Joni Mitchell, “You’re So Square (Baby, I Don’t Care)” Wild Things Run Fast, October 1982.
In 2005 the New York Times did a story, “What’s on George Bush’s iPod?” and this song was on the list. (Which is telling b/c of Joni’s line: “You don't like goin' to parties / To toot and talk all night long.” ‘Toot’ is slang for snorting cocaine) Here’s Joni’s reaction in an interview with ‘Canada A.M.’:
Q: So you must be inspired by the fact that you’ve made George Bush’s iPod. J.M: (Laughs). Oh, God. Q: He’s listening to you, Joni! J.M: (Sings) "You’re so square, baby!" (Laughs). Q: He’s singing along! When you found that out, how did it make you feel? J.M: It gave me a giggle. Yeah. I wish it was something else. I wish they’d put in "Dog Eat Dog," you know? "Land of snap decisions / land of short attention spans / nothing is savored long enough to really understand / In every culture in decline / the watchful ones among the slaves / know all that is genuine will be conned and scorned and cast away." I wish he had some stuff like that in his little noggin. But he’s got "You’re so square, baby!" (Laughs).
