The Same Situation

Album: Court And Spark (1974)
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Songfacts®:

  • Mitchell (from a 1996 interview with the Los Angeles Times): "I don't want to name names or kiss and tell, but basically it is a portrait of a Hollywood bachelor and the parade of women through his life, how he toys with yet another one. So many women have been in this position, being vulnerable at a time when you need affection or are searching for love, and you fall into the company of a Don Juan."

Comments: 3

  • Cyndey Ramsay from AlGreat song
  • G S.m. from BrasilI don't know... this song is really deep to me.

    "Still I sent up my prayer
    Wondering where it had to go
    With heaven full of astronauts
    And the lord on death row
    While the millions of his lost and lonely ones
    Cali out and clamour to be found
    Caught in their struggle for higher positions
    And their search for love that sticks around"

    When she says "lord on death row" it's like God on death row. And I'm not talking about a religious God, but the concept of God as being something bigger... I mean, looking at everything around you as part of something bigger. Knowing that all things have a meaning and reason to be.

    But then, when all you care about is to fullfill superficial desires: this to me is putting "God" on death row. To turn the mistery and gradiosity of life into cars, girls, gold: this is putting "God" on death row.
    She's looking for higher achievments though, and love.

    "You've had lots of lovely women
    Now you turn your gaze to me
    Weighing the beauty and the imperfection
    To see if I'm worthy
    Like the church
    Like a cop
    Like a mother
    You want me to be truthful
    Sometimes you turn it on me like a weapon though
    And I need your approval"

    Too me this fits not only a guy looking for a pretty girl, but society in general creating beauty standards. Also, It feels like the struggle of someone trying to fit in and feeling judged; and as much as being judged feels horrible, they still care for their approval at the end of it. It pictures the need of being accepted, the need of external support.
    Everyone have felt this at some point...
  • Les from SfA sad profound song about the emptiness of a loser guy.
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