#468 Big Yellow Taxi- Joni Mitchell

Don’t it always seem to go/
That you don’t know what you’ve got til its gone.
They paved paradise/
And put up a parking lot.

“Big Yellow Taxi” packs a lot of meaning into a seemingly sweet and innocent-sounding song. It is one of Joni Mitchell’s earlier songs and it might be her biggest hit. It hits on so many levels. Superficially, one of the things that makes it cool is the last verse when we hear her goofing around: singing in a low voice then cracking herself up. It is kind of like a peak into her personality before there was social media. But the song would be great without it.

Big Yellow Taxi Meaning
Joni

Mitchell lament’s that we don’t know what we’ve got till it’s gone. She gives us three examples that seem to be similar in that they are all environmental related: We pave paradise put up a parking lot, we use DDT, we cut down trees. All of these things are things that are important to her and people who are fans of her.

That is what the song is about—but that is not the impetus that made her create this song. You see late last night, her boyfriend left her in a big yellow taxi, and now she is feeling remorseful. In the moment when she let him go, she didn’t really care, but today she regrets it. Will we feel the same way about nature when it is gone?

Big Yellow Taxi Lyrics

They paved paradise
Put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
Put up a parking lot
Shoo, bop, bop, bop, bop
Shoo, bop, bop, bop, bop

They took all the trees
Put them in a tree museum
And they charged all the people
A dollar and a half to see ’em
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
Put up a parking lot
Shoo, bop, bop, bop, bop
Shoo, bop, bop, bop, bop

Hey, farmer, farmer
Put away the DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But leave me the birds and the bees
Please
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
Put up a parking lot
Shoo, bop, bop, bop, bop
Shoo, bop, bop, bop, bop

Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
Put up a parking lot
Shoo, bop, bop, bop, bop

I said, don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
‘Til it’s gone
They paved paradise
Put up a parking lot
Shoo, bop, bop, bop, bop
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Shoo, bop, bop, bop, bop
They paved paradise
Put up a parking lot

Songwriters: Joni Mitchell

#467 Heartbreaker- Dianne Warwick, The Bee Gees

Why do you have to be a heartbreaker,
When I was bein’ what you want me to be?
Suddenly everything I ever wanted has passed me by..

Dianne Warwick’s “Heartbreaker” is a great song written by the Bee Gees. The Bee Gees would release their own version but it doesn’t compare to the version where they split the lead with Warwick. Warwick has a stronger voice than the Gibb brothers, and that works better for the verses. For the chorus, the Bee Gees Falsetto is perfect. The song’s melody is rather complex. It is another one of those songs that sounds like it could have been split into two songs, but as one song, it blends fantastically well.

Heartbreaker Meaning
Diane Warwick

The lyrics are outstanding. I don’t think the Bee Gees get enough credit as lyricists, songwriters or performers. They are an amazing band with tons of hits and great songs. The story of the song is simple, the narrator is in love with a man who is not present. She feels that love should be “everything or nothing at all”. What is this spell that she is under? She was being everything he wanted her to be. Another unrequited love song.

Heartbreakers Meaning
Bee gees

The change in the melody on the bridge is amazing: (Only to find any dream that I follow is dying.) And again, the melody change at the chorus is also fantastic. I think this song is one everyone knows, but not many consider great. It is time we reconsider that.

Lyrics Heartbreaker
I got to say it and it’s hard for me,
You got me cryin’ like I thought I would never be.
Love is believin’ but you let me down;
How can I love you when you ain’t around?
And I,

Get to the morning and you never call.
Love should be everything or not at all.
And it don’t matter what ever you do;
I made a life out of lovin’ you.

Only to find any dream that I follow is dying.
I’m cryin’ in the rain.
I could be searchin’ my world for a love everlasting,
Feeling no pain, when will we meet again?

Why do you have to be a heartbreaker?
Is it a lesson that I never knew?
Gotta get out of the spell that I’m under,
My love for you.

Why do you have to be a heartbreaker,
When I was bein’ what you want me to be ?
Suddenly everything I ever wanted has passed me by,
This world may end, not you and I.

My love is stronger than the universe.
My soul is cryin’ for you,
And that can not be reversed.
You made the rules and you could not see;
You made a life out of hurtin’ me.

Out of my mind, I am held by the power of you love.
Tell me when do we try, or should we say goodbye ?

Why do you have to be a heartbreaker,
When I was bein’ what you want me to be ?
Suddenly everything I ever wanted has passed me by.

Oh, why do you have to be a heartbreaker ?
Is it a lesson that I never knew ?
Suddenly everything I ever wanted,
My love for you, oh,

Why do you have to be a heartbreaker,
When I was bein’ what you want me to be ?
Suddenly everything I ever wanted has passed me by

Songwriters: Barry Alan Gibb / Maurice Ernest Gibb / Robin Hugh Gibb

#466 For What it’s Worth- Buffalo Springfield

Nobody right if everybody’s wrong.

Buffalo Springfield was ultimately a one-hit wonder, but “For What it’s Worth” has had an enormous meaning on rock. This was the first success for Stephen Stills and Neil Young—who would of course go on to create CSNY. The opening riff to “For What it’s Worth” is so iconic that I think it transcends even their two careers…if that is possible. (Bassist Jim Messina would later create Poco).

Every movie that involves the 60s or the Vietnam War or the civil rights movement is not complete without this song in the soundtrack. It is simply not done.

The lyrics of “For What it’s Worth” are not as protest-y as its reputation. The message is “we should take a second and think about things”. Radical! The guitar refrain is obviously what will be noticed, but the rest of the guitar work sounds great too. It is actually a welcome change from the familiar riff. It shows off Neil Young’s guitar skills in a way that we don’t see in his solo work or CSNY.

For What its Worth Meaning

Buffalo Springfield

For What It’s Worth Lyrics

There’s something happening here.
What it is ain’t exactly clear.
There’s a man with a gun over there.
Telling me I got to beware.

I think it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s going down.

There’s battle lines being drawn.
Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong.
Young people speaking their minds,
Getting so much resistance from behind.

It’s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s going down.

What a field-day for the heat.
A thousand people in the street.
Singing songs and carrying signs,
Mostly say, hooray for our side.

It’s s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s going down.

Paranoia strikes deep-
Into your life it will creep.
It starts when you’re always afraid,
You step out of line, the man come and take you away.

We better stop, hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s going down.
Stop, hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s going down.
Stop, now, what’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s going down.
Stop, children, what’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s going down.

Songwriters: Stephen Stills