“We're talking about an extremely prolific poet and songwriter and lyricist. That stuff comes off the top of her head. She [Joni Mitchell] will write exactly what she lives. If she puts some money in the soda machine, she'll write about putting money in the soda machine. "Dry Cleaner from Des Moines," on the Shadows & Light album, was about sitting next to a dry cleaner from Des Moines, playing a slot machine.”
![“She [Joni Mitchell] wanted to have that (jazz) element in…” quote by Don Alias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f3d/don-alias-49528_courses_she-joni-mitchell-wanted-to-have-that-ja_246804.jpg)
![“If they [the crowd at The Apollo Theater] don't like…” quote by Don Alias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/59d/don-alias-49528_apollo_if-they-the-crowd-at-the-apollo-theater_2862174.jpg)
