Wow. This Joni Mitchell song has more meaning as the years go by. Circle Game.

[madfloridian]

Lyrics to the Circle Game.

Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now
Cartwheels turn to car wheels through 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"

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

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
And go round and round and round in the circle game

Songwriters
MITCHELL, JONI

[BeyondGeography]

1. Written as a reaction to Sugar Mountain

Canadians, eh?

[madfloridian]

2. No idea why it was written. Just know it's a great song IMO.

Don't know what you mean by "Canadians,eh".

[BeyondGeography]

4. Neil and Joni, it's a great story, two Canadians, etc.

http://www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/jammin_more.htm#joni

[madfloridian]

6. Thanks, great story.

They looked so young in those pictures.

[guillaumeb]

3. you missed some of the lyrics

from my favorite Joni Mitchell song.

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

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 *

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

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

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


the whole song, and thanks for the post

[madfloridian]

7. Wasn't sure about fair use of lyrics, so just put 4 paragraphs.

The first two paragraphs were especially lovely.

[House of Roberts]

5. Good old youtube.

The lyrics rang a bell, but it was the Buffy Sainte Marie cover that I remember hearing played on the radio.

[rainmaker21]

8. She was ahead of her time.

A prophet of sorts.

[ReRe]

9. Thanks for this...

Did you hear about her being ill in the past month? She was my favorite back in the day.

[GoneFishin]

10. Beautiful song.