13 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Hey Joni Lyrics
[Lee]
Hey Joni, put it all behind you
Hey Joni, now I've put it all behind me, too
These times can't add up, your life's such a mess
Forget the past, and just say yes
Tell me Joni, am I the one
To see you through?
In this broken town, can you still jack in
And know what to do?
I remember our youth, our high ideals
I remember you were so uptight
The time in the trees, we broke that vice
We took some steps and now we can't think twice
Tell me Joni, am I right by you?
Tell me how you're gonna lose this hard luck?
Hey Joni, when will all these dreams come true?
You better find a way to climb down off that truck
Shots ring out, from the center of an empty field
Joni's in the tall grass
She's a beautiful mental jukebox
A sailboat explosion
A snap of electric whipcrack
She's not thinking about the future
She's not spinning her wheels
She doesn't think at all about the past
She thinking long and hard
About that high wild sound
And wondering will it last?
Kick it
Hey Joni, put it all behind you
There's something turning, turning right to you
My head burns, but I know you'll speak the truth, hey!
Hey Joni, put it all behind you
Hey Joni, now I've put it all behind me, too
Forget the future, these times are such a mess
Tune out the past, and just say yes
It's 1963
It's 1964
It's 1957
It's 1962
Put it all behind you
Now it's all behind you
Hey Joni, put it all behind you
Hey Joni, now I've put it all behind me, too
These times can't add up, your life's such a mess
Forget the past, and just say yes
To see you through?
In this broken town, can you still jack in
And know what to do?
I remember our youth, our high ideals
I remember you were so uptight
The time in the trees, we broke that vice
We took some steps and now we can't think twice
Tell me how you're gonna lose this hard luck?
Hey Joni, when will all these dreams come true?
You better find a way to climb down off that truck
Joni's in the tall grass
She's a beautiful mental jukebox
A sailboat explosion
A snap of electric whipcrack
She's not spinning her wheels
She doesn't think at all about the past
She thinking long and hard
About that high wild sound
And wondering will it last?
There's something turning, turning right to you
My head burns, but I know you'll speak the truth, hey!
Hey Joni, put it all behind you
Hey Joni, now I've put it all behind me, too
Forget the future, these times are such a mess
Tune out the past, and just say yes
It's 1964
It's 1957
It's 1962
Now it's all behind you
Song Info
Submitted by
shut On Dec 23, 2001
More Sonic Youth
Teenage Riot
The Diamond Sea
Schizophrenia
Bull In The Heather
Tunic (Song for Karen)
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
favorite sy song - whos with me??
@youeatpoop it’s one of mine for sure
@youeatpoop it’s one of mine for sure
I always thought the song was about Joni Mitchell...?
yah, i was thinking joni mitchell, too. possibly relating to those down feelings expressed on "Blue" leaving the "youth" and "high ideals" of the 60's? i couldn't help but think of her with all the references to trees and dreams...
history is a part of human wisdom.future is the living purpose of man. try to put it all behind you,and you will lose everything. isn't it good? anyway...
its about meeting a girl he was with when they were younger "I remember our youth, our high ideals I remember you were so uptight The time in the trees, we broke that vice We took some steps and now we can't think twice"
The fact that he describes her as being uptight makes me think that maybe they never went out properly, but hooked up once 'in the trees'
She's had a bit of a messed up life and he's still intruiged by her "She's a beautiful mental jukebox A sailboat explosion " and "There's something turning, turning right to you My head burns, but I know you'll speak the truth"
yeah so i think its just about meeting he has some history with several years later, seeing that she has a kinda messed up life and still being interested in her, thinking maybe he can help her out of her rut
I think it's about a girl trying to find herself. I love the "she's a beautiful mental jukebox, a sailboat explosion, as snap of electric whipcrack" I think it's describing the intricacies of her brain/mental processes. Her brain is a "mental jukebox" whose neurons are firing and dying like wires on a sailboat when it explodes. Also, a sailboat wouldn't really explode on it's own because there's no engine...nothing to explode. So, there has to be something external to make these whipcracking/snapping wires snap and crack. Perhaps drugs. Possibly acid or any drug that you take to have these types on internal epiphanies.
I remember reading an interview from someone in SY (probably Thurston?) that said the song was named "Hey Joni" after Joni Mitchell but also as a play on words with Hendrix's "Hey Joe." However, the name was decided on after the song was finished so it doesn't seem likely that any aspect of it is actually about Joni Mitchell other than the title.
Wow, excellent observation. I would have never interpreted it that way. I love the guitar work in this song by the way.
i'm with poopeater - one of their best. certainly it is Lee's best song. I'm going to fuckin' go off when they do this live at the pitchfork show!
this is my favorite sy song. every time i listen to it i seriously go crazy! i would kill to see it performed live. ...does lee sing in any other sy songs?
anyway, about the meaning...i think it's pretty literal, just about um...forgetting the past and putting it all behind you! that is probably oversimplified but i don't want to overanalyze my favorite sy song!