dccvii. MITCHELL, Joni: The Three Great Stimulants

dccvii. MITCHELL, Joni (1943-       )

The Three Great Stimulants (1985)
JM, vocals, keyboards
Larry Klein, keyboards, bass
Thomas Dolby, keyboards
Michael Landau, guitar
Vinnie Colaiuta, drums
Michael Fisher, percussion samples
(6:13)

from: Dog Eat Dog

I picked the morning paper
Off the floor
It was full of other people's
Little wars

Wouldn't they like their peace
Don't we get bored
And we call for the
Three great stimulants
Of the exhausted ones
Artifice, brutality and innocence
Artifice and innocence

No tanks have ever rumbled
Through these streets
And the drone of planes at night
Has never frightened me
I keep the hours and the company
That I please
And we call for the
Three great stimulants

Of the exhausted ones
Artifice, brutality and innocence
Artifice and innocence

Oh and deep in the night
Our appetites find us
Release us and bind us
Deep in the night
While madmen sit up building bombs
And making laws and bars
They'd like to slam free choice
Behind us

I saw a little lawyer on the tube
He said "it's so easy now,
Anyone can sue."
"Let me show you how your petty
Aggravations can profit you!"
Call for the three great stimulants
Of the exhausted ones
Artifice, brutality and innocence
Artifice and innocence

Oh and deep in the night
Appetites find us
Release us and blind us
Deep in the night
While madmen sit up building bombs
And making laws and bars
They'd like to slam free choice
Behind us

Last night I dreamed I saw
The planet flicker
Great forests fell like buffalo
Everything got sicker
And to the bitter end
Big business bickered
And they call for the
The three great stimulants
Of the exhausted ones
Artifice, brutality and innocence
Artifice and innocence

Oh these times, these times
Oh these changing times
Changes in the heart of all mankind
Oh these trouble times