Josh Groban's song "Both Sides Now" is actually a cover of Joni Mitchell's classic hit from 1967. The song speaks about the different perspectives and illusions we tend to have in life, love, and everything else. It begins with the narrator reminiscing about how they used to see clouds as magical and beautiful, but now they just block the sun and cause problems. The clouds serve as a metaphor for the disappointment and disillusionment that can come with growing up and losing our sense of wonder. The song then moves on to talk about love, and how once it was full of passion and excitement, but now it's just a show and people don't always mean what they say. The illusions of love are what the narrator recalls, as they try to make sense of how it's changed. Finally, the song speaks about the illusions of life itself. The narrator remembers looking at life as if it were a circus or a dream, but now everything seems to be different. Old friends act strange, and something has been lost but something has also been gained through living every day. The song speaks to the idea that we can never really know what life or anything else is truly about, as we always see it from our own perspective and with our own illusions. In the end, "Both Sides Now" is a beautiful and contemplative song about the ups and downs of life and how we try to make sense of it all.
