Big yelllow taxi origin

rfbrx   2009-May-16 at 06:23:39 Good morning, Perhaps the question has already been asked before; in this morning's paper here in St. Pete Fl, a story states the origin for the lyric in Big Yellow taxi was from a visit to Hawaii. I had heard previously that the motivation for the lyrics was while enroute to Woodstock, Joni Mitchell was stranded in a huge traffic jam on the New York thruway and that this was moment of inspiration...Which is it? or was it yet somewhere else?

ghanick   2009-May-17 at 11:26:39 I also heard that BYT was written during a trip to Hawaii. The pink hotel may have been the Moana Surfrider, the famous hotel with the wrap around porch, big banyan tree on the beach, etc etc. I think BYT was written before Woodstock. I like the original recording better than the updated one on "Shine". I know it carries the theme of "Shine", but it feels like the one throw away tune on that album. Maybe that was done intentionally. Basic truths do not change, even if the pace of our culture is as transient and ephemereal as ever.

Siquomb   2009-May-21 at 05:40:52 I also had questions about this song and thought that the Hotel may have been the Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu. A member of the JMDL confirmed it for me. You can go online to the Hotel's website to see it. I even requested a brochure (and received one) on their "contact" page. The brochure shows the pink hotel. If you haven't discovered this already.....check out the MUSIC section of this website. Go to SONG LYRIC and search for "Big Yellow Taxi." At the bottom of the page click on Additional Information: Footnotes. You'll find photos and more information about the song here. Also check out this article in the LIBRARY that talks about Joni's inspiration for the song: Big Yellow Taxi by Jenna Carlson, March 20, 2006. Joni "was looking out of her hotel window at the magnificent Pacific scenery and then shifted her gaze downward to find a parking lot. The natural beauty of Hawaii had been rudely interrupted by a slab of pavement. The line 'They paved paradise and put up a parking lot' comes directly from this experience...."   (edited: 2009-May-21 at 05:43:18)  (edited: 2009-May-21 at 05:50:33)