Mitchell, Joni - The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms) Lyrics

...says Molly McGee and no-one else will do...and seals the tea leaf prophecy.

This is from one of my fav albums by JM. This one, Night Ride Home and Turbulent Indigo, it was a real creative peak. What the hell is this song about, though? Can anyone enlighten me?

the biography i'm reading now "portrait of joni mitchell" says it is about her parents. her mother is molly mcgee (myrtl mckee)

This whole album might be my favorite ever

Wendy and Lisa are in this?

Study war no more
Lay down your arms
Study war no more
Lay 'em down, lay 'em down now
Study war no more
Lay down your arms
Study war no more
Newsreels rattle the Nazi dread,
The able-bodied have shipped away,
Molly McGee gets her tea-leaves read,
You'll be married in a month they say
"These leaves are crazy!
Look at this town, there's no men left!
Just frail old boys and babies
Talking to teacher in the treble clef."
She plants her garden in the spring
She does the winter shovelling
Tokyo Rose on the radio
She says she's leavin' but she don't go
Out of the blue, just passin' through
A young flight sergeant
On two weeks leave,
Says "Molly McGee, no one else will do!"
And seals the tea-leaf prophecy.
Oh these nights are strong and soft,
Private passions and secret storms
Nothin' about him ticks her off
And he looks so cute in his uniform
She plants her garden in the spring
He does the winter shovelling
But summer's just a sneeze
In a long-long-bad-winter cold
She says, "I'm leavin' here" but she don't go
"Sleep little darlin'!
This is your happy home
Hiroshima cannot be pardoned!
Don't have kids when you get grown.
Because, this world is shattered
The wise are mourning,
The fools are joking
Oh, what does it matter?
The wash needs ironing
And the fire needs stoking."
She plants her garden in the spring
He does the winter shoveling
The three of 'em laughing 'round the radio
She says "I'm leavin' here" but she don't go
She plants her garden in the spring
They do the winter shoveling
They sit up late and watch the
Johnny Carson show
She says "I'm leavin' here but she don't go

Songwriters: Joni Mitchell / Larry Klein
The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms) lyrics © BMG Rights Management US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

I Love this Version.... makes me feel so good....

Skip this and listen to the version with Herbie Hancock

The one you mention - features excellent musicians but the feeeling is not the same -

Forget that, Hancock is pathetic.

Gigantic

Much prefer the version she does with Herbie Hancock

Thank you so much for uploading this song. I absolutely love it :-D