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
"Come 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 can come now
Or you can come later"

A 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
"Come with me
I know the way" she says
"It's down, down, down the dark ladder
Do you wanna contact somebody first
Does it really matter
If you come now
Or if you come 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 drumming Jelly Roll
Concrete concentration camp
Bashing in veins for peace
Cold blue steel and sweet fire
Fall into Lady Release
"Come with me I know the way" she says
"It's down, down, down the dark ladder
Do you wanna contact somebody first
I mean what does it really matter
You're gonna come now
Or you're gonna come later"


Lyrics submitted by ruben

Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire Lyrics as written by Joni Mitchell

Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

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Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire song meanings
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26 Comments

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  • +6
    General Comment

    I think it's about the bittersweet seduction of heroin addiction. Cold blue steel is the needle, sweet fire the junk. "Black soot of lady release" refers to 'cooking' the heroin in a spoon over a flame (the spoon gets sooty),lady release is the orgasmic pleasure of the drug taking effect. Another outstandig lyric from the master!

    Zubbyon June 16, 2006   Link

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