Amelia has been one of my latest song obsessions, although I have been obsessed with all of JMs work for close to 40 years. I become obsessed with Amelia (and Hejira the album) every few years. I actually just posted on my facebook page a youtube video of JM singing Amelia live from about 1986. It is an amazing performance and has brought tears to my eyes. Pat Methany plays in at the end I believe, not J.Pastorius. It is also amazing to actually see JM sing Amelia in concert with such emotion and play those beautiful strings of her guitar- it is mesmerizing, you must check it out.

I loved the article, it made me laugh because I have had the exact same thoughts, both about Amelia and other songs. People scoff at "Help Me," I must defend it. I love it now more than ever. Listen to the lyrics, "Help me, I think I'm fallin' in love with you. Are you going to let me go there by myself? That's such a lonely thing to do." That beautiful soaring ending "we love our lovin'... but not like we love our free-ee-ee-dom......!" I feel myself soaring with JM like a bird or a jet plane away, away... it may have been "pop" but it is also one of the most beautiful and true songs about falling in love ever written. And for women growing up in the 1970's, it acknowledged a woman's need for independence and not to be tethered to a man. There is a great video on youtube of k.d. lang singing "Help Me" at the Joni Mitchell tribute and Joni clearly likes the performance and blows a kiss to her at the end and says "Beautiful!" It is.

Another artist whose songs I get obsessed with is Nick Drake: Riverman & Northern Sky come to mind

Other life long song obsessions: JMs "Two Grey Rooms," "More Than This" by Roxy Music, "My Secret Place" by JM, "Edith and The Kingpin" by JM, "Refuge of The Roads," Song For Sharon," "Electricity," "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire," (Two incredible JM songs that are overlooked) "Until You Come Back To Me" by Aretha Franklin," "Babylon Sisters" by Steely Dan, "It's A Shame" and "I'll Be Around" by the Spinners, "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time" by the Delfonics, "I Got A Line On You" by Spirit. I do wonder what it is about these songs and others that just grab a hold of me and won't let go. One last JM song, "Answer Me My Love." I never thought anyone could improve on the Nat King Cole version, but when I heard Joni sing this for the first time, it was a revelation. It is like a prayer.