Song Lyrics

Chinese Café

by Joni Mitchell

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Caught in the middle
Carol we're middle class
We're middle aged
We were wild in the old days
Birth of rock 'n' roll days
Now your kids are coming up straight
And my child's a stranger
I bore her
But I could not raise her
Nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long

Down at the Chinese Cafe
We'd be dreaming on our dimes
We'd be playing "Oh my love, my darling"
One more time

Uranium money
Is booming in the old home town now
It's putting up sleek concrete
Tearing the old landmarks down now
Paving over brave little parks
Ripping off Indian land again
How long how long
Short sighted business men
Ah nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long

Down at the Chinese Cafe
We'd be dreaming on our dimes
We'd be playing "You give your love, so sweetly"
One more time

Christmas is sparkling
Out on Carol's lawn
This girl of my childhood games
With kids nearly grown and gone
Grown so fast
Like the turn of a page
We look like our mothers did now
When we were those kids' age
Nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long
Down at the Chinese Cafe
We'd be dreaming on our dimes
We'd be playing
 "Oh my love, my darling
 I've hungered for your touch
 A long lonely time
 And time goes by so slowly
 And time can do so much
 Are you still mine?
 I need your love
 I need your love
 God speed your love to me"
(Time goes - where does the time go
I wonder where the time goes)

© 1982; Crazy Crow Music

Related articles from the Library

Transcriptions of Chinese Café

Piano Transcriptions of Chinese Café

Chinese Café has been recorded by 22 other artists

  • Auditorium Band featuring Maria Pia De Vito (from "Tutto Se Eva" - 2022)
  • Baker, Cheryl  (from "Cheryl Sings Joni" - 2017)
  • Deming, Connie (from "Connie Sings Joni" - 2021)
  • Fabio Ranza & Elisabetta Zamberlan (from "Be Cool" - 2002)
  • Hamilton, Natalie (from "Natalie Hamilton & Friends (Live at the Legacy Theatre)" - 2023)
  • Hay, David  (from "Came Upon A Child of God" - 2000)
  • Jakubowicz, Martyna (from "Burzliwy błękit Joanny" - 2013)
  • Kennedy, Brian (from "A Love Letter to Joni - Volume 2" - 2023)
  • Knutsen, Marianne Tovsrud (- 2012)
  • Maria Pia De Vito (from "Dreamers" - 2020)
  • Maria Pia De Vito (from "Dreamers Live" - 2021)
  • Naked Voices (from "Chambers Street" - 2002)
  • Naked Voices (from "All Together" - 2004)
  • Rachel Z Trio (from "Moon At The Window" - 2002)
  • Ros, Laura (from "Descubriendo A Joni Mitchell" - 2022)
  • Shadows and Light (- )
  • Shahar, Ronit (from "Ronit Shahar in a tribute to Joni Mitchell" - 2017)
  • Slattery, Celia (from "Cast Of Characters" - 2008)
  • Stone, Sam (- 2013)
  • Tilmann Höhn, Annette Marquard, & Kate Nelson  (from "Circle Games" - 2009)
  • Tincher, Jeff (from "All I Want" - 2015)
  • van Eerselm Muriel  (- 2015)
  • [more information on recordings by other artists]

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