Amelia

Joni Mitchell · Travelogue [2002]

I was driving across the burning desert

When I spotted six jet planes

Leaving six white vapor trails across the bleak terrain

It was the hexagram of the heavens

It was the strings of my guitar

Amelia it was just a false alarm



The drone of flying engines

Is a song so wild & blue

It scrambles time & seasons if it gets through to you

Then your life becomes a travelogue

Of picture post card charms

Oh Amelia it was just a false alarm



People'll tell you where they've gone

They'll tell you where to go

But till you get there yourself you'll never really know

Where some have found their paradise

Other's just come to harm

Oh Amelia it was just a false alarm



I wish that he was here tonight

It's so hard to obey

His sad request of me to kindly stay away

So this is how I hide the hurt

As the road leads cursed and charmed

I tell Amelia it was just a false alarm



A ghost of aviation

She was swallowed by the sky

Or by the sea like me she had a dream to fly

Like Icarus ascending

On beautiful foolish arms

Amelia it was just a false alarm



Maybe I've never really loved

I guess that is the truth

I've spent my whole life in clouds at icy altitude

And looking down on everything

I crashed into his arms

Amelia it was just a false alarm



I pulled into the Cactus Tree Motel

To shower off the dust

And I slept on the strange pillows of my wanderlust

I dreamed of 747s

Over geometric farms

Dreams Amelia

Dreams & false alarms

Amelia - Joni Mitchell

On the 2002 reissue of Travelogue, Joni Mitchell presents 'Amelia' as a hauntingly intimate exploration of love and loss. The track exemplifies her signature style, blending folk roots with intricate guitar work and a distinctive vocal delivery that captures the emotional complexity of her subject matter. Released decades after its original composition, this recording highlights Mitchell's enduring ability to craft songs that resonate with universal themes of longing and memory. The piece stands as a testament to her career-long commitment to lyrical depth and melodic innovation, offering listeners a glimpse into the personal narratives that have defined her discography.