<<I'm sticking to my own interpretation: Joni wrote this to describe an awakening she
had in regard to control of her own career(s) in her various
art disciplines. >>
You can certainly do that, CC, but I think it takes heavy denial to do so. After all,
she's written her fair share of "I Hate Show Business" songs, and this one has a whole
different feel. And how do these lines fit into your analysis?:
<<Never before was a man so kind, Never so redeeming>>
Is she referring to David Geffen? I don't think so!
<<I am up a sycamore
Looking through the leaves
A sinner of some position
Who in the world can this heart healer be
This magical physician>>
Why segue from a description of Jesus & Mary Magdalene to a segue of Jesus & Zaccheus,
if Jesus isn't a central reason for the song? And would Joni ever refer to herself as
"A sinner of some position"? Maybe in a sarcastic way, but I don't hear the sarcasm
here. The melody is pretty, as is her voice when she sings the song; very tender &
kind.
<<Enter the multitudes
The walking wounded
They come to this diver of the heart>>
Refers to Jesus' miracles of healing and his charisma to reach large groups of people
through his passion & compassion.
<<Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done>>
Lifted straight from The Lord's Prayer...
<<Oh climb down climb down he says to me
>From the middle of unrest
They think is light is squandered
But he sees a stray in the wilderness
And I see how far I've wandered>>
Finishes the Zaccheus story; Zaccheus' encounter with Jesus influenced him to return
all the monies he had swindled, with a profit to boot.
<<Oh all around the marketplace
The buzzing of the flies
The buzzing and the stinging
Divinely barren
And wickedly wise
The killer nails are ringing>>
You said: "I think that her writing is often both less complicated and less linear
than we as pundits
might seek."...so why not interpret the above in a less complicated way? Joni wasn't
"barren" be definition, she'd previously given birth.
Why is there a "multitude" of Christ-like references, if he's not a prime motivation
for the song? By the same token, "Judgement of the Moon & Stars" is all about
Beethoven, and ALSO all about her...
<<So far, I personally think that "Exxon Blue" and "Radiation Rose" are simply colors,
named like ones you would find in a Crayola crayon box. >>
This one's the biggest stretch of all for me...do you sincerely think she chose the
words "Exxon" & "radiation" at random, or because they sounded good with Blue & Rose?
So be it, I guess, but I think you really have to dig a bit more than that.
Don't get me wrong: we all bring our own wisdom & experiences to these songs, and
neither of us is right or wrong. I enjoyed your post very much!
Another point in this song is the pattern of the inserted words of the chorus:
Ecstasy
Misery
Apathy
Tragedy
Is it random? Why not repeat the same word each time?
Like I say, I don't know any more than the next guy, but I DO enjoy talking about it!
Bob
NP: Sugar, "Granny Cool"
