Joni Mitchell - Don Juan's Reckless Daughter Lyrics
Im don juans reckless daughterI came out two days on your tailThose two bald-headed days in novemberBefore the first snowflakes sailOut on the vast and subtle plains of mysteryA split tongue spirit talksNoble as a nickel chiefStriking up an old juke boxAnd he says:Snakes along the railroad tracks.He says, eagles in jet trails ...He says, coils around feathers and talons on scales ...Gravel under the belly plates ...He says, wind in the wings ...He says, big bird dragging its tail in the dust ...Snake kite flying on a string.I come from open prairieGiven some wisdom and a lot of jive!Last night the ghosts of my old ideasReran on channel fiveAnd it howled so spooky for its eagle soulI nearly broke down and criedBut the split tongue spirit laughed at meHe says, your serpent cannot be denied.Our serpents love the whisky barsThey love the romance of the crimeBut didnt I see a neon signFester on your hotel blindAnd a country road come off the wallAnd swoop down at the crowd at the barAnd put me at the top of your danger listJust for being so much like you are!Youre a coward against the altitude--Youre a coward against the flesh--Coward--caught between yes and noReckless this time on the line for yes, yes, yes!Reckless brazen in the playOf your changing traffic lightsCoward--slinking down the hallTo another restless nightAs we center behind the eight ballAs we rock between the sheetsAs we siphon the colored languageOff the farms and the streetsHere in good-old-god-save-americaThe home of the brave and the freeWe are all hopelessly oppressed cowardsOf some dualityOf restless multiplicity(oh say can you see)Restless for streets and honky tonksRestless for home and routineRestless for country-safety-and herRestless for the likes of reckless meRestless sweeps like fire and rainOver virgin wildernessIt prowls like hookers and thievesThrough bolt locked tenementsBehind my bolt locked doorThe eagle and the serpent are at war in meThe serpent fighting for blind desireThe eagle for clarityWhat strange prizes these battles bringThese hectic joys-these weary bluesPuffed up and strutting when I think I winDown and shaken when I think I loseThere are rivets up here in this eagleThere are box cars down there on your snakeAnd we are twins of spiritNo matter which route home we takeOr what we forsakeWere going to come up to the eyes of clarityAnd well go down to the beads of guileThere is danger and educationIn living out such a reckless life styleI touched you on the central plainsIt was plane to train my twinIt was just plane shadow to train shadowBut to me it was skin to skinThe spirit talks in spectrumsHe talks to mother earth to father skySelf indulgence to self denialMan to womanScales to feathersYou and iEagles in the skyYou and iSnakes in the grassYou and iCrawl and flyYou and i
