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describes both songs as "how-Joni-got-her-groove-back ditties". The lyrics tell of her time in France, a trip she took to Spain, and an excursion to a Greek island. At the end of each story in each location, she expresses her desire to be back in
California. The person that "Carey" was based on
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Mitchell described the song as a "letter back home". While on her travels in Europe, Mitchell wrote the first verse of the song in Paris, France, wrote the second verse in Spain, while longing for the creative climate she had experienced in
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also appears in the second verse of "California". According to author Larry David Smith, Mitchell uses the descriptions in "California" as a strategy to demonstrate "principles associated with the
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elements. Crouse praised the "subtlety" of the production, particularly "James Taylor's twitchy guitar and Russ Kunkel's superb, barely detectable high-hat and bass-pedal work."
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said it was "within the basic framework of most of Joni's previous material except for a most unusual melody."
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In the song, she expresses the depth of her longing for
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phrasing
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472:"Joni Mitchell - Live at the BBC Television Centre, London, UK / Sept. 3, 1970"
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said it was a "beauty" and had
Mitchell's "distinctive, personal stamp on it."
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critic
Timothy Crouse, the song "jumps along in quick bursts", but the
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drums and percussion. According to singer
Estrella Berosini, the
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covered the song as the title track to their 2004 studio album
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Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, a Ballet, Waiting to Be Danced
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Critic Kim Ruehl called "California" one of the highlights of
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Elvis
Costello, Joni Mitchell and the Torch Song Tradition
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415:) writes the line "Will you take me as I am?" in the
502:. Taylor Trade Publications. pp. 86–89, 98–99.
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Amchitka, The 1970 Concert That
Launched Greenpeace
268:. Like "Carey", "California" takes the form of a
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1658:Song recordings produced by Joni Mitchell
534:. Greenwood Publishing. pp. 48, 50.
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649:Joni Mitchell on the Muse Behind ‘Carey’
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401:"California" is quoted in the 2014 film
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620:. Oxford University Press. pp.
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1405:In France They Kiss on Main Street
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1320:Live at Canterbury House – 1967
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668:Crouse, T. (January 21, 1997).
587:Hopper, J. (November 9, 2012).
1653:Songs written by Joni Mitchell
1288:Blue 50 (Demos & Outtakes)
1228:The Reprise Albums (1968–1971)
734:. October 23, 1971. p. 18
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1256:The Asylum Albums (1976–1980)
1242:The Asylum Albums (1972–1975)
835:Theme Time Radio Hour Archive
762:. October 23, 1971. p. 8
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1327:Live at Carnegie Hall – 1969
1021:Don Juan's Reckless Daughter
883:Lyrics from jonimitchell.com
422:
16:1971 single by Joni Mitchell
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1493:The Last Time I Saw Richard
1377:You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio
1005:The Hissing of Summer Lawns
702:. About.com. Archived from
185:You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio
10:
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1592:A Tribute to Joni Mitchell
1053:Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm
616:The Music of Joni Mitchell
294:"California" uses a verse-
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1141:Joni Mitchell at Newport
831:"Episode 54: California"
725:"CashBox Record Reviews"
566:. Simon & Schuster.
1673:Reprise Records singles
1585:River: The Joni Letters
1539:You Can Close Your Eyes
1444:The Fiddle and the Drum
1187:Songs of a Prairie Girl
653:The Wall Street Journal
274:stream of consciousness
260:Composition and reviews
229:" is a song written by
1678:Songs about California
700:"Joni Mitchell - Blue"
612:Whitesell, L. (2008).
1546:Long Ago and Far Away
1302:Court and Spark Demos
395:Theme Time Radio Hour
276:narrative technique.
1037:Wild Things Run Fast
973:Ladies of the Canyon
530:Smith, L.D. (2004).
433:Appalachian dulcimer
1648:Joni Mitchell songs
1532:You've Got a Friend
1472:This Flight Tonight
1281:Volume 1 Highlights
655:, 11 November 2014.
562:Weller, S. (2008).
445:Sneaky Pete Kleinow
417:Pacific Crest Trail
304:Sneaky Pete Kleinow
1553:Got 'til It's Gone
1266:Auxiliary releases
1151:Compilation albums
680:on October 1, 2007
327:is "flowing" with
307:pedal steel guitar
156:singles chronology
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1384:Raised on Robbery
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1274:Early Joni – 1963
1127:Shadows and Light
957:Song to a Seagull
498:Bego, M. (2005).
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372:Covers and legacy
355:compilation album
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1437:Both Sides, Now
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1349:Chelsea Morning
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837:. 27 April 2015
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1668:1971 singles
1613:L.A. Express
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760:Record World
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209:"California"
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22:"California"
1500:Down to You
1312:Live albums
1112:Live albums
1045:Dog Eat Dog
930:Discography
807:"Dreamland"
624:, 148–150.
478:7 September
451:Russ Kunkel
407:, in which
311:Russ Kunkel
298:structure.
143:Producer(s)
1663:1971 songs
1642:Categories
1370:California
1093:Travelogue
865:2022-02-11
841:2021-04-10
816:2014-06-04
805:Jurek, T.
791:2014-06-04
766:2023-04-12
738:2021-12-10
710:2014-06-04
698:Ruehl, K.
684:2014-06-04
645:Marc Myers
595:2014-06-04
458:References
383:California
315:recitative
270:travelogue
254:California
247:Background
227:California
176:California
1451:Woodstock
1180:Dreamland
423:Personnel
390:Bob Dylan
365:Dreamland
279:Pitchfork
95:Folk rock
1629:Category
1213:Box sets
811:Allmusic
786:Allmusic
732:Cash Box
441:– guitar
341:Cash Box
81:Recorded
73:Released
1391:Help Me
1341:Singles
325:refrain
282:critic
214:YouTube
189:(1972)
180:(1971)
171:(1971)
123:Reprise
1563:Albums
1412:Coyote
1166:Misses
1104:(2007)
1096:(2002)
1088:(2000)
1080:(1998)
1072:(1994)
1064:(1991)
1056:(1988)
1048:(1985)
1040:(1982)
1032:(1979)
1029:Mingus
1024:(1977)
1016:(1976)
1013:Hejira
1008:(1975)
1000:(1974)
992:(1972)
984:(1971)
976:(1970)
968:(1969)
965:Clouds
960:(1968)
935:Albums
782:"Hits"
670:"Blue"
628:
570:
538:
506:
296:bridge
101:Length
59:B-side
37:Single
1524:Songs
1479:River
1363:Carey
1101:Shine
940:Songs
756:(PDF)
728:(PDF)
329:tango
241:Carey
167:Carey
118:Label
90:Genre
1159:Hits
981:Blue
626:ISBN
568:ISBN
536:ISBN
504:ISBN
480:2024
404:Wild
359:Hits
336:Blue
236:Blue
84:1971
76:1971
50:Blue
651:",
647:, "
243:".
212:on
39:by
1644::
858:.
833:.
809:.
784:.
758:.
730:.
672:.
660:^
622:90
604:^
550:^
518:^
488:^
431:–
386:.
368:.
309:,
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110:48
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911:e
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897:v
868:.
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634:.
598:.
576:.
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482:.
225:"
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108::
106:3
68:"
64:"
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