He bought her a diamond for her throat
He put her in a ranch house on a hill
She could see the valley barbecues
From her window sill
See the blue pools in the squinting sun
Hear the hissing of summer lawns

He put up a barbed wire fence
To keep out the unknown
And on every metal thorn
Just a little blood of his own
She patrols that fence of his
To a Latin drum
And the hissing of summer lawns
Darkness
Wonder makes it easy
Darkness
With a joyful mask
Darkness
Tube's gone, darkness, darkness, darkness
No color no contrast

Diamond dog
Carrying a cup and a cane
Looking through a double glass
Looking at too much pride and too much shame
There's a black fly buzzing
There's a heat wave burning in her master's voice
Hissing summer lawns

He gave her his darkness to regret
And good reason to quit him
He gave her a roomful of Chippendale
That nobody sits in
Still she stays with a love of some kind
It's the lady's choice
The hissing of summer lawns
Darkness
Darkness
Darkness
Darkness
Darkness
Darkness
Darkness
Darkness
Darkness
Darkness


Lyrics submitted by nelia_slye_

The Hissing of Summer Lawns Lyrics as written by Joni Mitchell John Guerin

Lyrics © Regard Music, BMG Rights Management, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

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The Hissing of Summer Lawns song meanings
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    General Comment

    i agree with zubby, and its set in a period of time when most women did not have many options open to them anyway, especially rich women. the were the property of their father until they got married then they became the property of their husbands. A trophy, to be admired and shown off but also to be protected from outside influences. And although she could leave him, what would she do if she did? she'd have no where to go, so she thinks its better to stay where at least she knows he will be loved in some way 'still she stays with a love of some kind'

    just katon July 06, 2007   Link

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