On the 7th edition of Head 2 Head, Joni Mitchell and Lana Del Rey duke it over their respective takes on โFor Free.โย
Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing and contrasting their performances.ย Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.ย For our 7th head-to-head, the source material is ๐ Joni Mitchell, specifically the song, ๐ต โFor Freeโ. The two artists going head-to-head are Mitchell and ๐ Lana del Rey, โwith a little help from some friends.โ So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!
1. Joni Mitchell, โFor Freeโ
๐ฟ Ladies of the Canyon โข ๐ท Warner โข ๐ 1970
โAcross the street he stood / And he played real good / On his clarinet for free.โ I played my saxophone ๐ท outside of high school prom sophomore year ๐คท โ just saying!ย Anyways, ๐ Grammy-winning, Canadian folk singer/songwriter ๐ Joni Mitchell outdid herself with ๐ต โFor Free.โ Appearing on her 1970 album, ๐ฟ Ladies of the Canyon, Mitchell imparts the tale of a talented street musician โ a clarinetist โ whoโs playing for free.ย Meanwhile, she, a heralded musician (also quite talented), is being paid and receiving the perks for her craft.ย She also wonโt play for free โ the privilege of celebrity?
โNow me, I play for fortunes And those velvet curtain calls I got a black limousine and two gentlemen Escorting me to the halls.โ
The third verse may be my personal favorite.ย Mitchell seems to feel sorry for the lack of attention being received by the street musician (โNobody stopped to hear him / Though he played so sweet and highโ).ย She goes on to sing, โI meant to go over and ask for a song / Maybe put on a harmony,โ but ultimately, she doesnโt.ย Honestly, it is the brilliant songwriting by Mitchell that makes โFor Freeโ so awesome.ย Besides the lyrics, Mitchell sings incredibly well and the music itself is great too, with piano leading the charge.ย Worth noting, of course, that clarinet appears at the end of the record, a marvelous touch. Also, cello appears on the final verse. Beautiful!
2. Lana Del Rey, โFor Freeโ
Ft. Zella Day & Weyes Blood
๐ฟ Chemtrails Over the Country Club โข ๐ท Interscope โข ๐ 2021
๐ Lana del Rey is always good for a cover on many her albums.ย She concludes her seventh studio album, ๐ฟ Chemtrails Over the Country Club, brilliantly with the Joni Mitchell classic, ๐ต โFor Free.โ Del Rey enlists ๐ Zella Day and ๐ Weyes Blood for the assist on a truly chilling interpretation.ย The vocals are elite, the harmonies haunting, and the production absolutely stunning.
The original โ intact with clarinet solo, fitting โ is magical.ย Likewise, the Del Rey take is also quite special, and has a strong case for crowning achievement on a truly intriguing album.ย Thatโs saying something considering how many great originals grace Chemtrails.ย Del Rey definitely makes โFor Freeโ sound like her own song.
The Verdict ๐จ๐ฟโโ๏ธย
Okay, so is it Joni Mitchell or Lana Del Rey that wins this Head 2 Head?ย Mitchell obviously gets the edge because she wrote this incredible song.ย Ask yourself how often you hear a song like โFor Free.โ Itโs a rare, once in a lifetime song.ย That said, Del Rey, with the help of Zella and Weyes truly transform this 1970 gem into a contemporary classic.ย If you werenโt familiar with Mitchellโs music, well, you could swear this was an original. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the mark of a true artist.ย Joni is queen but Del Rey definitely โdid the damn thing.โ
Joni Mitchell vs. Lana Del Rey: Head 2 Head ๐ฃ๏ธ No. X [๐ท: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, Warner, Valentin Tikhonovย fromย Pixabay]