Song to a Seagull


Song to a Seagull is the debut album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Produced by David Crosby, the album was recorded in 1967 at Sunset Sound and released in March 1968 by record label Reprise.

Production

The album was recorded at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California during the later part of 1967. David Crosby was assigned as producer as part of the deal with Reprise Records. Crosby wanted Mitchell to sound pure and natural, so he asked her to sing into the studio grand piano, and set up extra microphones to capture her voice reverberating off the strings; unfortunately the set-up captured too much ambient noise, resulting in excessive tape hiss, which could only be removed post-production at the cost of the high sounds in the audio range, which gives the album a flat feel.
Mitchell had written songs that were hits for other artists, but none of those songs were recorded for her debut.

Content

Mitchell has said that "Sisotowbell" stands for "Somehow, in spite of trouble, ours will be ever lasting love".
The album was dedicated to her Grade 7 English teacher, "Mr. Kratzmann, who taught me to love words".

Release

This album was originally released as Joni Mitchell because the LP album covers were printed incorrectly, cutting off part of the Song to a Seagull title. The cut-off, as well as the publishers at Reprise Records not noticing that the birds spelled out the album name, caused the eponymous album title.
The two sides of the LP were labelled as Part 1 – "I Came to the City", and Part 2 – "Out of the City and Down to the Seaside".

Track listing

All tracks are written by Joni Mitchell.
;Side one – I Came to the City
  1. "I Had a King" – 3:37
  2. "Michael from Mountains" – 3:41
  3. "Night in the City" – 2:30
  4. "Marcie" – 4:35
  5. "Nathan La Franeer" – 3:18
;Side two – Out of the City and Down to the Seaside
  1. "Sisotowbell Lane" – 4:05
  2. "The Dawntreader" – 5:04
  3. "The Pirate of Penance" – 2:44
  4. "Song to a Seagull" – 3:51
  5. "Cactus Tree" – 4:35

    Personnel

;Technical