Clouds...

Mad Men Season 6 Finale ends with the song by Joni Mitchell, "Both Sides, Now"  | 1969
Joni Mitchell was inspired to write this song while reading Saul Bellow's, Henderson the Rain King and looking at clouds from a plane.  
{ Joni Mitchell fast fact via Rolling Stone: http://rol.st/12fzEZx  }

SAUL BELLOW: "Africa reached my feelings right away even in the air, from which it looked like the ancient bed of mankind. And at a height of three miles, sitting above the clouds, I felt like an airborne seed...And I dreamed down at the clouds, and thought that when I was a kid I had dreamed up at them, and having dreamed at the clouds from both sides as no other generation of men has done, one should be able to accept his death very easily. However, we made safe landings every time...and I kept thinking 'Bountiful life! Oh, how bountiful life is'".  - Henderson The Rain King, Chapter V


JONI MITCHELL SONG

Rows and flows of angel hair   
And ice cream castles in the air   
And feather canyons everywhere  
I’ve looked at clouds that way    

But now they only block the sun  
They rain and snow on everyone   
So many things I would have done  
But clouds got in my way  

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now  
From up and down, and still somehow  
It’s cloud illusions I recall   
I really don’t know clouds at all  

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels  
The dizzy dancing way you feel  
As ev’ry fairy tale comes real  
I’ve looked at love that way  

But now it’s just another show
You leave ‘em laughing when you go  
And if you care, don’t let them know  
Don’t give yourself away  

I’ve looked at love from both sides now  
From give and take, and still somehow   
It’s love’s illusions I recall   
I really don’t know love at all   

Tears and fears and feeling proud  
To say “I love you” right out loud  
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds   
I’ve looked at life that way   

But now old friends are acting strange   
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed    
Well something’s lost, but something’s gained   
In living every day  

I’ve looked at life from both sides now  
From win and lose and still somehow   
It’s life’s illusions I recall  
I really don’t know life at all  

I’ve looked at life from both sides now  
From up and down, and still somehow  
It’s life’s illusions I recall  
I really don’t know life at all 


Credits: Top photo borrowed from Mad Men AMC archives / B/W Clouds photo found via Pinterest.