Free Man in Paris

Infobox Song
Name = Free Man in Paris


Border =
Caption =
Type =
Artist = Joni Mitchell
alt Artist = Sufjan Stevens on A Tribute to Joni Mitchell
Album = Court and Spark
Published =
Released = January 1974
track_no = 3
Recorded = 1973
Genre = Folk jazz, Singer-songwriter
Length = 3:02
Writer = Joni Mitchell
Composer =
Label = Asylum
Producer = Joni Mitchell
Tracks =
prev = "Help Me"
prev_no = 2
next = "People's Parties"
next_no = 4
Misc = Extra track listing
altAlbum = A Tribute to Joni Mitchell
Type = Tribute
Length = 5:01
Label = Nonesuch Records
prev_track =
prev_no =
this_track = "Free Man in Paris"
track_no = 1
next_track = "The Boho Dance"
next_no = 3

"Free Man In Paris" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. It appeared on her 1974 album "Court and Spark", as well as her live album "Shadows and Light". It is one of her more popular songs. It is about music agent/promoter David Geffen, a close friend in the early 1970s and a trip they made to Paris with Robbie and Dominique Robertson. [http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-96/12-07-96/b01ae065.htm]

In the 1970s, an instrumental version of the song was the theme music used for CBC Television's "The Saturday Evening News", which aired at 6 p.m. till 1982 when it was replaced with Saturday Report. Neil Diamond covered the song on his album, "I'm Glad You're Here With Me Tonight" in 1977.

In 2007 the song was covered by Sufjan Stevens for a tribute to Joni Mitchell compilation. Similar to his cover of The Beatles "What Goes On", Stevens kept only the lyrics and let the words inspire him to write a new arrangement and melody for the song [ [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/41897-sufjan-stevens-a-free-man-in-paris-joni-mitchell-cover-stream Pitchfork Forkcast: New Music: Sufjan Stevens: "A Free Man in Paris" (Joni Mitchell cover) [Stream ] ] Stevens has stated that with his cover he "decided to conjure up a party song, with strings and trumpets and trombones and vibraphones marching in a parade down the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, all lit up with fireworks." [ [http://asthmatickitty.com/sidebar.php?sidebarID=209 Asthmatic Kitty Records : Sidebar ] ]

Adrienne Young covered the song on her 2007 album "Room to Grow".

The song is ranked #470 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

References