joni mitchell
The song was first recorded and released by Ian & Sylvia [Tyson] for their album "So Much for Dreaming", April 1967. It was also cut by several artists before Joni Mitchell herself did, for the 1970 album "Ladies of the Canyon". One of Joni's songs which can be performed without tuning the guitar open, using "Joni's Weird Chords" (her own description).
For myself, I picked the harmonies from the live album "Miles of Aisles". Joni herself introducing it: «I want you to sing along with me. The more voices, the better, and the more out-of-tune voices, the better. This song was made for out-of-tune singing».
I've never heard Joni out of tune ...
... and the audience that night in LA didn't obey, either.
yesterday a child came out to wonder
caught a dragonfly inside a jar
fearful when the sky was full of thunder
and tearful at the falling of a star ...
then the child moved ten times round the seasons
skated over ten clear frozen streams
words like "when you're older" must appease him
and promises of someday make his dreams ...
sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now
cartwheels turn to car wheels thru the town
and they tell him "take your time ! it won't be long now
till you drag your feet to slow the circles down" ...
so the years spin by and now the boy is twenty
though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
there'll be new dreams • maybe better dreams and plenty
before the last revolving year is through ...
... and the seasons they go round and round
and the painted ponies go up and down
we're captive on the carousel of time
we can't return • we can only look behind from where we came
and go round and round and round in the circle game
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
A Asus2sus4 A ...Asus2sus4...A yesterday a child came out to wonder A Asus2sus4 G ...E caught a dragonfly inside a jar A Asus2sus4 C#m fearful when the sky was full of thunder D A E6 A...Asus2sus4...A and tearful at the falling of a star A Asus2sus4 A and the seasons they go round and round A Asus2sus4 A and the painted ponies go up and down D A ...Asus2sus4...A we're captive on the carousel of time D Bm A Amaj7 F#m we can't return we can only look behind from where we came C#m D E6 A and go round and round and round in the circle game
