When it’s rainy out like it’s been this week– not billowing and thrashing thunderstorm rainy, but dreary and gray rainy– I love listening to certain cds, most notably Simon and Garfunkle’s Greatest Hits and Joni Mitchell’s Blue.

I just close my eyes and let Joni tell me a story about somewhere she’s been. Sometimes it’s fun and upbeat, sometimes it’s heart-breaking and lonely. But most of the time it’s just great.

One of my favorite songs from Blue, Carey, covers the gamut of emotions. According to Wikipedia, ‘Carey’ is about Joni’s time as a hippie in Matala off the coast of Greece. If it weren’t so cliche, I would comment on how exotic and amazing that trip/experience sounds, but instead I’m going to just appreciate how that experience led to an amazing song.

Sometimes it is really hard to leave a place that isn’t really your home, but that turns into a kind of home while you’re there. It is pretty incredible how a place can touch you that compellingly and make you miss it when you’re gone.

Thanks, Joni.

The wind is in from Africa
Last night I couldn’t sleep
Oh, you know it sure is hard to leave here Carey
But it’s really not my home
My fingernails are filthy, I got beach tar on my feet
And I miss my clean white linen and my fancy French cologne

Oh Carey get out your cane
And I’ll put on some silver
Oh you’re a mean old Daddy, but I like you fine

Come on down to the Mermaid Cafe and I will buy you a bottle of wine
And we’ll laugh and toast to nothing and smash our empty glasses down
Let’s have a round for these freaks and these soldiers
A round for these friends of mine
Let’s have another round for the bright red devil
Who keeps me in this tourist town

Come on, Carey, get out your cane
I’ll put on some silver
Oh you’re a mean old Daddy, but I like you

Maybe I’ll go to Amsterdam
Or maybe I’ll go to Rome
And rent me a grand piano and put some flowers ’round my room
But let’s not talk about fare-thee-wells now
The night is a starry dome.
And they’re playin’ that scratchy rock and roll
Beneath the Matala moon

Come on, Carey, get out your cane
And I’ll put on some silver
You’re a mean old Daddy, but I like you

The wind is in from Africa
Last night I couldn’t sleep
Oh, you know it sure is hard to leave here
But, it’s really not my home
Maybe it’s been too long a time
Since I was scramblin’ down in the street
Now they got me used to that clean white linen
And that fancy French cologne

Oh Carey, get out your cane
I’ll put on my finest silver
We’ll go to the Mermaid Cafe
Have fun tonight
I said, Oh, you’re a mean old Daddy, but you’re out of sight