Little Green
Joni Mitchell Lyrics

Born with the moon in Cancer
The singer was born under the zodiac sign Cancer, which represents the crab and water element.

Choose her a name she'll answer to
The singer encourages parents to pick a name for their child that resonates with them and that their child will respond to.

Call her green and the winters can not fade her
Referring to the girl in the previous line, calling her 'green' (metaphorically for newness, freshness, rawness), will make her resilient against harsh winters which represent difficult times in life.

Call her green for the children who have made her little, green
The girl has grown up amidst challenging circumstances that have left her emotionally scarred and insecure. She is naive and acts immature, like a child.

Be a gypsy dancer
The artist encourages the girl to be carefree and engage in adventurous activities that lead to self-discovery, like a gypsy dancer.

He went to California
The song introduces a male character who went to California, possibly to pursue his dreams or find his place in the world.

Hearing that everything's warmer there
The man believes that everything will be better and more comfortable in California than where he currently is.

So you write him a letter, say, "her eyes are blue"
The girl sends a letter to the man in California, possibly to maintain a relationship. She provides a trivial detail about herself (eye color) to make herself more noticeable and appealing to him.

He sends you a poem and she's lost to you
The man replies with a poetic gesture that captivates and distances the girl from reality. She becomes absorbed in his words and loses touch with herself and their relationship.

Little, green, he's a non-comformer
Referring to the boy as 'little, green' again, he is a non-conformist and doesn't accept societal norms or behavior expected of him because he is different and vulnerable.

Just a little green
Reiterating that the girl is still naive and vulnerable like a child.

Like the color when the spring is born
Spring brings a new beginning symbolized by light, new green leaves that resonate with the girl's changing life.

There'll be crocuses to bring to school tomorrow
Crocuses are flowers that usually bloom at the end of winter, symbolizing the girl's transitioning into a new phase in her life. She can bring them to school and show off her growth.

Like the night's when the Northern lights perform
The Northern lights symbolize the beauty of nature and the unexpected surprises in life, similar to the girl's transformation due to challenging circumstances in her life.

There'll be icicles and birthday clothes and sometimes
Icicles represent the challenges in life while birthday clothes represent milestones; good and bad times are a part of life.

There'll be sorrow
Life is not always happy, and there will be difficulties that one would have to overcome.

Child with a child pretending
The girl had to grow up quickly due to her circumstances but is still inexperienced and unsure about how to navigate her life.

Weary of lies you are sending home
The girl is vulnerable to being deceived and is fatigued of the lies she encounters or sends back home.

So you sign all the papers in the family name
The girl is either getting into a marriage or taking on a family responsibility, and she dutifully signs the papers in the family name.

You're sad and you're sorry but you're not ashamed, little green
Despite feeling sad and apologetic, the girl refuses to be ashamed of the actions and decisions she has taken and prefers to instead own up to them, still acting immature.

Little green, have a happy ending
The song ends with the artist hoping that things work out well for the girl, and she eventually finds happiness and success in life.