Both Sides Now
Joni Mitchell and Friends Lyrics

Rows and flows of angel hair
The singer used to see the beauty in everything - even the intangible strands of an angel's hair.

And ice cream castles in the air
The singer saw reality turn into a magical wonderland where ice cream castles floated and created a new home for people.

And feather canyons everywhere
The singer's whole world was filled with feather-like formations, filling up every corner beneath the sky.

Looked at clouds that way
The artist looked at the world with wonder and imagination, accepting every bit of beauty that met their eyes.

But now they only block the sun
Nowadays, the same clouds that the artist looked at as an angelic feat become a hindrance to the sun's light and view.

They rain and they snow on everyone
The clouds that held so much beauty now unleash feelings of pain and melancholy onto humans in the form of rain and snow.

So many things I would have done
The singer wanted to achieve so many things in life.

But clouds got in my way
Unfortunately, the mention of clouds seems more negative than positive now, a symbol of hindrance rather than imagination.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
The artist has seen both the positive and negative sides of life through their experiences.

From up and down and still somehow
No matter which way the artist has viewed their experiences, it still remains as the reality they have to face.

It's cloud illusions I recall
The singer reminisces about the beautiful illusions that they would see as a child, faded by the practicality of life.

I really don't know clouds at all
The artist realizes that they don't understand the meaning of life despite having beautiful illusions of life.

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The beautiful symphony of life in which the singer saw the world turning into a fairytale.

The dizzy dancing way that you feel
The happiness that comes from feeling love and finding someone special.

As every fairy tale comes real
The singer believed that fairy tales could have happy endings that should come true.

But now it's just another show
The joy that the artist once associated with love is now simply a display to show off or perform for an audience.

And you leave 'em laughing when you go
When the artist leaves, they want to make their audience feel happy and entertained, but not fully invested in the emotions they feel.

And if you care, don't let them know
The singer doesn't want to show emotions to people who don't care or might use it against them.

Don't give yourself away
The singer wants to protect their feelings and not risk getting into a potentially harmful situation.

I've looked at love from both sides now
The artist has seen love from both fulfilling and deceiving perspectives.

From give and take and still somehow
The artist knows that love is not all giving, but involves taking and sacrificing.

It's love's illusions that I recall
The idealistic version of love is a common thought that the artist dwells on, though it may not be true in reality.

I really don't know love
The singer realizes the complexities of love and does not feel confident in knowing or understanding it.

Really don't know love at all
Despite the experiences and memories of love the artist has undergone, they still feel unsure of its true definition and how it works.

Tears and fears and feeling proud
The emotions that come with the realization someone is loved including crying, fear of losing them, and pride in loving someone so much.

To say, "I love you" right out loud
The singer wants to hear and confirm their feelings for someone by saying “I love you” to them verbally.

Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
The singer used to imagine and plan everything in their life, like a wild circus display.

I've looked at life that way
The artist once saw their life through a dreamy and imaginative lens.

Oh, but now old friends they're acting strange
The artist's friends have changed and seem to act different towards the artist since their viewpoints have changed over time.

And they shake their heads and they tell me that I've changed
The singer's changing perspective has caused a distance between their friends, and they don’t seem to understand why the singer has changed.

Well something's lost, but something's gained
Although the singer lost something they initially had, they have also gained a newfound perspective through their experiences.

In living every day
The artist has gained a new perspective of seeing life in the new moment, causing them to look at the world differently than before.

I've looked at life from both sides now
The artist has seen the ups and downs of life and knows that things aren't always clear and straightforward.

From win and lose and still somehow
Despite experiencing both failure and success, things don't always add up for the artist in life.

It's life's illusions I recall
The singer recalls the view of life that they imagined in the past involving illusions and showmanship.

I really don't know life at all
Through life's complicated journey, the artist doesn't feel confident in knowing or fully understanding it, even with all their experiences.

It's life's illusions that I recall
The singer lives in a world that may be difficult to comprehend and wants to see it in a dreamier outlook.

I really don't know life
Even after experiencing many things in life, the singer still has many questions about what the true meaning of life is.

I really don't know life at all
The singer is not fully aware of what the world and the people around them truly mean or how it all works.