I think these are some of Joni's saddest lyrics. I think the core of the song speaks about the conflict of those who were trying to work towards a better world (the hippies!) and the corporate world. Similar to Big Yellow Taxi I think that she uses the metaphor of young love to bring the issue into focus, and the parallel issue is losing innocence.
"We really thought we had a purpose
We were so anxious to achieve
We had hope
The world held promise
For a slave to liberty
Freely I slaved away for something better
And I was bought and sold
And all I ever wanted
Was just to come in from the cold"
So the hippies sold out or were sold out. Maybe she felt exploited. Maybe by the dream itself, or maybe by the music industry where her innermost feelings were a currency.
I thinks she also says that the hippie movement was judgemental in some way
"I made some value judgements,
In a self-important voice".
But for me the amazing thing about this song is the sense of humanity - it feels like a forgiving song.
I know we never will be perfect
Never entirely clear
(when the moon shines)
We get hurt and we just panic
And we strike out
Out of fear
(you were only being kind)
@2014 wow i think you hit the nail on the head with this one!! i was thinking of something similar but less developed, just two high school lovers who grow up in a politically tumultuous era and generally the shitty world of adulthood that shakes them to their core as individuals and lovers and shits them out. I'm thinking across the world (2007) esque. if I could direct I would turn this song into a film, hell if I could have a fraction of the talent join had i'd spend my entire career trying to replicate the beauty, enormity, and...
@2014 wow i think you hit the nail on the head with this one!! i was thinking of something similar but less developed, just two high school lovers who grow up in a politically tumultuous era and generally the shitty world of adulthood that shakes them to their core as individuals and lovers and shits them out. I'm thinking across the world (2007) esque. if I could direct I would turn this song into a film, hell if I could have a fraction of the talent join had i'd spend my entire career trying to replicate the beauty, enormity, and poignance of this one song
@2014 wow i think you hit the nail on the head with this one!! i was thinking of something similar but less developed, just two high school lovers who grow up in a politically tumultuous era and generally the shitty world of adulthood that shakes them to their core as individuals and lovers and shits them out. and I suppose in the end they really only have each other; it's like them vs the world. I'm thinking across the world (2007) esque. if I could direct I would turn this song into a film, hell if I could have a...
@2014 wow i think you hit the nail on the head with this one!! i was thinking of something similar but less developed, just two high school lovers who grow up in a politically tumultuous era and generally the shitty world of adulthood that shakes them to their core as individuals and lovers and shits them out. and I suppose in the end they really only have each other; it's like them vs the world. I'm thinking across the world (2007) esque. if I could direct I would turn this song into a film, hell if I could have a fraction of the talent join had i'd spend my entire career trying to replicate the beauty, enormity, and poignance of this one song
I think these are some of Joni's saddest lyrics. I think the core of the song speaks about the conflict of those who were trying to work towards a better world (the hippies!) and the corporate world. Similar to Big Yellow Taxi I think that she uses the metaphor of young love to bring the issue into focus, and the parallel issue is losing innocence.
"We really thought we had a purpose We were so anxious to achieve We had hope The world held promise For a slave to liberty Freely I slaved away for something better And I was bought and sold And all I ever wanted Was just to come in from the cold"
So the hippies sold out or were sold out. Maybe she felt exploited. Maybe by the dream itself, or maybe by the music industry where her innermost feelings were a currency.
I thinks she also says that the hippie movement was judgemental in some way "I made some value judgements, In a self-important voice".
But for me the amazing thing about this song is the sense of humanity - it feels like a forgiving song.
I know we never will be perfect Never entirely clear (when the moon shines) We get hurt and we just panic And we strike out Out of fear (you were only being kind)
Amazing!!!!
@2014 wow i think you hit the nail on the head with this one!! i was thinking of something similar but less developed, just two high school lovers who grow up in a politically tumultuous era and generally the shitty world of adulthood that shakes them to their core as individuals and lovers and shits them out. I'm thinking across the world (2007) esque. if I could direct I would turn this song into a film, hell if I could have a fraction of the talent join had i'd spend my entire career trying to replicate the beauty, enormity, and...
@2014 wow i think you hit the nail on the head with this one!! i was thinking of something similar but less developed, just two high school lovers who grow up in a politically tumultuous era and generally the shitty world of adulthood that shakes them to their core as individuals and lovers and shits them out. I'm thinking across the world (2007) esque. if I could direct I would turn this song into a film, hell if I could have a fraction of the talent join had i'd spend my entire career trying to replicate the beauty, enormity, and poignance of this one song
@2014 wow i think you hit the nail on the head with this one!! i was thinking of something similar but less developed, just two high school lovers who grow up in a politically tumultuous era and generally the shitty world of adulthood that shakes them to their core as individuals and lovers and shits them out. and I suppose in the end they really only have each other; it's like them vs the world. I'm thinking across the world (2007) esque. if I could direct I would turn this song into a film, hell if I could have a...
@2014 wow i think you hit the nail on the head with this one!! i was thinking of something similar but less developed, just two high school lovers who grow up in a politically tumultuous era and generally the shitty world of adulthood that shakes them to their core as individuals and lovers and shits them out. and I suppose in the end they really only have each other; it's like them vs the world. I'm thinking across the world (2007) esque. if I could direct I would turn this song into a film, hell if I could have a fraction of the talent join had i'd spend my entire career trying to replicate the beauty, enormity, and poignance of this one song
sorry i sent that in twice i thought I was editing it !
sorry i sent that in twice i thought I was editing it !