big Yellow Taxi.'"

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