Counting Crows → Joni Mitchell → Elvis Presley

Counting Crows had a hit with "Big Yellow Taxi," but who wrote the song and recorded it first?Joni Mitchellknew

Joni Mitchell

Big Yellow Taxi · 1970 · via Counting Crows

That paved-paradise sing-along Counting Crows cut in 2002 belongs to Joni Mitchell, who wrote it and put it on record back in 1970. Play hers first; it's the blueprint, and she kept coming back to it with the L.A. Express.

Joni Mitchell recorded the Leiber and Stoller rocker "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care" in 1982. Which singer had it on record well before her?Elvis Presleylearned

Elvis Presley

(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care · 1957 · via Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell tearing into a Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller rocker is not the Blue you walked in with. Put the Elvis cut on, then hers, and let him take you somewhere new.