Wild Things Run Fast is the 11th studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Her first of four releases for Geffen Records, it was released in 1982 and represents her move to a more 1980s pop sound. This was her first album to work with bassist Larry Klein, whom she married in 1982. Klein would play bass on and co-produce her next four albums.
| Wild Things Run Fast | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 1982 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Pop rock, folk | |||
| Length | 36:44 | |||
| Label | Geffen | |||
| Producer | Joni Mitchell | |||
| Joni Mitchell chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Wild Things Run Fast | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | B[3] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
| Rolling Stone | [4] |
Inspiration
editMitchell claimed that her inspiration for the album came from hearing the music of popular bands such as Steely Dan, Talking Heads and The Police at a discothèque during a trip to the Caribbean in 1981. She said that hearing The Police, especially, affected her sound, saying, "their rhythmic hybrids, and the positioning of the drums, and the sound of the drums, was one of the main calls out to me to make a more rhythmic album".[5]
Tour
editThe resulting world tour took Mitchell through the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia. A video of the tour was released in 1983, entitled Refuge of the Roads. The recorded performances were not performed in front of a live audience, but rather recorded live in a studio once the tour had been completed, with applause dubbed-in during post-production. There was also some Super 8 footage taken by Mitchell on the road. It has since been released on DVD.
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Joni Mitchell, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Chinese Café / Unchained Melody" | Mitchell / Alex North, Hy Zaret | 5:17 |
| 2. | "Wild Things Run Fast" | 2:12 | |
| 3. | "Ladies' Man" | 2:37 | |
| 4. | "Moon at the Window" | 3:42 | |
| 5. | "Solid Love" | 2:57 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Be Cool" | 4:12 | |
| 2. | "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care" | Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller | 2:36 |
| 3. | "You Dream Flat Tires" | 2:50 | |
| 4. | "Man to Man" | 3:42 | |
| 5. | "Underneath the Streetlight" | 2:14 | |
| 6. | "Love" | 3:46 |
Personnel
editTrack numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.
- Joni Mitchell – vocals, acoustic guitar (tracks 3, 5, 9, 10, 11), electric guitar on (tracks 4, 6, 8) piano (track 1), electric piano (track 10), cover painting
- Larry Klein – bass, rhythmic arrangements (tracks 2, 7)
- Michael Landau – electric guitar (tracks 5, 7, 8, 10)
- Steve Lukather – electric guitar (tracks 1, 2, 9, 11)
- John Guerin – drums (tracks 1, 4, 6, 9), whisper chorus (track 6)
- Vinnie Colaiuta – drums (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11), rhythmic arrangements (tracks 2, 7)
- Don Alias – rhythmic arrangements (track 6)
- Larry Williams – Prophet synthesizer on (tracks 1, 2, 3), tenor saxophone (tracks 3, 7)
- Russell Ferrante – Oberheim synthesizer (tracks 4, 6, 9)
- Wayne Shorter – soprano saxophone (tracks 4, 6, 11)
- Larry Carlton – guitar (track 3)
- Victor Feldman – percussion (track 9)
- Kim Hutchcroft – baritone saxophone (track 7)
- Lionel Richie – backing vocals (track 3), co-lead vocals (track 8)
- Charles Valentino – backing vocals (track 3)
- Howard Kinney – backing vocals (track 3)
- James Taylor – backing vocals (track 9)
- Kenny Rankin – whisper chorus (track 6)
- Robert De La Garza – whisper chorus (track 6)
- Skip Cottrell – whisper chorus (track 6)
Technical personnel
edit- Joni Mitchell – production, mixing
- Larry Klein – mixing
- Henry Lewy – engineering at A&M
- Skip Cottrell – engineering at A&M
- Clyde Kaplan – assistant engineering at A&M
- Jerry Hudgins – engineering at Devonshire Sound
- Larry Hirsch – mixing
- Chase Williams – assistant mixing
- John Golden – vinyl mastering
- Lee Herschberg – CD mastering
Reception
editIn The Boston Phoenix, Ken Emerson said that "Mitchell’s belated rediscovery of 'heart. and humor and humility' makes Wild Things Run Fast (Geffen) her finest album since Hejira and her most commercial since Court and Spark (1974). ... The album is by no means a regression, but it is a rejection of the false sophistication that made Don Juan and Mingus so off-putting. Now, once again, like a child but also like a true artist, Joni Mitchell is confronting life and herself 'face to face.'"[6]
Charts
edit| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[7] | 51 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[8] | 33 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[9] | 10 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[10] | 14 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11] | 50 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[12] | 32 |
| US Billboard 200[13] | 25 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Albums[14] | 28 |
References
edit- ^ Ruhlmann, Robert (2011). "Wild Things Run Fast – Joni Mitchell | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "Mitchell, Joni". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
- ^ Robert Christgau review
- ^ Rolling Stone review[dead link]
- ^ JoniMitchell.com – Biography (1981–1984 A Solid Love)
- ^ Emerson, Ken (November 9, 1982). "Mitchell at the Gates of Dawn". The Boston Phoenix. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6179a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Joni Mitchell – Wild Things Run Fast". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Joni Mitchell – Wild Things Run Fast". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Joni Mitchell – Wild Things Run Fast". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ "Joni Mitchell Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. December 18, 1982. p. 29. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
