Wild Things Run Fast

Joni Mitchell's eleventh studio album, *Wild Things Run Fast*, released in 1982, marks her first release under Geffen Records and a shift toward a more 1980s pop sound. This album was her first collaboration with bassist Larry Klein, whom she married the same year; he would go on to co-produce her next four albums. Mitchell cited inspiration from bands like Steely Dan, Talking Heads, and The Police, particularly their rhythmic innovations, after hearing them at a Caribbean discothèque in 1981.

The album was supported by a world tour spanning the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia. A video titled *Refuge of the Roads* was released in 1983, featuring studio-recorded performances with dubbed applause and Super 8 footage shot by Mitchell during the tour. The album's personnel include notable contributors such as Larry Klein on bass, Michael Landau and Steve Lukather on electric guitars, John Guerin and Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, and Lionel Richie on backing vocals.

Mitchell co-produced and mixed the album with Larry Klein, supported by engineers like Henry Lewy and Skip Cottrell. The technical team also included mastering by John Golden for vinyl and Lee Herschberg for CD. *Wild Things Run Fast* received positive reviews, with Ken Emerson of *The Boston Phoenix* praising it as Mitchell's finest work since *Hejira* and her most commercial release since 1974's *Court and Spark*, highlighting her return to heart, humor, and humility.