Think of the ways we get stuck in life. Our habits and routines. Our yearning—chewing over tattered memories of missed opportunities and regrets. The invisible systems that create identities we unthinkingly accept. Historical cycles, wondering whether we can avert the next catastrophe. Our bodies!—we can never know what it’s like to be a bat, for instance. Here, the singer knows she’s stuck in a loop of longing and disappointment. But in consciousness lies hope: “Only a dark cocoon until I get my gorgeous wings and fly away.” We are always getting stuck, and we are always, hopefully, getting free.

"The Last Time I Saw Richard," written and performed by Joni Mitchell, 1971.

This post is part of Music 100, a love letter to songs. 100 words on 100 songs in 100 days, running from Groundhog Day to early June, 2025.

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