Ironic...and not Alanis

2 songs - 1 you know - 1 you may or may not know. Let's start with the one you know.

Covered recently by the Counting Crows (and then Vanessa Carlton was added on) this song made a resurgence. It apparently was included in the movie "2 Weeks Notice" which, I will say, I have never seen. Written by Joni Mitchell and covered about a billion times, this one is obviously a classic. This was originally released in 1970, which I would say is ahead of its time, but I'm sure what was going on then, is very similar to now. Although, on good old Staten Island, I would say put up a parking lot, 18 row houses and 38 traffic lights. And that was last week alone. Oddly enough, this reminds me of this chick that was a secretary at my last job in Jersey. I copied the Joni Mitchell "hits" CD from her. On a side note, she's the only girl I've ever met that I know had a breast reduction. Which, I guess adds to the irony of this post.

Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi
They paved paradise
And 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
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
And 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
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And they put up a parking lot

Hey farmer farmer
Put away that D.D.T. now
Give me spots on my apples
But leave me the birds and the bees
Please!
Dont it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

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
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot


So let's rewind a few weeks. Clerks 2. Aside from being a fabulous and hysterical movie, and a great scene about beast - um - ok - nevermind (Just incase Joel Siegel is reading). It did include some great songs. Soul Asylum, Jackson 5 (with a dance sequence) and this one. This was the opening sequence track. I had heard it years ago and have been listening to it a lot lately. I always like the Talking Heads and find this a song funny and sarcastic. It becomes more surreal as I run in the new park by my house and think about moving out. So this is the ironic flipside to Big Yellow Taxi.


Talking Heads - (Nothing But) Flowers
Here we stand
Like an Adam and an Eve
Waterfalls
The Garden of Eden
Two fools in love
So beautiful and strong
The birds in the trees
Are smiling upon them
From the age of the dinosaurs
Cars have run on gasoline
Where, where have they gone?
Now, it's nothing but flowers

There was a factory
Now there are mountains and rivers
you got it, you got it

We caught a rattlesnake
Now we got something for dinner
we got it, we got it

There was a shopping mall
Now it's all covered with flowers
you've got it, you've got it

If this is paradise
I wish I had a lawnmower
you've got it, you've got it

Years ago
I was an angry young man
I'd pretend
That I was a billboard
Standing tall
By the side of the road
I fell in love
With a beautiful highway
This used to be real estate
Now it's only fields and trees
Where, where is the town
Now, it's nothing but flowers
The highways and cars
Were sacrificed for agriculture
I thought that we'd start over
But I guess I was wrong

Once there were parking lots
Now it's a peaceful oasis
you got it, you got it

This was a Pizza Hut
Now it's all covered with daisies
you got it, you got it

I miss the honky tonks,
Dairy Queens, and 7-Elevens
you got it, you got it

And as things fell apart
Nobody paid much attention
you got it, you got it

I dream of cherry pies,
Candy bars, and chocolate chip cookies
you got it, you got it

We used to microwave
Now we just eat nuts and berries
you got it, you got it

This was a discount store,
Now it's turned into a cornfield
you got it, you got it

Don't leave me stranded here
I can't get used to this lifestyle

Hmm - where do we go next?