Cactus Tree (Instrumental) - Joni Mitchell Cover

[@CCOCCARO]

The picking scheme and timing of all the phrases are so constantly evolving, it takes a super accurate ear to place them. This is absolutely astounding as was the original conception.

[@westonwellington3482]

It was 1968, I think. A small bar/concert venue in Boston's Kenmore Square where James Taylor was the warmup act for Joni. My favorite Joni Mitchell song was Cactus Tree, and later in her set she began to play it. But halfway through she forgot the words and struggled to recall them. At one point she gently called out to the audience for help. I'm pretty sure I knew the words but as a bashful teenager I froze and failed to come to her rescue. Coulda, shoulda.

[@kirstenrusso6832]

There's a man who's been out sailing In a decade full of dreams And he takes her to a schooner And he treats her like a queen Bearing beads from California With their amber stones and green He has called her from the harbor He has kissed her with his freedom He has heard her off to starboard In the breaking and the breathing Of the water weeds While she was busy being free There's a man who's climbed a mountain And he's calling out her name And he hopes her heart can hear three thousand miles He calls again He can think her there beside him He can miss her just the same He has missed her in the forest While he showed her all the flowers And the branches sang the chorus As he climbed the scaley towers Of a forest tree While she was somewhere being free There's a man who's sent a letter And he's waiting for reply He has asked her of her travels Since the day they said goodbye He writes "Wish you were beside me We can make it if we try" He has seen her at the office With her name on all his papers Through the sharing of the profits He will find it hard to shake her From his memory And she's so busy being free There's a lady in the city And she thinks she loves them all There's the one who's thinking of her There's the one who sometimes calls There's the one who writes her letters With his facts and figures scrawl She has brought them to her senses They have laughed inside her laughter Now she rallies her defenses For she fears that one will ask her For eternity And she's so busy being free There's a man who sends her medals He is bleeding from the war There's a jouster and a jester and a man who owns a store There's a drummer and a dreamer And you know there may be more She will love them when she sees them They will lose her if they follow And she only means to please them And her heart is full and hollow Like a cactus tree While she's so busy being free

[@meifeiyang]

This is perfect, thanks a lot! I will use it to sing this song on my mom's birthday :)

[@victormauricio3249]

So beautiful! Thank you

[@taternae]

Amazing! Posting these so I can sing along :) There's a man who's been out sailing In a decade full of dreams And he takes her to a schooner And he treats her like a queen Bearing beads from California With their amber stones and green He has called her from the harbor He has kissed her with his freedom He has heard her off to starboard In the breaking and the breathing Of the water weeds While she was busy being free There's a man who's climbed a mountain And he's calling out her name And he hopes her heart can hear three thousand miles He calls again He can think her there beside him He can miss her just the same He has missed her in the forest While he showed her all the flowers And the branches sang the chorus As he climbed the scaley towers Of a forest tree While she was somewhere being free There's a man who's sent a letter And he's waiting for reply He has asked her of her travels Since the day they said goodbye He writes "Wish you were beside me We can make it if we try" He has seen her at the office With her name on all his papers Through the sharing of the profits He will find it hard to shake her From his memory And she's so busy being free There's a lady in the city And she thinks she loves them all There's the one who's thinking of her There's the one who sometimes calls There's the one who writes her letters With his facts and figures scrawl She has brought them to her senses They have laughed inside her laughter Now she rallies her defenses For she fears that one will ask her For eternity And she's so busy being free There's a man who sends her medals He is bleeding from the war There's a jouster and a jester and a man who owns a store There's a drummer and a dreamer And you know there may be more She will love them when she sees them They will lose her if they follow And she only means to please them And her heart is full and hollow Like a cactus tree While she's so busy being free

[@NeverLeaveIt]

I really enjoyed that - thanks man

[@TepiLizard]

This is impeccable! I love this guitar cover, and I love that you've done so many of her works. Your oil painting is also beautiful, and given that Joni is also a painter/artist, I wonder if you'd ever shared your works with her. :) I'd like to lay down the vocals for this piece (all that she did, plus my own additional harmonies). I will definitely credit your channel when I do so, as requested in your description. Thank you for your generosity! The resulting recording will also be shared here, and I'll link it when I do. Also, would you be willing to lay down the guitar track for "Conversation"?

[@genemaurillo4162]

thank you very much :-)

[@raquelhoekman4668]

This is really an excellent track. You are a very talented guitar player. And I share your clear love of Joni's first album in particular. She wrote some very special songs on "song for a seagull" I made a video of me singing cactus tree with your backing vocal. And I will probably make videos of dawntreader and I had a king as well. Tell me if you want to hear cactus tree. I posted it on my FB and it got a good response

[@pagliacci2942]

Wish you could teach me the guitar.

[@annagoto8968]

Hi cuzhero, I love your version of Cactus Tree. I'd love to sing with your guitar and upload on KZbin or other social media like Insta. If I post on Insta, how can I tag you or mention you as credit?? Thank you!

[@hannahfischer4983]

There's a man who's been out sailing In a decade full of dreams And he takes her to a schooner And he treats her like a queen Bearing beads from California With their amber stones and green He has called her from the harbor He has kissed her with his freedom He has heard her off to starboard In the breaking and the breathing Of the water weeds While she was busy being free There's a man who's climbed a mountain And he's calling out her name And he hopes her heart can hear three thousand miles He calls again He can think her there beside him He can miss her just the same He has missed her in the forest While he showed her all the flowers And the branches sang the chorus As he climbed the scaley towers Of a forest tree While she was somewhere being free There's a man who's sent a letter And he's waiting for reply He has asked her of her travels Since the day they said goodbye He writes "Wish you were beside me We can make it if we try" He has seen her at the office With her name on all his papers Through the sharing of the profits He will find it hard to shake her From his memory And she's so busy being free There's a lady in the city And she thinks she loves them all There's the one who's thinking of her There's the one who sometimes calls There's the one who writes her letters With his facts and figures scrawl She has brought them to her senses They have laughed inside her laughter Now she rallies her defenses For she fears that one will ask her For eternity And she's so busy being free There's a man who sends her medals He is bleeding from the war There's a jouster and a jester and a man who owns a store There's a drummer and a dreamer And you know there may be more She will love them when she sees them They will lose her if they follow And she only means to please them And her heart is full and hollow Like a cactus tree While she's so busy being free