Song For Sharon

Joni Mitchell's 'Song For Sharon' is a poignant exploration of love, dreams, and the search for personal fulfillment. The song begins with the narrator's journey to Staten Island to buy a mandolin, symbolizing a quest for artistic expression. The sight of a wedding dress in a storefront window triggers reflections on love and societal expectations. The dress represents the traditional path of marriage, which some women crave, but the narrator seems to question its allure.

The song then shifts to a broader perspective, touching on the lives of others, such as the Indian kids in Canada and the gypsy on Bleecker Street. These vignettes highlight the diversity of human experience and the different ways people seek meaning and luck. The narrator's visit to the gypsy, resulting in a wasted eighteen dollars, underscores the futility of trying to control love and fate through superstitions.

Mitchell's lyrics delve into personal history and relationships, revealing a pattern of love's disappointments and the struggle to adapt to change. The mention of a woman who drowned herself and the narrator's friends' emotional turmoil reflect the thin line between hope and despair. Despite the wide array of noble causes and beautiful landscapes, the narrator's primary desire remains finding another lover, indicating a deep-seated need for connection and intimacy.

The song contrasts the narrator's life with that of her friend Sharon, who has a stable family life. The 'apple of temptation' and 'diamond snake' symbolize the narrator's entanglement in desires and materialism. Yet, both women find solace in their music and nature, suggesting that while their paths diverge, they share a common pursuit of beauty and meaning in life.