Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell

Most of the time when I write about something, I'm past being in the throes of that which I'm writing about.  This one is an exception.  I feel enveloped in the warmth of this song for a few days now and do not know when I might be out of it.  So pardon me if I'm a bit too flowery in describing this.

I like it because...

This feels more like a musical poem than a song.  Don't ask me what the difference is.  Because it is like a poem, I feel reluctant to describe why I like it.  In poetry, description also results in partial destruction.  It is like, peeling the petals of a flower to see what is inside that might be the cause of the beauty.  You get my drift.

Yet, I'll say a couple of things that particularly attracted me to the song.

First the way she brings the words to life.  Beyond the poetic meaning, her utterance of each word makes me think of a droplet of emotion forming inside her heart and slowly detaching itself from her lips.

The thematic lines "I don't know life/love/cloud really at all" shows a sense of honesty, even if you know that she doesn't mean exactly that.  To me it is an acknowledgement of one's own doubt and an openness to accept whatever it is that life/love/clouds are.  It is possible that others may interpret these lines and the song as a whole as being a sad song.  I personally do not at all.

The background music takes you to wide open spaces in twilight.  Vast skies and picturesque clouds. That Saxophone that barely breaks out of the background after the second stanza glows into a brief streak of lightning in the vast skies towards the end.  It is very brief, but intense enough to burn into your being.

The overall feeling you get is as if the song can bypass all your external senses and can directly touch the emotional centers of your brain.

Oh, the pauses between the words.  What can one say about them...poetry or beauty. Choose one.

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Lyrics

Bows and flows of angel hair and ice cream castles in the air

and feather canyons everywhere, I've looked at clouds that way.

But now they only block the sun, they rain and snow on everyone.

So many things I would have done but clouds got in my way.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now,

from up and down, and still somehow

it's cloud illusions I recall.

I really don't know clouds at all.

Moons and Junes and ferris wheels, the dizzy dancing way that you feel

as every fairy tale comes real; I've looked at love that way.

But now it's just another show. You leave 'em laughing when you go

and if you care, don't let them know, don't give yourself away.

I've looked at love from both sides now,

from give and take, and still somehow

it's love's illusions that I recall.

I really don't know love at all.

Tears and fears and feeling proud, to say "I love you" right out loud,

dreams and schemes and circus crowds, I've looked at life that way.

But now old friends are acting strange, they shake their heads, they say I've changed.

Something's lost but something's gained in living every day.

I've looked at life from both sides now,

from win and lose, and still somehow

it's life's illusions I recall.

I really don't know life at all.