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Made in Canada: the story behind 'Little Green' by Joni Mitchell

CBC Music celebrates Canada Day by telling the stories behind classic Canadian songs.

CBC Music celebrates Canada Day by telling the stories behind classic Canadian songs

CBC Music · CBC Music ·
A black-and-white photo of a young Joni Mitchell playing a guitar.
We look at the moving story behind Joni Mitchell's song 'Little Green,' written about the daughter she placed up for adoption in 1965. (Still Photo Collection)

Canada Day is just around the corner, and there's no better time to celebrate the songs that make up the soundtrack of our nation.

CBC Music's Made in Canada, hosted by Emma Godmere, will introduce you to the stories behind some of your favourite Canadian songs: how our biggest hip-hop pioneers paved the way for future MCs; how a songwriting icon burst through the boundaries of musical genre; and how even the most unlikely experiences — like bus rides and mopping floors — have influenced some of the homegrown hit songs you know and love.

Today, we look at the moving story behind Joni Mitchell's song "Little Green," written about the daughter she placed up for adoption in 1965 when she was a struggling folk singer.

Originally published on June 23, 2017.