Album: Clouds (1969)

License This Song 

• Woke up, it was a Chelsea morning, and the first thing that I heard
  Was a song outside my window, and the traffic wrote the words
  It came a-reeling up like Christmas bells and rapping up like pipes and drums
  
  Oh, won't you stay
  We'll put on the day
  And we'll wear it 'till the night comes
  
  Woke up, it was a Chelsea morning, and the first thing that I saw
  Was the sun through yellow curtains, and a rainbow on the wall
  Blue, red, green and gold to welcome you, crimson crystal beads to beckon
  
  Oh, won't you stay
  We'll put on the day
  There's a sun show every second
  
  Now the curtain opens on a portrait of today
  And the streets are paved with passersby
  And pigeons fly
  And papers lie
  Waiting to blow away
  
  Woke up, it was a Chelsea morning, and the first thing that I knew
  There was milk and toast and honey and a bowl of oranges, too
  And the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses
  Oh, won't you stay
  We'll put on the day
  And we'll talk in present tenses
  
  When the curtain closes and the rainbow runs away
  I will bring you incense owls by night
  By candlelight
  By jewel-light
  If only you will stay
  Pretty baby, won't you
  Wake up, it's a Chelsea morning Writer/s: Joni Mitchell
  Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 12

• John In Pa from PaAccording to Joni Mitchell herself: “I wrote that in Philadelphia after some girls who worked in this club where I was playing found all this coloured slag glass in an alley. We collected a lot of it and built these glass mobiles with copper wire and coat hangers. I took mine back to New York and put them in my window on West 16th Street in the Chelsea District..."
• Amos Garrett from Ca-abBart--Wrong. She was staying at the infamous Chelsea Hotel on 23rd St. in the Chelsea district of NYC. P.S.-- I am a musician myself and lived in the Chelsea Hotel for 6 months in 1967.
• Cg From Uk from Farehami did read somewhere a long long time ago that the song did indeed refer to a stay in chelsea london - joni was apparently on tour in britain and stayed with the group Fairport Convention at their house, presumably in Chelsea and these were the sights, sounds and smells she experienced upon waking up
• Al from Baltimore, MdI've been hoping to have a Chelsea Morning all my life, but never quite have managed it. Yes, it is a song about youth and simple happiness and the sheer romance of waking up with just the right person at just the right place under just the right circumstances. Joni should be much prouder of this song than she seems to be. It's a beautiful image.
  
• Fred from Laurel, MdI take Joni's disparaging comments about her early songs with a very large grain of salt. I suppose it just measures how far she had developed as a songwriter between writing those songs and the time of the interview. Out of dozens, maybe hundreds of songs of hers, I'm hard pressed to find one I don't admire as a gem. This song in particular I find brimming with the most lovely, youthful enthusiasm and joie-de-vivre. Some of her later songs show a delicious complexity and an innovative beauty. To my mind, she has mastered multiple styles. Stef, I'm in your corner on this one!
• David from Youngstown, OhNeil Diamond does a great version of this song on his 1971 "Stones" record that also includes "I Am...I Said," "Crunchy Granola Suite," "Husbands and Wives," and the title track.
• Bart from San Antonio, TxI have read that Joni did indeed compose the song while living in Chelsea. The "crystal beads" lyric in the second verse refer to a stained glass mobile Ms. Mitchell and some girlfriends created while living in Philadelphia. That was a little more pertinent than my previous "Chelsea" comment.
• Bart from San Antonio, TxWonderful song from a truly great songwriter and unique song stylist. The song captures and allows listeners to fully experience a single moment that occurred one morning in an apartment on West 16th Street in New York City. By the way, Chelsea got its name in 1750 from Captain Thomas Clarke who retired from the British army then moved to a farm on what was then pastoral land beyond the port of New York on Manhattan Island. He was honoring London's Royal Chelsea Hospital. Captain Clarke's grandson, Clement Clarke Moore, wrote the famous poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas", a.k.a. "The Night Before Christmas", while living on his family's Chelsea estate. But I digress, I think Joni's song is near perfection.
• Lalah from Wasilla, AkI used to love singing along with this Joni song, especially the line "and we'll talk in present tenses." Kind of like she was convincing whoever was waking up with her to stay the whole day and they'll not go to work. Now this song and Fleetwood Mac's "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow" will always be associated with Bill and Hillary. I don't care to listen to either any more.
• Gary from Houston, Txin an interview bill and hillary said they named their daughter chelsea while in the chelsea area of london... they said the song "Chelsea Morning" by Judy Collins inspired them to do so.. they got it wrong on both counts..
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScThat's one of my favorite songs of hers! It's a beautiful song, and I'm a Joni Mitchell fan anyway.
• Dave from Cardiff, WalesWonder if the song was also an ironic parody of the London borough of Chelsea??!!

More Songfacts:

Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)Billy Ocean

Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen" was originally released as "European Queen," and it underperformed. When it was issued in America as "Caribbean Queen" it went to #1 and revived his career.

I Love ItIcona Pop

Icona Pop consider "I Love It" a kiss-off to their boyfriends. "We just wanted to get the song out and get the pigs to hear it," group member Jawo said.

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)Doris Day

"Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" was written for Doris Day to sing in the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Man Who Knew Too Much.

Against The WindBob Seger

Bob Seger's "Against The Wind" has the famous mind-bending line, "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then." Seger was going to cut it, but his Eagles buddies Glenn Frey and Don Henley told him it was the best line in the song.

Different DrumLinda Ronstadt

Mike Nesmith wrote Linda Ronstadt's first hit, "Different Drum," before he joined The Monkees. He played an intentionally bad version of it on the show.

Hold OnWilson Phillips

The lyric to "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips was inspired by Chynna Phillips' struggles with addiction. "Hold on for one more day" is something she heard in AA meetings.

Editor's Picks

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Brandi CarlileSongwriter Interviews

As a 5-year-old, Brandi was writing lyrics to instrumental versions lullabies. She still puts her heart into her songs, including the one Elton John sings on.