The Three Great Stimulants Lyrics - Mitchell Joni

I picked the morning paper off the floor 

It was full of other people's little wars 

Wouldn't they like their peace 

Don't we get bored 

And we call for the three great stimulants 

Of the exhausted ones 

Artifice, brutality and innocence 

Artifice and innocence 

No tanks have ever rumbled through these streets 

and the drone of planes at night has never frightened me 

I keep the hours and the company that I please 

And we call for the three great stimulants 

Of the exhausted ones 

Artifice, brutality and innocence 

Artifice and innocence 

Oh and deep in the night 

Our appetites find us 

Release us and bind us 

Deep in the night 

While madmen sit up building bombs 

And making laws and bars 

They'd like to slam free choice behind us 

I saw a little lawyer on the tube 

He said, "It's so easy now, anyone can sue." 

"Let me show you how your petty aggravations can profit you!" 

Call for the three great stimulants 

Of the exhausted ones 

Artifice, brutality and innocence 

Artifice and innocence 

Oh and deep in the night 

Appetites find us 

Release us and blind us 

Deep in the night 

While madmen sit up building bombs 

And making laws and bars 

They're gonna slam free choice behind us 

Last night I dreamed I saw the planet flicker 

Great forests fell like buffalo 

Everything got sicker 

And to the bitter end 

Big business bickered 

And they call for the three great stimulants 

Of the exhausted ones 

Artifice, brutality and innocence 

Artifice and innocence 

Oh these times, these times 

Oh these changing times 

Change in the heart of all mankind 

Oh these troubled times 

1985 Crazy Crow Music BMI