Featuring: Tina Turner
Songwriter: Joni Mitchell
[Verse 1]
The big man arrives
Disco dancers greet him, plainclothes cops greet him
Small town, big man, fresh lipstick glistening
Sophomore jive
From victims of typewriters the band sounds like typewriters
The big man, he's not listening
His eyes hold Edith, his left hand holds his right
What does that hand desire
That he grips it so tight?
[Verse 2]
Edith in the ring
The passed-over girls are conferring
The man with the diamond ring is purring
All claws, for now, withdrawn
One by one they bring
His renegade stories to her
His crimes and his glories to her
In challenge, they look on
Women he has taken grow old too soon
He tilts their tired faces
Gently to the spoon
[Verse 3]
Edith in his bed
A plane in the rain is humming
The wires in the walls are humming
Some song, some mysterious song
Bars in her head
Beating frantic and snow blind, romantic and snow blind
She says his crime belongs
Edith and the Kingpin, each with charm to sway
Are staring eye to eye
They dare not look away
You know they dare not look away
The big man arrives
Disco dancers greet him, plainclothes cops greet him
Small town, big man, fresh lipstick glistening
Sophomore jive
From victims of typewriters the band sounds like typewriters
The big man, he's not listening
His eyes hold Edith, his left hand holds his right
What does that hand desire
That he grips it so tight?
[Verse 2]
Edith in the ring
The passed-over girls are conferring
The man with the diamond ring is purring
All claws, for now, withdrawn
One by one they bring
His renegade stories to her
His crimes and his glories to her
In challenge, they look on
Women he has taken grow old too soon
He tilts their tired faces
Gently to the spoon
[Verse 3]
Edith in his bed
A plane in the rain is humming
The wires in the walls are humming
Some song, some mysterious song
Bars in her head
Beating frantic and snow blind, romantic and snow blind
She says his crime belongs
Edith and the Kingpin, each with charm to sway
Are staring eye to eye
They dare not look away
You know they dare not look away
- River: The Joni Letters (2007)
- I Thought It Was You
- Stars In Your Eyes
- Sister Moon
- Gettin’ to the Good Part
- I Just Called to Say I Love You
- Court and Spark
- Hush, Hush, Hush
- Can’t Hide Your Love
- The Fun Tracks
- Lite Me Up
- Don’t Give Up
- Give It All Your Heart
- The Bomb
- Motor Mouth
- Summertime
- Imagine Intro
- Edith and the Kingpin
- A Song for You
- St. Louis Blues
- Court & Spark (Duet)
- Imagine
- Sunlight
- Ready Or Not
- Tonight’s the Night