# Chelsea Morning

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Song written and performed by Joni Mitchell

"Chelsea Morning" Song by Joni Mitchell from the album Clouds Language English Released 1969 (1969) Studio A&M Studios, Hollywood, California Genre Folk rock Length 2:35 Label Reprise Songwriter Joni Mitchell Producers Joni Mitchell, Paul A. Rothchild Official audio Chelsea Morning on YouTube

"**Chelsea Morning**" is a song written and composed by [Joni Mitchell](/source/Joni_Mitchell) and recorded for the singer's second album, *[Clouds](/source/Clouds_(Joni_Mitchell_album))*, which she released in 1969.[1]

## Background

The song was inspired by Mitchell's room in the [Chelsea](/source/Chelsea%2C_Manhattan) neighborhood of [New York City](/source/New_York_City). The inspiration for the first verse comes partly from the distinct décor of her apartment. While in Philadelphia, Mitchell and friends had made a [mobile](/source/Mobile_(sculpture)) from shards of colored glass they had found in the street and wire coat hangers, which filtered the light coming into her room through the window and created the "rainbow on the wall."[2] During coffeehouse performances of this song in the late 1960s, Mitchell explained that the stained glass had been rescued from the salvaged windows of a demolished home for unwed mothers.[3]

The lyrics of this song demonstrate Mitchell's talent with imagery, and her strong use of visual inspiration, which comes from her background in visual art. Example: "The sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses." Mitchell explained in 1996: "It was a very young and lovely time ... before I had a record deal. I think it's a very sweet song, but I don't think of it as part of my best work. To me, most of those early songs seem like the work of an [ingenue](/source/Ing%C3%A9nue)."[2]

"Chelsea Morning" predated the release of Mitchell's [1968 debut album](/source/Song_to_a_Seagull), but she held off recording the song until her second album *Clouds* partly because it had already been recorded by other artists. The version by [Judy Collins](/source/Judy_Collins) had been initially slated for *[Who Knows Where the Time Goes](/source/Who_Knows_Where_the_Time_Goes_(Judy_Collins_album))*, but "Chelsea Morning" did not make the track listing for the album, instead given an April 1969 single release. Supported mainly by [easy listening](/source/Easy_listening) radio, the track reached No.25 on [*Billboard's* Easy Listening chart](/source/Adult_Contemporary_(chart)) with peripheral [*Billboard* Hot 100](/source/Billboard_Hot_100) impact, peaking there at No.78, and No. 72 in [Canada](/source/RPM_(magazine)).[4] "Chelsea Morning" made a belated debut as a Judy Collins album track on the singer's 1971 album release *Living*. Collins re-recorded "Chelsea Morning" for her 1999 retrospective double-album release *Forever: An Anthology*.

[Chelsea Clinton](/source/Chelsea_Clinton), daughter of President [Bill Clinton](/source/Bill_Clinton) and [Hillary Clinton](/source/Hillary_Clinton), was named after the song, "Chelsea Morning", after the couple heard Judy Collins' version of the song playing during a stroll in the Chelsea neighborhood of London.[5]

## Other versions

"Chelsea Morning" Single by Judy Collins B-side "Pretty Polly" Released April 1969 (1969-04)[6] Recorded Elektra Sound Recorders, Los Angeles, 1968 (1968) Genre Folk rock Length 3:15 Label Elektra Songwriter Joni Mitchell Producer David Anderle Judy Collins singles chronology "Someday Soon" (1969) "Chelsea Morning" (1969) "Turn! Turn! Turn! To Everything There Is A Season" (1969)

Prior to coming out on the Mitchell album, the song had been issued as a track on the [debut album](/source/Fairport_Convention_(album)) by [Fairport Convention](/source/Fairport_Convention) in 1968, as a single by [Gloria Loring](/source/Gloria_Loring),[7] and as a single by [Judy Collins](/source/Judy_Collins) earlier in 1969.[8] [Jennifer Warnes](/source/Jennifer_Warnes) recorded it for her debut album, *I Can See Everything*, also in 1968, and, in 1969, this version was released as a single. The earliest commercial appearance of the song, however, was likely its interpretation by [Dave Van Ronk](/source/Dave_Van_Ronk) on his 1967 album *[Dave Van Ronk and the Hudson Dusters](/source/Dave_Van_Ronk_and_the_Hudson_Dusters)*.

In 1970, three versions of "Chelsea Morning" were produced:

- *Green Lyte Sunday featuring Susan Darby* reached No.4 as Easy Listening in *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))* in August 1970.

- [Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66](/source/S%C3%A9rgio_Mendes) reached No.21 as Easy Listening in *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))* in November 1970. In [Canada](/source/RPM_(magazine)) it reached No.7 on the AC charts and No. 74 on the rock charts.[9][10]

- [Sylvia McNeill](/source/Sylvia_McNeill) on RCA 1922 (UK 45 rpm) produced by [Jack Good](/source/Jack_Good_(producer)), is another notable version.

In 1971, [Neil Diamond](/source/Neil_Diamond) recorded "Chelsea Morning" for his album *[Stones](/source/Stones_(Neil_Diamond_album))*. (He had previously interpreted "[Both Sides Now](/source/Both_Sides_Now)" in a performance at Douglas Weston's Troubadour which had been recorded on his live album *Gold*.)

In 1972, a Finnish rendering, titled "Kaupungin Aamu", was recorded by [Anki](https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anki_Lindqvist) for her album *Ennen Aurinkoa*.

In 1974, [Kjell Hansson](https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kjell_Hansson) recorded the Swedish rendering "Skärgårdsmorgon" for his album *Dig*.

In 1985, Mitchell's version was included in the [soundtrack](/source/Soundtrack) of the feature film *[After Hours](/source/After_Hours_(film))*.

In 2004, [Rebecca Luker](/source/Rebecca_Luker) recorded "Chelsea Morning" for her album *Leaving Home*.

[Marian Call](/source/Marian_Call) recorded it for her 2007 album, *Vanilla*.

Judy Collins rerecorded "Chelsea Morning" for her 2021 album *White Bird: Anthology of Favorites*.[11]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Discography - Judy Collins - Chelsea Morning/Pretty Polly"](https://www.billboard.com/artist/judy-collins/chart-history/), *Billboard.com*. Retrieved June 29, 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hilburn_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hilburn_2-1) Hilburn, Robert: Los Angeles Times. ["Joni Mitchell looks at both sides now: her hits -- and misses"](http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-96/12-07-96/b01ae065.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20041001000211/http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-96/12-07-96/b01ae065.htm) October 1, 2004, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), *NewStandard*. 12/7/96. Retrieved June 29, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [https://jonimitchell.com/music/song.cfm?id=89](https://jonimitchell.com/music/song.cfm?id=89)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["RPM Top 100 Singles - August 30, 1969"](http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.6023.pdf) (PDF).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["THE INAUGURATION; Shedding Light On a Morning And a Name"](https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/19/us/the-inauguration-shedding-light-on-a-morning-and-a-name.html). *The New York Times*. 1993-01-19. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0362-4331](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved 2016-08-30.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["The Very Best of Judy Collins by Judy Collins"](https://archive.today/20120730194452/http://www.epinions.com/content_326478237316), *Epinions.com*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Gloria Loring, "Chelsea Morning", *Discogs.com*](https://www.discogs.com/Gloria-Loring-Chelsea-Morning/release/4225614). Retrieved 10 December 2019

1. **[^](#cite_ref-AllMusic_8-0)** Unterberger, Richie (2008).["'Chelsea Morning' - Joni Mitchell"](https://www.allmusic.com/song/t2812928), *AllMusic*. Retrieved June 29, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["RPM AC Singles - March 13, 1971"](http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5210.pdf) (PDF).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["RPM Top 100 Singles - March 6, 1971"](http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5183.pdf) (PDF).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Judy Collins"](https://www.elmoremagazine.com/2021/05/reviews/albums/judy-collins-2). 7 May 2021.

v t e Joni Mitchell Discography Studio albums Song to a Seagull (1968) Clouds (1969) Ladies of the Canyon (1970) Blue (1971) For the Roses (1972) Court and Spark (1974) The Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975) Hejira (1976) Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (1977) Mingus (1979) Wild Things Run Fast (1982) Dog Eat Dog (1985) Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm (1988) Night Ride Home (1991) Turbulent Indigo (1994) Taming the Tiger (1998) Both Sides Now (2000) Travelogue (2002) Shine (2007) Live albums Miles of Aisles Shadows and Light Amchitka, The 1970 Concert That Launched Greenpeace Joni Mitchell at Newport Compilation albums Hits Misses The Beginning of Survival Dreamland Songs of a Prairie Girl Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, a Ballet, Waiting to Be Danced Joni's Jazz Archives series Box sets Volume 1: The Early Years (1963–1967) The Reprise Albums (1968–1971) Volume 2: The Reprise Years (1968–1971) The Asylum Albums (1972–1975) Volume 3: The Asylum Years (1972–1975) The Asylum Albums (1976–1980) Volume 4: The Asylum Years (1976–1980) Auxiliary releases Early Joni – 1963 Blue 50 (Demos & Outtakes) Live albums Live at Canterbury House – 1967 Live at Carnegie Hall – 1969 Singles "Chelsea Morning" "Big Yellow Taxi" "Carey" "California" "You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio" "Raised on Robbery" "Help Me" "Free Man in Paris" "In France They Kiss on Main Street" "Coyote" "My Secret Place" Notable songs "Both Sides, Now" "The Fiddle and the Drum" "Woodstock" "The Circle Game" "Little Green" "Blue" "This Flight Tonight" "River" "A Case of You" "The Last Time I Saw Richard" "Down to You" "Twisted" "Two Grey Rooms" Tribute albums Back to the Garden River: The Joni Letters A Tribute to Joni Mitchell Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration Related articles L.A. Express Blackface controversy Category

v t e Judy Collins Discography Studio albums A Maid of Constant Sorrow (1961) Golden Apples of the Sun (1962) Judy Collins #3 (1963) Fifth Album (1965) In My Life (1966) Wildflowers (1967) Who Knows Where the Time Goes (1968) Whales & Nightingales (1970) True Stories and Other Dreams (1973) Judith (1975) Bread and Roses (1976) Hard Times for Lovers (1979) Running for My Life (1980) Times of Our Lives (1982) Home Again (1984) Amazing Grace (1985) Fires of Eden (1990) Judy Sings Dylan... Just Like a Woman (1993) Come Rejoice! A Judy Collins Christmas (1994) Voices (1995) Portrait of an American Girl (2005) Judy Collins Sings Lennon and McCartney (2007) Paradise (2010) Bohemian (2011) Strangers Again (2015) Silver Skies Blue with Ari Hest (2016) A Love Letter to Stephen Sondheim (2017) Everybody Knows with Stephen Stills (2017) Winter Stories with Jonas Fjeld and Chatham County Line (2019) Spellbound (2022) Live albums The Judy Collins Concert (1964) Living (1971) Sanity and Grace (1989) Live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (2012) Compilation albums Recollections (1969) Colors of the Day (1972) So Early in the Spring (1977) Forever: An Anthology (1997) Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen: Democracy (2004) White Bird: Anthology of Favorites (2021) Singles "Both Sides, Now" "Someday Soon" "Chelsea Morning" Related Antonia: A Portrait of the Woman Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins Stephen Stills Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chelsea Morning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea_Morning) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea_Morning?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.