Lyrics: Joni Mitchell. CHINESE CAFE/UNCHAINED MELODY.

Caught in the middle
Carol, we're middle class, we're middle aged
We were wild in the old days
Birth of rock 'n roll days

Now your kids are coming up straight
And my child's a stranger
I bore her, but I could not raise her
Nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long

Down at the Chinese Cafe
We'd be dreaming on our dimes
We'd be playing, "Oh my love, my darling"
One more time

Uranium money is booming in the old home town now
It's putting up sleek concrete
Tearing the old landmarks down now
Paving over brave little parks
Ripping off Indian land again

How long, how long
Short sighted business men
Ah, nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long

Down at the Chinese Cafe
We'd be dreaming on our dimes
We'd be playing, "You give your love, so sweetly"
One more time

Christmas is sparkling out on Carol's lawn
This girl of my childhood games
With kids nearly grown and gone
Grown so fast like the turn of a page

We look like our mothers did now
When we were those kids' age
Nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long
Nothing lasts for long

Down at the Chinese Cafe
We'd be dreaming on our dimes
We'd be playing, "Oh my love, my darling
I've hundred for your touch a long lonely time
And time goes by so slowly and time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love, I need your love
God speed your love to me"

Time goes, where does the time go
I wonder where the time goes