Cold blue steel out of money 
One eye for the beat police 
Sweet Fire calling
"You can't deny me
Now you know what you need"
Underneath the jungle gym
Hollow grey fire escape thief
Looking for sweet fire
Shadow of lady release

 [bad word] with me
I know the way" she says
"It's down, down, down the dark ladder
Do you want to contact somebody first
Leave someone a letter
You [bad word] now
Or you [bad word] later"

wristwatch, a ring, a downstairs screamer
Edgy-black cracks of the sky 
"Pin cushion prick fix this poor bad dreamer" 
"Money" cold shadows reply 
Pawnshops crisscrossed and padlocked 
Corridors spit on prayers and pleas 
Sparks fly up from sweet fire 
Black soot of lady release

 [bad word] with me
I know the way" she says
"It's down, down, down the dark ladder
Do you want to contact somebody first
Does it really matter
If [bad word] now
Or if [bad word] on later?"

Red water in the bathroom sink 
Fever and the scum brown bowl 
Blue steel still begging 
But it's indistinct 
Someone's hi-fi [bad word] Jelly Roll 
Concrete concentration camp 
Bashing in veins for peace 
Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire 
Fall into Lady Release

 [bad word] with me
I know the way" she says
"It's down, down, down the dark ladder 
Do you want to contact somebody first 
I mean what does it really matter 
You're going [bad word] now
Or you're going [bad word] later"

© Joni Mitchell