The Student Song

by Joni Mitchell

Here I sit a-learnin'
Candlelight a-burnin'
Castin' flickerin' shadows on the wall
Open book before me
Tryin' its best to bore me
Up in the hills the lonesome coyote's call
Cryin' for his sweetheart
Cryin' for the moon
Cryin' just for cryin's sake
He'll have me cryin' soon
Wonder if he's lonely
Guess I'm not the only
Creature on this earth who's all alone

Spring's creepin' up the valley
And I know my best pal he's
Up there somewhere catching fireflies
But my lesson's ain't completed and I
just can't be defeated
by the sights and sounds
that tease my ears and eyes
Outside my window
the night is full of sounds
Hootin' of a hooting owl
layin' of my hounds

But here I sit a-learnin'
and grumblin' and gol durnin'
Ain't gonna help these lessons to go by

eight times twelve how many
and here's a guy called Benny
flew a kite into a lightnin' storm
who killed ole cock robin
while all the birds were sobbin'
gee that evenin' air smells sweet and warm
who can study silly words
when the creek begins to run
and the crocus pops up from the ground
I challenge anyone

Now it's off to school tomorrow with
apologies and sorrow
but I've gotta watch the season being born
Yes I've gotta watch the season being born
I've gotta watch the season being born

© 1965

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