# Song to a Seagull

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Song_to_a_Seagull
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Song_to_a_Seagull.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_to_a_Seagull
> Source revision: 1310866065
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

1968 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Song to a Seagull Studio album by Joni Mitchell Released March 23, 1968 Recorded Early 1968 Studio Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California Genre Folk[1][2] Length 38:11 Label Reprise Producer David Crosby Joni Mitchell chronology Song to a Seagull (1968) Clouds (1969) Singles from Song to a Seagull "Night in the City" Released: June 1968[3]

Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating AllMusic [4] Encyclopedia of Popular Music [5] MusicHound [6] Pitchfork 6.7/10[7] Rolling Stone [citation needed]

***Song to a Seagull*** (also known as ***Joni Mitchell***) is the debut studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter [Joni Mitchell](/source/Joni_Mitchell). Produced by [David Crosby](/source/David_Crosby), the album was recorded at [Sunset Sound](/source/Sunset_Sound)[8] and released in March 1968 by [Reprise Records](/source/Reprise_Records).[9]

## Production

The album was recorded at [Sunset Sound](/source/Sunset_Sound) in [Hollywood, California](/source/Hollywood%2C_California).[10] [David Crosby](/source/David_Crosby) was assigned as producer as part of the deal with Reprise Records, following meeting Mitchell in October 1967.[10] Crosby wanted Mitchell to sound pure and natural, so he asked her to sing into the studio grand piano, and set up extra microphones to capture her voice reverberating off the strings; unfortunately the set-up captured too much ambient noise, resulting in excessive [tape hiss](/source/Tape_hiss), which could only be removed post-production at the cost of the high sounds in the [audio range](/source/Audio_frequency), which gives the album a flat feel.[11]

Mitchell had written songs that were hits for other artists (e.g., "[Both Sides Now](/source/Both_Sides_Now)" and "[Chelsea Morning](/source/Chelsea_Morning)" by [Judy Collins](/source/Judy_Collins) and [Dave Van Ronk](/source/Dave_Van_Ronk), "Eastern Rain" by [Fairport Convention](/source/Fairport_Convention), "Urge for Going" and "[The Circle Game](/source/The_Circle_Game_(song))" by [Tom Rush](/source/Tom_Rush)), but none of these songs were selected for inclusion on *Song to a Seagull*.

## Content

Mitchell has said that "Sisotowbell" stands for "Somehow, in spite of trouble, ours will be ever lasting love".[12]

*[Record World](/source/Record_World)* said of the single "Night in the City" that "The marvelous Joni Mitchell lights up the imagination with this provocative rock."[13]

The album was dedicated to her [Grade 7](/source/Seventh_grade) English teacher, "Mr. Kratzmann, who taught me to love words".[14]

## Release

This album was originally released as *Joni Mitchell* because the LP album covers were printed incorrectly, cutting off part of the *Song to a Seagull* title (spelled out by birds in flight).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] The cut-off, as well as the publishers at [Reprise Records](/source/Reprise_Records) not noticing that the birds spelled out the album name, caused the eponymous album title.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

The two sides of the LP were labelled as Part 1 – "I Came to the City", and Part 2 – "Out of the City and Down to the Seaside".

On April 8, 2021, [Rhino Entertainment](/source/Rhino_Entertainment), the catalog arm of [Warner Music Group](/source/Warner_Music_Group), announced that a new mix of the album overseen by Mitchell and mixer Matt Lee would be released on June 25, 2021 as part of a special remaster collection comprising the singer's first four albums. Commenting on the quality of the original mix, Mitchell called it "atrocious" and said it "sounded like it was recorded under a [Jello](/source/Jello) bowl".[15] The remastered collection is part of the ongoing [Joni Mitchell Archives](/source/Joni_Mitchell_Archives) project.

## Track listing

All tracks are written by Joni Mitchell.

Side one – I Came to the City No. Title Length 1. "I Had a King" 3:37 2. "Michael from Mountains" 3:41 3. "Night in the City" 2:30 4. "Marcie" 4:35 5. "Nathan La Franeer" 3:18

Side two – Out of the City and Down to the Seaside No. Title Length 1. "Sisotowbell Lane" 4:05 2. "The Dawntreader" 5:04 3. "The Pirate of Penance" 2:44 4. "Song to a Seagull" 3:51 5. "Cactus Tree" 4:35

## Personnel

- Joni Mitchell – guitar, piano, vocals, album cover, banshee

- [Stephen Stills](/source/Stephen_Stills) – bass on "Night in the City"

- Lee Keefer – banshee

**Technical**

- [David Crosby](/source/David_Crosby) – producer

- Art Crist – engineer

- [Ed Thrasher](/source/Ed_Thrasher) – art direction

## Charts

Chart performance for Song to a Seagull Chart (1968) Peak position US Billboard 200[16] 189 US Cash Box Top 100 Albums[17] 88

## Other versions and covers

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Song to a Seagull" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

[Cass Elliot](/source/Cass_Elliot) covered two songs from the album: "Sisotowbell Lane" and "I Had a King". Elliot sang "I Had a King" "live" on *[Andy Williams](/source/Andy_Williams)'s Kaleidoscope* in 1968. Neither song has ever been released on any of Elliot's seven albums. "Sisotowbell Lane" can be found on the CD [compilation](/source/Compilation_album) *The Complete Solo Collection – 1968–71*, released in 2005.

[Judy Collins](/source/Judy_Collins) covered "Michael from Mountains" on her LP *[Wildflowers](/source/Wildflowers_(Judy_Collins_album))*, as did [Gábor Szabó](/source/G%C3%A1bor_Szab%C3%B3) on his LP *[1969](/source/1969_(G%C3%A1bor_Szab%C3%B3_album))*. [Buffy Sainte-Marie](/source/Buffy_Sainte-Marie) recorded "Song to a Seagull" on her album *[Fire & Fleet & Candlelight](/source/Fire_%26_Fleet_%26_Candlelight)* issued in 1967.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Shumway2014_1-0)** Shumway, David R. (August 21, 2014). [*Rock Star: The Making of Musical Icons from Elvis to Springsteen*](https://books.google.com/books?id=OkKXBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA161). [Johns Hopkins University Press](/source/Johns_Hopkins_University_Press). p. 161. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4214-1393-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4214-1393-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Carlin2005_2-0)** Carlin, Richard (2005). [*Folk*](https://books.google.com/books?id=LluEHF1oT-wC&pg=PA242). Infobase Publishing. p. 242. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8160-6978-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8160-6978-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Spotlight Singles"](https://books.google.com/books?id=zAoEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Joni+mitchell+night+in+the+city&pg=PA70). *Billboard*. June 15, 1968. p. 70.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Cleary, David (2011). ["Song to a Seagull – Joni Mitchell"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/r13206). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved January 17, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Larkin, Colin](/source/Colin_Larkin) (2011). "Mitchell, Joni". [*The Encyclopedia of Popular Music*](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music) (5th concise ed.). London: [Omnibus Press](/source/Omnibus_Press). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-85712-595-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-85712-595-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (1999). [*MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide*](https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/769). Farmington Hills, Michigan: Visible Ink Press. p. [769](https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/769). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-57859-061-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-57859-061-2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Hopper, Jessica (November 9, 2012). ["Joni Mitchell: The Studio Albums 1968–1979 | Album Reviews"](http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17269-the-studio-albums-1968-1979/). *[Pitchfork](/source/Pitchfork_(website))*. Retrieved January 17, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Song to a Seagull | The Making of Joni Mitchell"](https://hypercritic.org/collection/joni-mitchell-song-to-a-seagull-1968-review). *Hypercritic*. Retrieved September 12, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Joni Mitchell - Song To A Seagull"](https://jonimitchell.com/music/album.cfm?id=2&o=1). *jonimitchell.com*. Retrieved September 12, 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Joni77_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Joni77_10-1) Monk, Katherine (September 7, 2012). [*Joni: The Creative Odyssey of Joni Mitchell*](https://books.google.com/books?id=EVq9BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA77). [Greystone Books](/source/Greystone_Books). p. 77. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781553658382](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781553658382).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Joni78_11-0)** Monk, Katherine (September 7, 2012). [*Joni: The Creative Odyssey of Joni Mitchell*](https://books.google.com/books?id=EVq9BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA78). [Greystone Books](/source/Greystone_Books). pp. 78–79. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781553658382](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781553658382).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** White, Timothy (December 9, 1995). ["JMDL Library: Joni Mitchell – A Portrait of the Artist"](http://jonimitchell.com/Library/view.cfm?id=49). *JoniMitchell.com*. Retrieved January 17, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Single Reviews"](https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/60s/68/Record-World-1968-06-08.pdf) (PDF). *Record World*. June 8, 1968. p. 8. Retrieved June 2, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Album sleeve

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Joni Mitchell Archives Series Continues"](https://jonimitchell.com/library/view.cfm?id=4866). *jonimitchell.com*. Retrieved June 7, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Joni Mitchell Chart History"](https://www.billboard.com/artist/joni-mitchell/chart-history/tlp/). *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Retrieved December 6, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Cash Box Top 100 Albums"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1968/CB-1968-06-22.pdf) (PDF). *[Cash Box](/source/Cashbox_(magazine))*. June 22, 1968. p. 33. Retrieved July 16, 2024.

## External links

- *[Song to a Seagull](https://www.discogs.com/master/220439)* at [Discogs](/source/Discogs) (list of releases)

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

Authority control databases MusicBrainz release group

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