Dancin' Clown lyrics

words and music by Joni Mitchell

No, you couldn't call Jesse a babe in the woods
He's just weak in self-defense
'Cause he's so thin skinned
He can't take a joke at his expense
";You're a push down window,"; says Rowdy Yates
";I can run you up and down
Anytime I want
I can make you my dancin'--
My dancin' clown!";
You're my dancin' clown
Dancin' dancin'
My dancin' clown
Dancin'
You're my dancin' clown
Dancin' dancin' dancin'
My dancin' clown

Rowdy Yates is as bold as Jove--
He's all chide and snide and bluff--
Stuck in the romantic tradition
Of acting rough and tough
";You're always charging thru,"; says Jesse
Nervous, lookin' all around--
To see who's seein' him bein' a dancin'
A dancin' clown
He's a dancin' clown
Dancin' dancin'
A dancin' clown
Dancin'
He's a dancin' clown
Dancin' dancin' dancin'
A dancin' clown

Cherchez la femme
Whenever love comes around
Someone's a dancin' clown
Cherchez la femme
Whenever hearts start to pound
Someone's a dancin' clown

Down the street comes last-word Suzie--
She's high yellow--lookin' top nice
You hear the swoosh of jungle blades
And the crackle of northern ice
";Hot damn!"; says Rowdy--lookin' up
";Yum!"; says Jesse lookin' down
";How would you like to be her dancin'
Her dancin' clown?";
Be her dancin' clown
Dancin' dancin'
Her dancin' clown
Dancin'
Be her dancin' clown
Dancin' dancin' dancin'
Her dancin' clown

Cherchez la femme
Whenever love comes to town
Someone's a dancin' clown
Cherchez la femme
Wherever hearts start to pound
Someone's a dancin' clown