Amelia

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 and blue 
It scrambles time and seasons if it gets through to you 
Then your life becomes a travelogue 
Of picture-post-card-charms 
Amelia, it was just a false alarm 

People will tell you where they've gone 
They'll tell you where to go 
But till you get there yourself you never really know 
Where some have found their paradise 
Others 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 747's 
Over geometric farms 
Dreams, Amelia, dreams and false alarms

--Joni Mitchell (1943- ), Canadian singer-songwriter, artist, and poet, from Hejira, 1976

A link to the NPR report on the tribute to Joni Mitchell's Blue performed by Brandi Carlile.

A Live performance from 1979 by Joni Mitchell:

A dazzling cover by Roxana Amed and Pedro Aznar in Spanish:

And in English: