My Old Man
Mitchell (Joni) Lyrics
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He's a walker in the rain
He's a dancer in the dark
We don't need no piece of paper from the city hall
Keeping us tied and true no, my old man
Keeping away my blues
He's my sunshine in the morning
He's the warmest chord I ever heard
Play that warm chord, play and stay, baby
We don't need no piece of paper from the city hall
Keeping us tied and true, my old man
Keeping away my blues
But when he's gone
Me and them lonesome blues collide
The bed's too big
The frying pan's too wide
Then he comes home
And he takes me in his loving arms
And he tells me all his troubles
And he tells me all my charms
We don't need no piece of paper from the city hall
Keeping us tied and true, no, my old man
Keeping away my blues
But when he's gone
Me and them lonesome blues collide
The bed's too big
The frying pan's too wide
My old man, he's a singer in the park
He's a walker in the rain
He's a dancer in the dark
We don't need no piece of paper from the city hall
Keeping us tied and true, no, my old man
Keeping away my lonesome blues
Mitchell (Joni)'s song "My Old Man" is a heart-warming tribute to the love and happiness she shares with her partner despite being unbound by traditional societal concepts of marital bliss. In the lyrics, she describes her old man being a singer, walker, and a dancer, who is the source of her happiness through the start and end of her day. They don't need a piece of paper from the city hall to keep them tied and true to each other as her old man is enough to keep away all her blues.
Through her words, she conveys that the small things like the warm chords he plays, and the endearing nicknames they share with each other, are what truly matter in a relationship. However, when he is away, she confronts her own lonesome blues but when he comes back, he takes her in his loving arms, and they conquer all their troubles together. The song is a reminder that love transcends any bond on a mere piece of paper.
The song was written and sung by Joni Mitchell, who was in a relationship with Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at the time. However, the song was not about him, but rather about her former partner, Leonard Cohen. The song was released on her album "Blue" in 1971 and was one of her biggest hits. The song showcases Mitchell's ability to create an emotional and raw portrayal of love that is relatable to listeners from all walks of life.
Line by Line Meaning
My old man, he's a singer in the park
My father is a musician who performs at public spaces like parks
He's a walker in the rain
He likes to take walks even in rainy weather
He's a dancer in the dark
He is fond of dancing in dark places
We don't need no piece of paper from the city hall
We do not require any legal document from the government to validate our relationship
Keeping us tied and true no, my old man
My father is the one who keeps our family united and faithful
Keeping away my blues
He makes me happy and takes away my sorrow
He's my sunshine in the morning
My father brightens up my day in the morning like the sun
He's my fireworks at the end of the day
He entertains me with his exciting stories and surprises me like fireworks
He's the warmest chord I ever heard
The sound of his voice is the most comforting and soothing sound to me
Play that warm chord, play and stay, baby
Sing me a song that makes me feel good and stay with me
But when he's gone
Whenever he's not around
Me and them lonesome blues collide
I feel sad and lonely
The bed's too big
The bed feels empty without him
The frying pan's too wide
Cooking alone feels hard and not as fun
Then he comes home
When he returns home
And he takes me in his loving arms
He hugs me affectionately
And he tells me all his troubles
He shares with me his problems and worries
And he tells me all my charms
He also compliments and praises me
Keeping us tied and true, no, my old man
My father is still the one who keeps our family united and loyal
Keeping away my lonesome blues
He still makes me happy and prevents me from feeling lonely
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind