How have we come to “trade the fiddle for the drum”?

/ janpriddyoregon

xclouds.jpg

Fiddle and the Drum

And so once again,
My dear Johnny, my dear friend,
And so once again you are fighting us all,
And when I ask you why,

You raise your sticks and cry, and I fall,
Oh, my friend,
How did you come,
To trade the fiddle for the drum.

You say I have turned,
Like the enemies you’ve earned,
But I can remember,
All the good things you are,

And so I ask you please,
Can I help you find the peace and the star?
Oh, my friend,
What time is this,
To trade the handshake for the fist.

And so once again,
Oh, America my friend,
And so once again,
You are fighting us all,

And when we ask you why,
You raise your sticks and cry and we fall,
Oh, my friend,
How did you come,
To trade the fiddle for the drum.

You say we have turned,
Like the enemies you’ve earned,
But we can remember,
All the good things you are.

And so I ask you please,
Can I help you find the peace and the star?
Oh, my friend,
We have all come,
To fear the beating of your drum.

by Joni Mitchell

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Years ago, I transcribed the lyric from this song (from her 1969 album Clouds) for use in my Honors Junior English class during the six weeks we spent on poetry in the spring. I had to play it several times because I am such a slow typist. My husband confessed he had never listened to the words before. He is a guitarist and had skipped this song since it is sung a cappella. New respect.

As poetry, it is one of her simpler pieces but timely.

5 thoughts on “How have we come to “trade the fiddle for the drum”?”

  1. Beautiful song of which I have never heard before!

    On Sat, May 25, 2019 at 6:52 AM IMPERFECT PATIENCE wrote:

    > janpriddyoregon posted: ” Fiddle and the Drum And so once again, My dear > Johnny, my dear friend, And so once again you are fighting us all, And when > I ask you why, You raise your sticks and cry, and I fall, Oh, my friend, > How did you come, To trade the fiddle for” >

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