The Boho Dance
LIVING ROOM - Joni Mitchell Lyrics
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I went looking for some sweet inspiration, oh well
Just another hard-time band
With negro affectations
I was a hopeful in rooms like this
When I was working cheap
It's an old romance, the boho dance
It hasn't gone to sleep
But even on the scuffle
The cleaner's press was in my jeans
And any eye for detail
Caught a little lace along the seams
And you were in the parking lot
Subterranean by your own design
The virtue of your style inscribed
On your contempt for mine
Jesus was a beggar, he was rich in grace
And Solomon kept his head in all his glory
It's just that some steps outside the boho dance
Have a fascination for me
A camera pans the cocktail hour
Behind a blind of potted palms
And finds a lady in a Paris dress
With runs in her nylons
You read those books where luxury
Comes as a guest to take a slave
Books where artists in noble poverty
Go like virgins to the grave
Don't you get sensitive on me
'Cause I know you're just too proud
You couldn't step outside the boho dance now
Even if good fortune allowed
Like a priest with a pornographic watch
Looking and longing on the sly
Sure it's stricken from your uniform
But you can't get it out of your eyes
Nothing is capsulized in me
On either side of town
The streets were never really mine
Not mine, not mine, these glamour gowns
In Joni Mitchell's "The Boho Dance", the singer is describing a visit to a bohemian hangout where she is searching for inspiration. The song expresses the paradox of the bohemian lifestyle - the ideals of creativity, art, and self-expression coexisting alongside poverty, struggle, and racial tensions. The "negro affectations" of the "hard-time band" reflect the influence of black music on the bohemian scene, but also hint at cultural appropriation and a lack of authentic experience.
The singer's own outfit, including her "cleaner's press" and "little lace", suggests a desire to belong and be noticed but also an awareness of the performative nature of bohemian style. The encounter with another bohemian in the parking lot, who looks down on the singer's style, highlights the competitive and judgmental nature of the scene. The reference to Jesus and Solomon, figures who embody both poverty and riches, adds a spiritual dimension to the song's exploration of the tensions between art and commerce, idealism and materialism.
Overall, "The Boho Dance" is a complex and nuanced portrayal of the bohemian lifestyle, with its ambivalence towards society's norms and its own contradictions. The singer's yearning for something beyond the boho dance suggests a critique of its limitations, but also a recognition of its enduring appeal.
Line by Line Meaning
Down in the cellar in the boho zone
I ventured to the underground basement of bohemian culture
I went looking for some sweet inspiration, oh well
I sought out artistic muses but found little success
Just another hard-time band
The music performers were struggling through tough times
With negro affectations
The band had incorporated African-American influences in their style
I was a hopeful in rooms like this
I used to be optimistic about meeting creative collaborators in these environments
When I was working cheap
During a less prosperous period of my life
It's an old romance, the boho dance
The longstanding relationship between counterculture and the arts remains
It hasn't gone to sleep
This dynamic is still present and active
But even on the scuffle
In rough times
The cleaner's press was in my jeans
My attire showed signs of recent laundry service
And any eye for detail
One who pays close attention
Caught a little lace along the seams
Would notice that my garment had subtle, decorative additions
And you were in the parking lot
As for you, you were outside
Subterranean by your own design
Intentionally separating yourself from mainstream society
The virtue of your style inscribed
Your personal fashion choices reflected your values
On your contempt for mine
And you held some disdain for my appearance and way of life
Jesus was a beggar, he was rich in grace
A religious reference to highlight the inverse relationship between wealth and virtue
And Solomon kept his head in all his glory
Another biblical allusion to depict the fleeting nature of material possessions
It's just that some steps outside the boho dance
However, there are aspects of mainstream society that intrigue me
Have a fascination for me
I am drawn to them
A camera pans the cocktail hour
A camera shifts its focus to a social gathering
Behind a blind of potted palms
Hidden behind a screen of indoor plants
And finds a lady in a Paris dress
Where it discovers a woman fashionably dressed in a well-known city's fashion
With runs in her nylons
Despite the glamorous appearance, her stockings had visible damage
You read those books where luxury
Perhaps you have read books about opulence
Comes as a guest to take a slave
Detailing situations where accommodations to afford such luxuries involved sacrificing one's own freedom
Books where artists in noble poverty
Stories of artists struggling artistically and financially
Go like virgins to the grave
Some of these creative people lead tragic lives
Don't you get sensitive on me
Do not take offense
'Cause I know you're just too proud
Because I understand pride can often prevent one from broadening their perspectives
You couldn't step outside the boho dance now
I suspect you may not be willing to explore other realms of the world
Even if good fortune allowed
Even if you eventually attained wealth and privilege
Like a priest with a pornographic watch
Metaphor where an unlikely profession has a hypocritical side
Looking and longing on the sly
Engaging in illicit, secretive behaviors
Sure it's stricken from your uniform
Although the job may prohibit certain behaviors, one's personal desires and past experiences linger
But you can't get it out of your eyes
One still craves the forbidden despite the occupational or personal penalties
Nothing is capsulized in me
I don't fit into a prescribed category
On either side of town
Neither in the mainstream nor counterculture have I found a perfect fit
The streets were never really mine
I don't feel completely comfortable traversing any area
Not mine, not mine, these glamour gowns
This fancy clothing that symbolizes certain traits does not apply to me
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Leonard James
This is the most meaningful song to me of all time. What a year that was in my life! Thank you Joni; that song helped me become the artist I am today. You woke my spirit with this song and I built my life at the time around it. There is so much for me to say I can't cut it down to even a paragraph. You enriched my life so much with this song; it is a part of my identity. Thank you.
BRIANZ969
Me too-This albums owns a piece of precious time in my life. Brings me back every time......
wrongvisions
the whole album is a masterpiece
Ulrich Mueller
I, too, think that this is one of Joni's pieces. Such a rich texture. A painting in time.
jesmarluk
A reminder of a most magical time in my life. This whole album - an adventure soundtrack. Joni, you were my good guide. My spirit sister. I wish you well always.
surrepeight
I know the lyrics by heart but find them so compelling that when I hear this, I find it hard to read the comments below it - all I can absorb are these incredible pictures painted by her words!
Anne Lang
Beautiful song. Just love this.
KSguitarmusic
Noone today comes even close to artists like Joni and so many others from this genre and time period. We'll never see the like again. The 70s was just astounding for the level of musical creativity. This has to be among her best albums. The delicate and overlaying textures in this song just blow me away every time I hear it.
Thomas Murphy
PURE POETRY...VISUALLY, SONICALLY, EMOTIONALLY.
Graham Buckenham
Joni Mitchell - Jim Morrison
One burns bright
The other looks so , so deep .