From: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2013 #129 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-joni-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk Unsubscribe:mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe Website:http://jonimitchell.com JMDL Digest Sunday, January 27 2013 Volume 2013 : Number 129 ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: Lyrics ["Mark" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:12:08 -0800 From: "Mark" Subject: Re: Lyrics In light of the quote from Joni's Dick Cavett show appearance that Richard provided, I think she probably was speaking as a Canadian. I don't think the song would necessarily have to be seen from that point of view. But since Canada is the U.S.'s neighbor that we mostly share a common language with, it seems logical to me. Also, Canada was the most popular place of refuge for young men who did not want to be drafted and sent to serve in Viet Nam. I was just doing some poking around on the internet, looking for information about military drummers. At one time they were sent with the troops into battle, mostly to maintain marching paces. The song is mostly symbolic. That makes me think that on one level, Joni was referring to drum sticks when she wrote 'you raise your sticks and cry and I/we fall'. The fiddle equals an instrument of peace whereas the drum is the instrument of war. The handshake equals friendship and accord. The fist equals aggression and conflict. I think raising the drum sticks and crying out represents the fearsome power of the U.S. war machine and could also very well refer to the harsh treatment of people who joined together to protest the Viet Nam war. But I also think there is a reference to the drums that once led soldiers into battle. The fall, in that case, is the fall of men in battle. Mark in Seattle - -----Original Message----- From: Richard Flynn Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 10:16 AM To: 'Catherine McKay' ; jlhommedieu@insight.rr.com ; 'Dave Blackburn' Cc: 'JMDL' Subject: RE: Lyrics "This is a song I wrote for America as a Canadian living in this country"--Joni on the Dick Cavett show, August 18, 1969: http://jonimitchell.com/library/video.cfm?id=27 ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2013 #129 ***************************** ------- To post messages to the list, sendtojoni@smoe.org. Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe -------