Text: Joni Mitchell. The Fiddle & The Drum.

And so once again
My dear Johnny, my dear friend
And so once again
You are fightin' us all

And when I ask you why
You raise your sticks and cry
And I fall, oh, my friend
How did you come
To trade the fiddle for the drum?

You say I have turned
Like the enemies you've earned
But I can remember
All the good things you are

And so I ask you please
Can I help you find the peace and the star?
Oh, my friend, what time is this
To trade the handshake for the fist?

And so once again
Oh, America my friend
And so once again
You are fighting us all

And when we ask you why
You raise your sticks and cry
And we fall, oh, my friend
How did you come
To trade the fiddle for the drum?

You say we have turned
Like the enemies you've earned
But we can remember
All the good things you are

And so we ask you please
Can we help you find the peace and the star?
Oh my friend, we have all come
To fear the beating of your drum