Little Green by Joni Mitchell

Album: Blue (1971)

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Little Green is about the child that Joni Mitchell gave up for adoption in 1965:

you sign all the papers in the family name
you are sad and you're sorry but you're not ashamed
little green have a happy ending

Mitchell gave birth to the child, who she named Kelly Dale, six months earlier, traveling from Saskatchewan to Toronto to so and keeping it secret from her parents. The father was out of the picture, but she tried to keep the child and establish a family by marrying a singer named Chuck Mitchell, but it didn't work out. She explained in a 1998 interview with Toronto Globe and Mail: "I was dirt poor. An unhappy mother does not raise a happy child. It was difficult parting with the child, but I had to let her go."

Joni and her daughter were reunited in 1997, but it did not have a happy ending - they broke off contact a few years later. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Todd - Atlanta, GA
Mitchell's daughter Kelly Dale Anderson was born February 19, 1965. Mitchell chose the name Kelly after the color kelly green, which represented spring - thus the song's title. Kelly's adoptive parents David and Ida Gibb renamed her Kilauren. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Annabelle - Eugene, OR

Comments: 2

Michael from Brooklyn, NyI hate to bring this up, but if Joni Mitchell's child was born on February 19, 1965, she was not born with the moon in Cancer. She was born with the moon in Libra. Check any ephemeris.

However, in the 60s there was a lot of quasi-astrology going on, and they didn't have as much access to data, so I suppose someone might have given Joni the wrong info.

I doubt she will now change the opening of this song to "Born with the Moon in Libra," for no other reason than it would be hard to rhyme.
Blake from Stevensville, MdI thought that was Chelsea Morning?

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