“If I Had a Heart” is a reaction to the state of the environment and what Mitchell refers to as our current “holy war.”
[Verse 1]
Holy war, genocide, suicide
Hate and cruelty
How can this be holy?
If I had a heart I'd cry
[Verse 2]
These ancient tales, the good go to heaven
And the wicked ones burn in hell
Ring the funeral bells
If I had a heart I'd cry
[Chorus 1]
There's just too many people now
Too little land
Much too much desire
You feel so feeble now
It's so out of hand
Big bombs and barbed wire
We've set our lovely sky
Our lovely sky on fire
[Chorus 2]
There's just too many people now
And too little land
Too much rage and desire
It makes you feel so feeble now
It's so out of hand
Big bombs and barbed wire
Can't you see our destiny?
We are making this Earth our funeral pyre
[Verse 3]
Holy Earth, how can we heal you?
We cover you like a blight
Strange birds of appetite
If I had a heart I'd cry
[Outro]
If I had a heart I'd cry
If I had a heart I'd cry
If I Had a Heart was written by Joni Mitchell.
If I Had a Heart was produced by Joni Mitchell.
Joni Mitchell released If I Had a Heart on Tue Sep 25 2007.