a song that touches me

[benponder]

FIDDLE AND THE DRUM - Joni MItchell, covered by A Perfect CIrcle

and so once again
my dear Johnny, my dear friend
and so once again you are fighting us all
and when I ask you why
you raise your sticks and cry
and I fall
oh my friend, how did you come
to trade the fiddle for the drum?
You say I have turned
like the enemies you've earned
but I can remember all the good things you are
and so I ask you please
can I help you find the peace and the star
oh my friend, what time is this?
to trade the handshake for the fist?

and so once again
oh America my friend
and so once again you are fighting us all
and when we ask you why
you raise your sticks and cry
and we fall
oh my friend, how did you come
to trade the fiddle for the drum?
you say we have turned
like the enemies you've earned
but we can remember all the good things you are
and so we ask you please
can we help you find the peace and the star
oh my friend, we have all come
to fear the beating of your drum.

if anybody has a copy of the original version, please let me know? thanks.