Come In From The Cold - Joni Mitchell

Back in 1957

We had to dance a foot apart

And they hawk-eyed us from the sidelines

Holding their rulers without a heart

And so with just a touch of our fingers

Ah, it could make our circuitry explode

All we ever wanted

Was just to come in from the cold

Come in

Come in from the cold

We were so young

Oh come in

Come in from the cold

We really thought we had a purpose

We were so anxious to achieve

We had hope

The world held promise

For a slave to liberty

Freely I slaved away for something better

And I was bought and sold

And all I ever wanted

Was just to come in from the cold

Come in

Come in from the cold

We were so sure

Oh come in

Come in from the cold

I feel your legs under the table

Leaning into mine

I feel renewed

I feel disabled

By these bonfires in my spine

I don’t know who the arsonist was

Which incendiary soul

But all I ever wanted

Was just to come in from the cold

Come in

Come in from the cold

You were too warm

Oh come in

Come in from the cold

I am not some stone commission

Like a statue in a park

I am flesh and blood and vision

I am howling in the dark

Long blue shadows of the jackals

Are falling on a pay phone by the road

Oh, all they ever wanted

Was just to come in from the cold

Come in

Come in from the cold

I was so low

Oh come in

Come in from the cold

Is this just vulgar electricity

Is this the edifying fire

It was so pure

Does your smile’s covert complicity

Debase as it admires

Just a flu with a temperature

Are you just checking out your mojo

Or am I just fighting off growing old

Just a high fever

All I ever wanted

Was just to come in from the cold

Come in

Come in from the cold

It was so pure

Please come in

Oh come in

Come in from the cold

I know we never will be perfect

Never entirely clear

When the moon shines

We get hurt and we just panic

And we strike out

Out of fear

You were only being kind

I fear the sentence of this solitude

Two hundred years on hold

For my loving crime

Oh and all we ever wanted

Was just to come in from the cold

Come in

Come in from the cold

When the moon shines

Oh come in

Come in from the cold

When I thought life had some meaning

When I thought I had some choice

I was running blind

And I made some value judgments

In a self-important voice

I was outta' line, outta line

But then absurdity came over me

And I longed to lose control

Into no mind

Oh all I ever wanted

Was just to come in from the cold

Come in

Come in from the cold

Come in

You were so kind

Please come in

So kind

Come in from the cold

Come in come in

Come in from the cold