As with many of the songs on the For the Roses album this one springs from a questioning and critical nature -- occasioned by the event of going to a big outdoor party. Never one to just eat drink and be merry without some serious contemplation, Joni's asking the broad questions it brings up for a thinking person who knows their good fortune isn't shared by everyone -- why do basic life situations vary so much among people and why do some people end up wanting in a world of such abundance? --- is it greed, is it neglect, is it luck or misfortune? is it fate or some choices people make along the way that explains their circumstances? And even in a situation such as a banquet where everyone in line gets something to eat, why do some people get fed better and sooner than others? The questions a sensitive person might ask, put in the context of the picture she paints with the non-questioning descriptive lyrics. The combination of those and a melodic structure makes this, as with so many of Joni's songs, a song one can listen to over and over without tiring of it.
As with many of the songs on the For the Roses album this one springs from a questioning and critical nature -- occasioned by the event of going to a big outdoor party. Never one to just eat drink and be merry without some serious contemplation, Joni's asking the broad questions it brings up for a thinking person who knows their good fortune isn't shared by everyone -- why do basic life situations vary so much among people and why do some people end up wanting in a world of such abundance? --- is it greed, is it neglect, is it luck or misfortune? is it fate or some choices people make along the way that explains their circumstances? And even in a situation such as a banquet where everyone in line gets something to eat, why do some people get fed better and sooner than others? The questions a sensitive person might ask, put in the context of the picture she paints with the non-questioning descriptive lyrics. The combination of those and a melodic structure makes this, as with so many of Joni's songs, a song one can listen to over and over without tiring of it.