Joni Mitchell Redux: "A Case of You"

There are times when we hear covers that just sound like nails on a chalkboard. Then, there are times when one song is so beautiful that everyone with a half-decent (or maybe not even that) voice loves singing it, (ahem) Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". There are also those times when a song is covered when it never ever should be and then repeated over and over again on the radio. We've experienced all of these and sure you have too.

However, there's one song that has a couple different cover versions we absolutely adore and wanted to share with you. Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You" from her 1971 album Blue is exquisite. You may not be a Joni fan, but it's hard to resist the lyrical content of this song and the creativity with which she speaks of love that we can all relate to. Then again, that's sort of her specialty. While the folk craze has rooted itself in Seattle once again, it's rare to find such a lyricist as she was with such a beautiful voice in which to serve it up.

The real desire to create this post came earlier today when it was brought to our attention that James Blake had done a rendition on BBC 1 earlier this year. Having already listened to Colin Meloy's version over and over again from his Moore Theatre performance in '08 posted below, we jumped on the opportunity to hear Blake's version. While sounding completely different, had just as much beauty and intensity. They led us to look up other renditions and found Diana Krall. We had to include that version as well, it's truly incredible. Just goes to show how pliable and sustaining music or even just one song can be and still have as much effect on its listeners as the original.

James Blake - A Case Of You (BBC Radio 1 Live Session) by blurasis