Study war no more
Lay down your arms
Study war no more
Lay 'em down, lay 'em down now
Study war no more
Lay down your arms
Study war no more

Newsreels rattle the Nazi dread
The able-bodied have shipped away (lay down your arms)
Molly McGee gets her tea leaves read
You'll be married in a month they say (lay down your arms)
"These leaves are crazy
Look at this town, there's no men left (lay down your arms)
Just frail old boys and babies
Talking to teacher in the treble clef"
(Study war no more)

She plants her garden in the spring (lay down your arms)
(Study war no more)
She does the winter shoveling (lay 'em down, lay 'em down now)
(Study war no more)
Tokyo Rose on the radio (lay down your arms)
(Study war no more)
She says she's leavin', but she don't go
(Study war no more)

Out of the blue, just passin' through
A young flight sergeant
On two weeks leave (lay down your arms)
Says, "Molly McGee, no one else will do"
And seals the tea-leaf prophecy (lay down your arms)
Oh, these nights are strong and soft
Private passions and secret storms (lay down your arms)
Nothin' about him ticks her off
And he looks so cute in his uniform
(Study war no more)

She plants her garden in the spring (lay down your arms)
(Study war no more)
He does the winter shoveling (lay 'em down, lay 'em down now)
(Study war no more)
But summer's just a sneeze
In a long, long, bad winter cold (lay down your arms)
(Study war no more)
She says, "I'm leavin' here," but she don't go
(Study war no more)

"Sleep little darlin'
This is your happy home (lay down your arms)
Hiroshima cannot be pardoned
Don't have kids when you get grown (lay down your arms)
Because, this world is shattered
The wise are mourning
The fools are joking (lay down your arms)
Oh, what does it matter?
The wash needs ironing
And the fire needs stoking"

She plants her garden in the spring (lay down your arms)
(Study war no more)
He does the winter shoveling (lay 'em down, lay 'em down now)
(Study war no more)
The three of 'em laughing 'round the radio (lay down your arms)
(Study war no more)
She says, "I'm leavin' here," but she don't go
(Study war no more)

She plants her garden in the spring (lay down your arms)
(Study war no more)
They do the winter shoveling (lay 'em down, lay 'em down now)
(Study war no more)
Sit up late, watch the Johnny Carson show (lay down your arms)
(Study war no more)
She says, "I'm leavin' here, but she don't go"


Lyrics submitted by sillybunny

The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms) Lyrics as written by Larry Klein Joni Mitchell

Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

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The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms) song meanings
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    General Comment

    @sillybunny Don't is a casual way of saying do not. They mean the same. It's (or it is) like calling a girl Kathleen or Kathy. The name is the same but Kathy is a casual, more friendly way, of saying Kathleen. Joni uses casual language to be poetic. Her song lyrics are like poems.

    Molly moves to a town of short summers and long winters. There's (or there are) no men in town. They're (or they are) off fighting in World War II. A tea leaf reader, a gypsy, tells Molly she'll (or she will) be married in a month. Molly doesn't (or does not) believe the tea leaves because there's (or there are) no men. A soldier on leave shows up. They fall in love. They stay in the town.

    Joni likes to show how things are like each other. Molly lives in a town that does have short summers, long winters and not too much going for it. Molly keeps saying she's going to leave. But she stays. Love keeps her there. Joni is saying the war torn world is sad. We all just want to live here and be happy but we also have wars. It bothers some people so much, I'm sure they would like to leave a world that has too much war. But they stay. Love keeps them here.

    I think many times songs and poems are not easy to understand but because the writer wants this. This is an anti-war song but also it is maybe a song of hope. Molly's solder doesn't die in the war. Molly says she's leaving but she sticks around. She stays. And life goes on.

    sillybunnyon December 24, 2016   Link

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