The Circle Game Lyrics

[Verse 3]
Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now
Cartwheels turn to car wheels through the town
And they tell him, "Take your time, it won't be long now
'Til you drag your feet to slow the circles down"


[Chorus]
And the seasons, they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return, we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game


[Verse 4]
So, the years spin by and now the boy is twenty
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
There'll be new dreams, maybe better dreams and plenty
Before the last revolving year is through


[Chorus]
And the seasons, they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return, we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game

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About

Genius Annotation

“The Circle Game” by Joni Mitchell appears on her 1970 album, Ladies of the Canyon.

This is a life-lesson song that focuses on our perceptions of time through life.

The song was inspired by Neil Young’s ‘Sugar Mountain’.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

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