Joking
Indigo Girls Lyrics
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I was wide-eyed and laughing
We were dancing up to the bright side
Forget about your ego
Forget about your pride
And you will never have to compromise
And you were only joking
You were only joking brother
We talked about our mothers
Kissed the wounds of our fathers
I could have been your sister
I would have been your brother
You kissed me like I was a soldier
Headed for a war
I dying man but I don't know what for
And you were only joking
You were only joking brother
You were only joking
(Wide-eyed and laughing)
You were only joking brother
(Dancing up to the bright side)
Gravel and glass on the bottom of my feet
I bruised my heels on the swollen street
We were girls in bars
Boys on the town
Bumping like a pinball off a careless crowd
You said good friends are hard to come by
I laughed and bought you a beer
It's too corny to cry
Well sentiment given
Oh sentiment lost
You shake it off with a smirk and a toss
And you were only joking
You were only joking brother
You were only joking
Were only joking brother
And you were only joking
(gravel and glass on the bottom of my feet)
You were only joking brother
(I bruised my heels on the swollen street)
You kissed me like a soldier heading for a war
(Joking)
I'm a dying man
(You were only joking)
And you were only joking
(Don't know what for)
(Dying man)
You were only joking brother
(Don't know what for)
And you were only
And you were only
And you were only joking
Brother
One two three four
Ah yeah
(Wide eyed and laughing)
Sha la
(Dancing up to the bright side)
Sha la
(wide eyed and laughing)
Sha la
(dancing up to the bright side)
The Indigo Girls' song "Joking" paints a picture of a seemingly carefree and adventurous night spent with a friend. The first verse sets the stage, with the friend proclaiming that the world is magic, a sentiment that the singer finds infectious. They dance together and forget about their egos and pride, feeling like they never have to compromise. However, the friend then reveals that they were only joking, leaving the singer wondering what was real and what wasn't.
The second verse delves deeper into their relationship, with the two discussing the wounds their parents have inflicted and sharing intimate moments like kissing. The friend kisses like the singer is headed off to war, highlighting the intensity of their bond. Still, the friend's tendency to joke and keep things lighthearted casts a shadow on everything, leaving the singer unsure of where they stand.
The final verse brings the listener back to reality, with the roughness of the streets and the careless crowds threatening to derail the night. The friend declares that good friends are hard to come by, but then quickly brushes off any sentimental moments and keeps everything light with a joke. The song ends with the friend's repeated refrain of "you were only joking," leaving the listener unsure of what was real and what wasn't.
Overall, "Joking" presents a complex portrait of a friendship that is equal parts intense and carefree, with the line between reality and humor often blurred.
Line by Line Meaning
You said the world was magic
You once told me that there was magic in this world
I was wide-eyed and laughing
Your words filled me with awe and made me laugh with happiness
We were dancing up to the bright side
Together, we were moving towards the positive side of things
Forget about your ego
Stop focusing on your own self-importance
Forget about your pride
Don't let pride get in the way of what's important
And you will never have to compromise
By letting go of ego and pride, you'll never have to make concessions
And you were only joking
You were only joking brother
It turns out that what you said before wasn't true, you were just joking around
We talked about our mothers
Together, we shared stories and memories of our mothers
Kissed the wounds of our fathers
We comforted each other with the pain of our relationships with our own fathers
I could have been your sister
Our relationship could have been closer, like siblings
I would have been your brother
I would have protected you and been there for you like a brother
You kissed me like I was a soldier
Your kisses felt like a goodbye kiss to a soldier heading off to war
Headed for a war
An uncertain or dangerous experience
I dying man but I don't know what for
I feel like I'm dying inside, without knowing what's causing it
Gravel and glass on the bottom of my feet
My feet hurt from walking over rough terrain, filled with debris
I bruised my heels on the swollen street
My heels hurt from walking on a street that is swollen, most likely from rain
We were girls in bars
We used to go out and party, living our best lives
Boys on the town
We hung out with boys, exploring the town together
Bumping like a pinball off a careless crowd
We were having so much fun that we were bouncing around like a pinball in a crowd
You said good friends are hard to come by
You mentioned how difficult it is to find true friends
I laughed and bought you a beer
I laughed at your comment and offered you a beer instead of taking it seriously
It's too corny to cry
I refuse to get invested enough to get emotional about something cheesy
Well sentiment given
You offered a heartfelt message
Oh sentiment lost
But it fell on deaf ears and was ignored or forgotten
You shake it off with a smirk and a toss
You brushed it off with ease, pretending not to care
(Wide-eyed and laughing)
We were full of wonder and joy
(Dancing up to the bright side)
We were eagerly moving towards a happier, positive place
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AMY ELIZABETH RAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thirteendays13
"You said good friends are hard to come by," so fucking true.
@efalter21
Let us all pause and take a moment to appreciate how beautiful and talented Amy and Emily are.
@screwyootube1
I do that all the time!
@davidl570
"You said good friends are hard to come by / I laughed and bought you a beer 'cause it's too corny to cry"--LOVE that lyric!
@reneephillips6356
Some of the most underrated songwriters.
@davidl570
@Renee Phillips Understatement!
@stuffnotlike
This is so 90s! Love them forever
@ivankublahanov8426
❤❤❤
@blackcallalily6540
I miss the 90's
@theresaw8525
i hear ya, me 2, me 2... :(