Joni Mitchell — The Beat of Black Wings

[Verse 1] I met a young soldier, he said his name was Killer Kyle He was shaking all over like a night-frightened child This is his story, it's a tough one for me to sing Hard as the squawk and the flap And the beat of, the beat of black wings [Chorus] Johnny Angel Johnny Angel Johnny Angel [Verse 2] They gave me a gun, he said, they gave me a mission For the power and the glory, propaganda, piss on 'em There's a war zone inside me, I can feel things exploding I can't even hear the fucking music playing For the beat of, the beat of black wings [Chorus] Johnny Angel Johnny Angel Johnny Angel [Verse 3] He said, I never had nothin', nothin' I could believe in My girl killed our unborn child without even grieving I put my hands on her belly to feel the kid kicking Damn, she'd been to some clinic Oh, the beat of black wings [Chorus] Johnny Angel Johnny Angel Johnny Angel [Verse 4] They want you, they need you, they train you to kill To be a pin on some map some vicarious thrill The old hate the young, that's the whole heartless thing The old pick the wars, we die in 'em To the beat of, the beat of black wings [Chorus] Johnny Angel Johnny Angel Johnny Angel [Verse 5] There's a man drawing pictures on the sidewalk with chalk Just as fast as he draws 'em, rain come down and wash 'em off Keep the drinks comin', girl, 'til I can't feel anything I'm just a chalk mark in a rainstorm I'm just the beat of black wings [Chorus] Johnny Angel Johnny Angel Johnny Angel