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Raised On Robbery

Joni Mitchell

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Raised On Robbery

He was sitting in the lounge of the Empire Hotel

He was drinking for diversion

He was thinking for himself

A little money riding on the Maple Leafs

Along comes a lady in lacy sleeves

She says...

";Let me sit down

You know, drinkin' alone's a shame

It's a shame, it's a crying shame

Look at those jokers

Glued to that damn hockey game

Hey honey-you've got lots of cash

Bring us round a bottle

And we'll have some laughs

Gin's what I'm drinking

I was raised on robbery

I'm a pretty good cook

I'm sitting on my groceries

Come up to my kitchen

I'll show you my best recipe

I try and I try but I can't save a cent

I'm up after midnight, cooking

Trying to make my rent

I'm rough but I'm pleasin'

I was raised on robbery

We had a little money once

They were pushing through a four Iane highway

Government gave us three thousand dollars

You should have seen it fly away

First he bought a '57 Biscayne

He put it in the ditch

He drunk up all the rest

That son of a bitch

His blood's bad whiskey

I was raised on robbery

You know you ain't bad looking

I like the way you hold your drinks

Come home with me honey

I ain't asking for no full length mink

Hey, where you going...

Don't go yet...

Your glass ain't empty and we just met

You're mean when your loaded-

I was raised on robbery";

LanguageEnglish
Translated byAllen Morningstar

About this Song

Raised On Robbery by Joni Mitchell is a lively and engaging song that portrays a woman's bold and flirtatious encounter in a hotel bar. The song captures themes of desperation, economic hardship, and a longing for connection. Through vivid storytelling, Mitchell describes a scene where a woman tries to charm a man into buying her a drink and possibly more, revealing her struggles and survival tactics. Key themes include the struggle for financial stability, the pursuit of human connections, and the resilience of the human spirit. Poignant moments in the song include the woman's candid admissions of her life's difficulties and her unapologetic attitude towards her circumstances.

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