BOTH SIDES NOW1

by Bob Siegel and Joni Mitchell

Rings and strings of genes with cuts
And lambdas studied Sup to Nuts
Experiencing Kletts and clutz
I've looked at bugs that way.

But now they're in my programs lined
They're hidden well and hard to find
So many papers, theses signed
But bugs got in my way.

Been buggered, thus, from both sides now
In tube and chip and still somehow
It's bugs' confusion I recall
Which hardly bugs me now at all.

***

Krebs and blebs and delta Gs
And filament assemblies
And five on one adversities
I've looked at comps that way.

But now a candidate at last
They shook their heads
They said I passed.
The whole thing happened awfully fast
Without a word to say.

I've looked at comps from both sides now
From still to take and done somehow
Its comps' elusions I recall
I hardly took my comps at all.

***

Moans of clones on Sorvall wheels
And biobucks from Cetus deals
And perfect gels with sex appeals
I've looked at labs that way.

But now I'm in a different one.
I'm busy logging on and un.
And still my thesis isn't done
Cause labs got in the way.

I've looked at labs from both sides now
As origin and Ames allow
It's labs' allusion I recall
I really don't know Labs, et al.


1I have tried to maintain the tune in its original form. My apologies for shuffling around the order of the verses.


And a brief commentary

1) It's too bad I didn't do microscopy…I could have named it "Both Slides Now".

2) About the first verse, I hope you think it's "bunny". (I hear you grumbling, "That must be another mono-groanal joke.")

3) After careful "examination", you can see that a lot of "preliminary" thought went into this verse.

4) The final verse is dedicated to my advisers to whom I have tried to pay proper "lab service".