I hate to imply that Joni could possibly do anything imperfect, but for me she's ruined this Kipling poem by changing the last verse.
The original text can be found at http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_if.htm
I can understand that she wanted to make it more universal. I don't think she's got a son, anyway. But the original poem states that if you equip yourself with these virtues, you'll be able to face the world and give it your best shot.
The statement in this version that "You'll be all right" we know to be clearly untrue with respect to the lives of billions of people. The poem becomes a soft lie to reassure the fearful. And after the succinct and forceful language of the preceding stanzas, the line greets us with a horribly foolish bathos.
I hate to imply that Joni could possibly do anything imperfect, but for me she's ruined this Kipling poem by changing the last verse. The original text can be found at http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_if.htm I can understand that she wanted to make it more universal. I don't think she's got a son, anyway. But the original poem states that if you equip yourself with these virtues, you'll be able to face the world and give it your best shot. The statement in this version that "You'll be all right" we know to be clearly untrue with respect to the lives of billions of people. The poem becomes a soft lie to reassure the fearful. And after the succinct and forceful language of the preceding stanzas, the line greets us with a horribly foolish bathos.
I still love you though, Ms Mitchell.