Which reminds me - Joni Mitchell... often her lyrics have to be twisted a little to 'fit' the tune. Something to do with the way she sings.

Look at the first verse of 'Big Yellow Taxi', for example...

They paved Paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel
A boutique and a swinging hotspot.

Sing it rhythmically isn't effective, it has to 'sway' a little as if being spoken.