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That Song About The Midway

Joni Mitchell

song-cover

That Song About The Midway

in AlbumClouds

I met you on a midway at a fair last year

And you stood out like a ruby in a black man's ear

You were playing on the horses, you were playing on the guitar strings

You were playing like a devil wearing wings, wearing wings

You looked so grand wearing wings

Do you tape them to your shoulders just to sing

Can you fly

I heard you can! Can you fly

Like an eagle doin' your hunting from the sky

I followed with the sideshows to another town

And I found you in a trailer on the camping grounds

You were betting on some lover, you were shaking up the dice

And I thought I saw you cheating once or twice, once or twice

I heard your bid once or twice

Were you wondering was the gamble worth the price

Pack it in

I heard you did! Pack it in

Was it hard to fold a hand you knew could win

So lately you've been hiding - it was somewhere in the news

And I'm still at these races with my ticket stubs and my blues

And a voice calls out the numbers, and it sometimes mentions mine

And I feel like I've been working overtime, overtime

I've lost my fire overtime

Always playin' one more hand for one more dime

Slowin' down I'm gettin' tired!

Slowin' down

And I envy you the valley that you've found

'Cause I'm midway down the midway

Slowin' down, down, down, down

LanguageEnglish
Translated byAllen Morningstar

About this Song

That Song About The Midway by Joni Mitchell is a reflective and somber piece that explores themes of love, loss, and introspection. In the song, Mitchell recounts a romantic relationship that ultimately did not withstand the test of time. Through evocative imagery and heartfelt lyrics, she paints a picture of emotional highs and lows, capturing the fleeting nature of love and the lingering pain of separation. A particularly poignant moment in the song is when she sings about seeing her former lover 'up on a midway' - a metaphorical space that suggests both a literal carnival setting and a place of indecision or transition, emphasizing the confusion and reflection following the end of their relationship. The song serves as a poignant meditation on past love and the way memories can both haunt and comfort.

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