#so

In the infancy of societies, the chiefs of state shape its institutions; later the institutions shape the chiefs of state. ↗

— Charles de Montesquieu

#infancy #institutions #later #shape #societies

You could write a song about some kind of emotional problem you are having, but it would not be a good song, in my eyes, until it went through a period of sensitivity to a moment of clarity. Without that moment of clarity to contribute to the song, it's just complaining. ↗

— Joni Mitchell

#clarity #complaining #contribute #could #emotional

We have a war dictator who was not elected, he snuck in. so he punishes people that threaten him in any way, or even say something he doesn't like. It has no resemblance to democracy. ↗

— Joni Mitchell

#democracy #dictator #elected #even #him

Because I'm so busy and because I think of myself as a painter, I desperately guard the time that I have to paint. And sometimes I'm irresponsible to my career in order to paint. Because painting is obsessive. I forget to eat. I forget to sleep. ↗

— Joni Mitchell

#busy #career #desperately #eat #forget

Edith Piaf knocked my socks off when I was 8, but I didn't know what she was singing about. ↗

— Joni Mitchell

#edith #i #knocked #know #off

Eventually, with success, I started to feel more and more isolated - like I didn't have a community of artists. ↗

— Joni Mitchell

#community #eventually #feel #i #isolated

I don't like to make fluffy little songs, but now I want to make some light songs. ↗

— Joni Mitchell

#i #light #like #little #make

I don't understand why Europeans and South Americans can take more sophistication. Why is it that Americans need to hear their happiness major and their tragedy minor, and as jazzy as they can handle is a seventh chord? Are they not experiencing complex emotions? ↗

— Joni Mitchell

#complex #emotions #europeans #experiencing #handle

I heard someone from the music business saying they are no longer looking for talent, they want people with a certain look and a willingness to cooperate. ↗

— Joni Mitchell

#certain #cooperate #heard #i #longer

I sing my sorrow, and I paint my joy. ↗

— Joni Mitchell

#joy #paint #sing #sorrow