What exactly makes Blue so irresistible and universal? Its melancholy, power, or frantic lyrics, at times seemingly so random? Or perhaps it's a rustic and authentic sound? And why does that appeal to Gen Z? Maybe because we crave rustic sounds and something real? Trying to find the answer to this question is like trying to decipher the recipe for Coca-Cola.

Rolling Stone ranks it third on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, just behind Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, and surpassed only by The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. The magazine writes:

"From its smoky, introspective cover to its wholly unguarded approach to songwriting, Blue is the first time any major rock or pop artist has opened up so fully, producing what might be the ultimate breakup album and setting a still-unmatched standard for confessional poetry in pop music."

Perhaps the album's strongest point is its honesty, not only lyrically, but also in its instrumentals. A guitar that's both fierce and welcoming, accompanied by Mitchell's feverish octaves. Adding the icing on the cake is a dulcimer, which Mitchell used to compose much of the album because it was "light for backpacking."

The stories of freedom and easy living talk to a generation that wants to reach that spontaneity, that authenticity. Joni's language is immortal because it's genuine, and that's why we can relate to what seems like a distant world. Even though she was already ghosting situationships through telegrams in the '70s.

The word "dulcimer" comes from the Old French doulce mer, which derives from the Latin dulce melos; dulcet "sweet"+ melos "song". Sweet melody. A prophecy, almost, fulfilled and completed thanks to the singer-songwriter and the stories she tells us. Her life and experiences are a love letter to failed romantic relationships, to the difficulties of life, and to her future self.

And this is exactly what Mitchell herself says when asked what Blue is about by Rolling Stone:

"I went, 'Oh, my God, a lot of people are listening to me. They better find out who they're worshiping. Let's see if they can take it. Let's get real.' So I wrote Blue. There's hardly a dishonest note in the vocals. At that period of my life, I had no personal defenses. I felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes. I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world, and I couldn't pretend in my life to be strong. But the advantage of it in the music was that there were no defenses there either."

The album can be found online and on all streaming platforms, with all of the artist's repertoire. So let's try to read some of my favorite love letters from Blue together, one by one.