Tomorrow is Sunday
Now there's only one day left to go
'Til you walk by
Below my window
The weekends drive me mad
Holidays are oh too sad
'Cause you don't go
Below my window

No one knows I'm here
One day I just disappeared
And I took these two grey rooms up here
With a view
When you walk by
Below my window

You look so youthful
Time has been untruthful
Heaven knows I loved you
Thirty years ago
Hot days your shirt's undone
Rainy days you run
Oh and then you fade so fast
Below my window

No one knows I'm here
One day I just disappeared
And I took these two grey rooms up here
With a view
Only when you walk by
Below my window
When you walk by

Below my window
Below my window
Hey, hey
Below my window
Below my window
Below my window


Lyrics submitted by threearmedman

Two Grey Rooms Lyrics as written by Joni Mitchell

Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

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Two Grey Rooms song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment

    I first heard this song on the compilation album of songs chosen by Joni's friends and fellow musicians from Starbucks, long before I owned Night Ride Home. Then, right in the liner notes, I had Chaka Khan's (who selected the piece) interpretation of it to immediately bias me: "This song is so cerebral. It's an enigma. She's speaking of the left and right brain, and the 'window' she speaks of is the eyes. Just brilliant!"

    Now, songfacts.com tells me: "Mitchell wrote the music for this song in 1982 and titled it 'Speechless.' It wasn't until 1989 that she put lyrics to the song, which were inspired by Max Fassbinder, a German silent film-era cinematographer who was left broken-hearted by his gay lover. The song describes a rich man who moves to a shabby apartment (with just 2 grey rooms) so he can watch his former lover walk to and from work."

    I always sort of just agreed with Khan, imagined this was everything Joni Mitchell intended to say, and never really bothered to think that the song's actual meaning could be more literal. I think I'm going to continue to believe that the metaphor and the literal story can coexist in this song. It's funny how your view can become so clouded if you're completely focused on one idea!

    just_old_lighton July 25, 2007   Link

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