MENU

more options & shortcuts »

Register/Log in

Discography

The Beginning of Survival

Release date:  July 27, 2004

The Beginning of Survival
Help support the site [commissions earned]

Album Notes

CHIEF SEATTLE'S LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT (mid-1800s)

The Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land. But how can you buy or sell the sky? The warmth of the land? How can you own the rain and the wind? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?

Every part of this earth is sacred to our people. Every shining pine needle. Every sandy shore. Every mist in the dark woods. Every meadow and every humming insect. All are holy in the memory and experience of our people.

We know the sap that courses through the trees as we know the blood that flows through our veins. We are part of the earth as it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters. The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the meadows, the ponies and man, all belong to the same family.

The shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not simply water, but the blood of our grandfather's grandfather. If we sell you our land, you must remember that it is sacred. Each ghostly reflection in the clear waters of the lakes tell of events and memories in the life of our people. The water's murmur is the voice of our great-great-grandmothers.

The rivers are our brothers. They quench our thirst. They carry our canoes and feed our children. So you must give to the rivers the kindness you would give to any brother.

If we sell you our land, remember that the air is precious to us, that the air shares its spirit with all life it supports. The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also receives his last sigh. The wind also gives our children the spirit of life. So if we sell you our land, you must keep the land and air apart and sacred, as a place where man can go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow flowers.

Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth.

This we know: The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, his is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.

One thing we know: Our God is also your God. The earth is precious to Him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its' Creator.

Your destiny is a mystery to us. What will happen when the buffalo are all slaughtered? The wild horses tamed? What will happen when the secret corners of the forest are heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills is blotted by talking wires? Where will the thicket be? Gone! Where will the eagle be? Gone! And what will happen when we say good-bye to the swift pony and hunt? The end of living and THE BEGINNING OF SURVIVAL.

When the last Red Man has vanished with his wilderness and his memory is only the shadow of a cloud moving across a prairie, will these shores and forests still be here? Will there be any of the spirit of my people left?

We love this earth as a newborn loves its mother's heartbeat. So, if we sell you our land, love it as we have loved it. Care for it as we have cared for it. Hold in your mind the memory of the land as it is when you receive it. Preserve the land and the air and the rivers for your children's children and love it as God loves us all.

As we are part of the land, you too are part of the land. This earth is precious to us. It is also precious to you. On thing we know: There is only one God. No man, be he Red Man or White Man, can be apart. We are brothers after all.

…an essay, a tragedy, an opera, a dark comedy…

1. THE REOCURRING DREAM
Words and music by Joni Mitchell
© 1991 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: vocals, background vocals, keyboards, collage
Manu Katché: drums
Larry Klein: bass
Michael Landau: guitar


2. THE WINDFALL (EVERYTHING FOR NOTHING)
Words & Music by Joni Mitchell
© 1991 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: guitars, keyboards, vocals
Larry Klein: basses
Vinnie Colaiuta: drums

3. SLOUCHING TOWARDS BETHLEHEM
Music by Joni Mitchell
Lyrics adapted from "The Second Coming" by W.B. Yates
© 1991 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: guitars, vocals, percussion, keyboards
Larry Klein: basses, percussion
Vinnie Colaiuta: drums
Alex Acuna: percussion
El Café: Voice of Doom

4. DOG EAT DOG
Woords & Music by Joni Mitchell
© 1985 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Don Henley, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell: background vocals

5. FICTION
Words by Joni Mitchell
Music by Larry Klein
© 1985 Crazy Crow Music/Dee Klein Music BMI

Joni Mitchell, Larry Klein, Joe Smith, Thomas Dolby: speakers
Larry Klein: keyboards
Vocal Arrangements by Joni Mitchell

6. THE BEAT OF BLACK WINGS
Words & Music by Joni Mitchell
© 1988 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: vocals, background vocals, keyboards, drum programming
Manu Katché: talking drum, percussion
Larry Klein: bass
Benjamin Orr: additional background vocals

7. NO APOLOGIES
Words & Music by Joni Mitchell
© 1998 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: bass, guitar, keyboards
Brian Blade: drums
Greg Leisz: peddle steel

8. SEX KILLS
Words & Music by Joni Mitchell
© 1994 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: guitar, vocals, keyboards, percussion
Larry Klein: basses, percussion
Michael Landau: electric guitar

9. THE THREE GREAT STIMULANTS
Words & Music by Joni Mitchell
© 1985 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: keyboards

10. LAKOTA
Words by Joni Mitchell
Music by Larry Klein & Joni Mitchell
© 1988 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: vocals, background vocals
Manu Katché: drums, percussion
Larry Klein: bass, keyboards
Michael Landau: guitar
Iron Eyes Cody: intro vocal, background vocals
Don Henley: background vocals

11. ETHIOPIA
Words & Music by Joni Mitchell
© 1985 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: piano
Kazu Matsui: Shakahachi
Arranged by Joni Mitchell

12. COOL WATER
Words & Music by Bob Nolan
Revised Lyrics by Joni Mitchell
Copyright © 1936 Valley Publishers, Inc. and American Music, Inc./BMI. Copyright renewed. Assigned to Elvis Presley Music and Unichappell Music, Inc. (Rightsong Music, Publishers), All rights for the world controlled by Unichappell Music, Inc. International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Revised lyrics copyright © 1988 by Elvis Presley Music and Unichappell Music Inc.

Joni Mitchell: vocals, background vocals, guitars, keyboards
Manu Katché: drums, percussion
Larrry Klein: bass, 808 congas
Michael Landau: guitar
Willie Nelson: vocals, background vocals

13. TAX FREE
Words by Joni Mitchell
Music by Larry Klein
© 1985 Craxy Crow Music/DeeKlein Music BMI

Larry Klein: keyboards
Rod Steiger: evangelist speech
Don Henley, James Taylor, Michael McDonald, Amy Holland, Joni Mitchell: background vocals
Vocal and Spoken Word Arrangements by Joni Mitchell

14. THE MAGDALENE LAUNDRIES
Words & Music by Joni Mitchell
© 1994 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: vocals, guitar, keyboards
Larry Klein: basses

15. PASSION PLAY (THE STORY OF JESUS AND ZACHIUS… THE LITTLE TAX COLLECTOR)
Words & Music by Joni Mitchell
© 1991 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Joni Mitchell: acoustic guitar, vocals
Larry Klein: basses, percussion
Bill Dillon: guitar
Alex Acuna: percussion

16. IMPOSSIBLE DREAMER
Words & Music by Joni Mitchell
© 1985 Crazy Crow Music BMI

Wayne Shorter: soprano saxophone
Alex Acuna: bata
Arranged by Joni Mitchell

Tracks 4, 5, 9, 11, 13, 16 from the album DOG EAT DOG (1985)
Produced by Joni Mitchell
Co-Produced by Larry Klein
Arranged by Joni Mitchell
Except "Tax Free"
Track arranged by Larry Klein
Vocals Written and Arranged by Joni Mitchell
Engineered and Mixed by Mike Shipley at Galaxy Studios – Los Angeles, CA
Sound File Assistance by Thomas Dolby
Engineering Assistants: Zyg Winard, Dan Marnien

Musicians:
Joni Mitchell: vocals, background vocals, vocal samples, Fairlight CMI, assorted keyboards
Larry Klein: basses, synthesizer programming
Thomas Dolby: synthesizer programming
Michael Landau: guitars
Vinnie Colaiuta: drums, drum samples
Michael Fisher: percussion samples
Additional Musicians Featured Under Lyrics

Tracks 1, 6, 10, 12 from the album CHALK MARK IN A RAINSTORM (1988)
Produced by Joni Mitchell & Larry Klein
Mixed by Mike Shipley, Dan Marnien & Joni Mitchell
Engineer: Dan Marnien
Additional Engineering: David Bottrill, Henry Lewy, Julie Last, Mike Shipley, Alan Smart
Engineering Assistants: Julie Last, Bill Jenkins, Mike Ross, Robin Lane, Dave Stallbaumer, Chris Fuhrman, Angus Davidson, Fred Howard, Richard Cottrell, Rick O'Neil, John Payne
Recorded at Ashcombe House, Bath, England
The Wool Hall, Beckington, England
Artisan Recording Studios, Los Angeles
The Village- Los Angeles, CA
Ocean Way Recording Studios-Los Angeles, CA
A&M Recording Studios-Los Angeles, CA
Ground Control-Santa Monica, CA
Sound Castle-Los Angeles, CA
Galazy Studios-Los Angeles, CA
Keyboard programming: Larry Klein

Tracks 2, 3, 15 from the album NIGHT RIDE HOME (1991)
Produced by Joni Mitchell & Larry Klein
Mixed by Mike Shipley, Dan Marnien & Joni Mitchell
Engineered by Dan Marnien
Recorded and Mixed in The Kiva
Additional Recording: A&M Studios-Los Angeles, CA, One On One Studios
Additional Engineering by Tony Phillipsk Steve Churchyard, Julie Last
Assistant Engineers: Paula "Max" Garcia, Julie Last, Kristen Connelly, Jim Hill, Bob Voght Production Assistand: Paula "Max" Garcia

Tracks 8, 14 from the album TURBULENT INDIGO (1994)
Produced by Joni Mitchell & Larry Klein
Recorded and Mixed by Dan Marnien at The Kiva
Assistant Engineers: Paula "Max" Schaper, Paul Lundin
1994 Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
Produced Under License From Warner Bros. Records, Inc.

Track 7 from the album TAMING THE TIGER (1998)
Produced and Arranged by Joni Mitchell
Engineered by Dan Marnien and Tony Phillips
Mixed by Joni Mitchell & Dan Marnien
1998 Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
Produced Under License From Warner Bros. Records, Inc.

The Beginning Of Survival (2004) credits:
Compilation Produced by Joni Mitchell & Mike Ragogna
96k/24-bit Mastered from the Original Master Tpes by Erick Labson at Universal Mastering Studios-North Hollywood CA
Art Direction: Joni Mitchell and Vartan
Design: Joni Mitchell and Meire Murakami
All Original Paintings by Joni Mithell
Production Manager: Monique McGuffin
Product Manager: Robin Kirby
Editorial Assistance: Lee Lodyga and Barry Korkin

Special Thanks to Mike Ragogna for once again accompanying me in this conspiracy to liberate these songs from the basement, and to Erick Labson for the rare wisdom of knowing when to leave it alone. Also thanks to Lenny Warnoker and Steve Berman for your assistance with this project.

Chief Seattle's Letter To the President adapted from various translations

Reviews of the album from the Library:

Comments:

Log in to make a comment

afriendofspirit on : 

I bought this when it was released, already a huge Joni fan but unfamiliar with anything later than Mingus, and I was blown away. It's so much more than a simple compilation or summary, with a beautiful flow and message, all at once heart-wrenching, analytical, and comforting. I probably listen to it still more often than Dog Eat Dog or Chalk Mark in a Rainstorm (though Night Ride Home is a personal favorite and Turbulent Indigo is also incredible). Excellent work, Joni!!!