Shades of Scarlett Conquering

There was an interview with Elvis Costello in The Times yesterday: "My culture fix: Elvis Costello". He was asked this question:

"The lyric I wish I’d written

There are countless couplets to admire, but they could only have been imagined by their authors, so envy is futile.

Lines I love are: “I believe in love, Alfie/ Without true love we just exist, Alfie/ Until you find the love you miss you’re nothing, Alfie,” from Alfie by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

And: “Dressed in stolen clothes she stands, cast iron and frail/ With her impossibly gentle hands and blood-red fingernails,” from Shades of Scarlett Conquering by Joni Mitchell."

Good choices.

'The Hissing of Summer Lawns' was Joni Mitchell's 1975 transition album, as she began to explore jazz. For me the standout tracks are: "Shades of Scarlett Conquering",  "Edith and the Kingpin" and "Harry's House; Centerpiece".

Here's the track.

... and here are the lyrics - Elvis Costello's choice in verse 4.

Out of the fire like Catholic saints
Comes Scarlett and her deep complaint
Mimicking tenderness she sees
In sentimental movies
A celluloid rider comes to town
Cinematic lovers sway
Plantations and sweeping ballroom gowns
Take her breath away

Out in the wind in crinolines
Chasing the ghosts of Gable and Flynn
Through stand-in boys and extra players
Magnolias hopeful in her auburn hair
She comes from a school of southern charm
She likes to have things her way
Any man in the world holding out his arm
Would soon be made to pay

Friends have told her not so proud
Neighbors trying to sleep and yelling "Not so loud!"
Lovers in anger Block of Ice
Harder and harder just to be nice
Given in the night to dark dreams
From the dark things she feels
She covers her eyes in the x-rated scenes
Running from the reels

Beauty and madness to be praised
'Cause it is not easy to be brave
To walk around in so much need
To carry the weight of all that greed
Dressed in stolen clothes she stands
Cast iron and frail
With her impossibly gentle hands
And her blood-red fingernails

Out of the fire and still smoldering
She says "A woman must have everything"
Shades of Scarlett Conquering
She says "A woman must have everything"

Brilliant. But listening to the album overall (including this track) it's difficult to disagree with this sentiment from Stephen Holden in Rolling Stone:

" Four members of Tom Scott's L.A. Express are featured on Hissing, but their uninspired jazz-rock style completely opposes Mitchell's romantic style ... "

With characteristic thoroughness and total concentration, Joni focused on selecting just the right jazz musicians to play with. The result, in 1976, was that work of genius, Hejira.