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TL;DR:

  • Josh Groban covered Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now.”
  • Groban discussed his interpretation of the song.
  • Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now” and Groban’s cover performed similarly in the United States.
"Both Sides, Now" singer Joni Mitchell holding a guitar
Joni Mitchel | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Josh Groban has covered a number of classic rock songs, including Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now.” Groban said the song had new meaning because of current events. In addition, Groban discussed his interpretation of “Both Sides, Now.”

Josh Groban said an Elvis Presley song he covered is relevant today

During a 2022 interview with Star-News, Groban discussed his cover of Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now or Never.” He was asked if the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll‘s song was especially relevant because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Groban said several of the songs he covered were connected to the pandemic.

“‘Now or Never,'” he said. “‘Both Sides, Now.’ ‘The Impossible Dream.’ There are songs that, you know, all of a sudden you’re singing them through the lens of what this change has been. And they do what great songs often do: They continue to have new meaning and new relevance in the world we’re living in.”

Josh Groban said Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides, Now’ is ‘about allowing the experiences of your life and the beauty of those experiences to just be’

Groban elaborated on “Both Sides, Now.” “That’s a song I’ve had great respect for my whole career,” Groban revealed. “You have to live long enough to kind of be able to experience those things and see what those shifts in perspective feel like.”

Groban interpreted the track. “[The song is] about having idealism,” Groban opined. “At the end of the day, it’s about allowing the experiences of your life and the beauty of those experiences to just be.

“And so, this has been a cold splash of water in the last couple of years, right?” he added. “If there was ever a time when that song was relevant, it’s right now.”

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How Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides, Now’ and Josh Groban’s cover performed on the charts in the United States

Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now” was never a single, so it did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Mitchell released “Both Sides, Now” on her album Clouds. The album reached No. 31 on the Billboard 200, remaining on the chart for 36 weeks. While the original version of “Both Sides, Now” wasn’t a hit, it became a standard. Numerous artists covered it, including Judy Collins, Frank Sinatra, and Herbie Hancock.

Groban’s “Both Sides, Now” did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 either. Groban included the cover on his album Harmony. The album hit No. 17 on the Billboard 200, lasting five weeks on the chart.

Groban loves “Both Sides, Now” — and he thinks it has a special resonance because of current events.

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