Blue is a song by Joni Mitchell, released in 1971 as the title track of her fourth studio album, Blue. The tune is a spare, confessional folk piece with simple piano and guitar and Appalachian dulcimer, written during a turbulent period in her relationships. It contains references to her time with James Taylor, such as a sweater she knitted for him and his heroin addiction, while the album as a whole grew out of Mitchell’s breakups with Graham Nash and intense personal exploration. Blue was recorded in 1971 at A&M Studios in Hollywood, released on June 22, 1971 by Reprise Records, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest folk and folk rock albums of all time.
