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Dar Williams — I Saw A Bird Fly Away
Album: The Beauty of the Rain
Avg rating:
6.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 352









Released: 2003
Length: 2:43
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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I asked the habitual partygoer just how high she thought she'd get,
And I asked the ethereal girls if they were floating yet

And so I asked the light of the day, what's this rush for heaven,
Then I saw a bird fly away, and I could not ask again.

The tabloid-tainted actress knows the myth of higher ground.
The thing she got from playing a nun she got from sleeping around.

And so I asked the light of the day, what's this rush for heaven,
Then I saw a bird fly away, and I could not ask again.

And I've been running uphill, panting, punching at the air,
Fighting what's been pushing me down, as if it's really there.

And so I asked the light of the day, what's this rush for heaven,
Then I saw a bird fly away, and I could not ask again.

And I saw all this climbing, climbing, just as far from heaven,
Then I saw a bird fly away, and I started climbing again.
Comments (51)add comment
great lyrics
Posted 2 years ago by xcranky_yankee    [ Reply ]
 sfoster66 wrote:

The disharmony from the backing vocalist really kinda does this track in, I hate to say.  But on a far more positive note...just realized that Dar was in Cry Cry Cry...that Cold Missouri Waters track from them is superb...so she has done some great things...



She has done hundreds of great things, actually.  Both in her music and her activism.
Posted 2 years ago by JTRox8    [ Reply ]
The disharmony from the backing vocalist really kinda does this track in, I hate to say.  But on a far more positive note...just realized that Dar was in Cry Cry Cry...that Cold Missouri Waters track from them is superb...so she has done some great things...
Posted 3 years ago by sfoster66    [ Reply ]
 Pyro wrote:

Was that John Popper on harp?



What made you ask? I don't think I know him.
Posted 3 years ago by nomnol    [ Reply ]
Posted 16 years ago by shanester    [ Reply ]
This is a great album (I think it is Dar's best), but there are other songs that are more worth playing, like Beauty of the Rain
Posted 16 years ago by bhudevi    [ Reply ]
bird poop
Posted 17 years ago by pannaramma    [ Reply ]
Dar used to live on our street.
Posted 17 years ago by aronson    [ Reply ]
more like bird food mealy mush pop yuck
Posted 17 years ago by Johnny-smooth    [ Reply ]
dogpound wrote:
it's bird day
This set is for the birds. HaHa!!!
Posted 17 years ago by horstman    [ Reply ]
it's bird day
Posted 17 years ago by dogpound    [ Reply ]
lunalein wrote:
... in my humble-free opinion.
Funny, mine come that way too.
So much of her other work is so much stronger.
Yup. This album's spotty at best.
Posted 18 years ago by rgj13    [ Reply ]
FlatCat wrote:
Great song if it weren't for that tuneless noodling on the harmonica. Doesn't Popper have another riff besides the one he uses on every BT song?
TUNELESS NOODLING?!?!?!? no
Posted 18 years ago by rixtar99    [ Reply ]
FlatCat wrote:
Doesn't Popper have another riff besides the one he uses on every BT song?
I have to agree with that one. gride wrote:
Sounds like she listened to a few too many Jimmy Buffet songs.
That one, too.
Posted 19 years ago by kazuma    [ Reply ]
janellish wrote:
something about it just doesn't sit right with me - can't get into it. a bit bland for my tastes.
It's from her blandest album, in my humble-free opinion. So much of her other work is so much stronger.
Posted 19 years ago by lunalein    [ Reply ]
something about it just doesn't sit right with me - can't get into it. a bit bland for my tastes.
Posted 19 years ago by janellish    [ Reply ]
Great song if it weren't for that tuneless noodling on the harmonica. Doesn't Popper have another riff besides the one he uses on every BT song?
Posted 19 years ago by FlatCat    [ Reply ]
Sounds like she listened to a few too many Jimmy Buffet songs.
Posted 19 years ago by gride    [ Reply ]
charlesryder wrote:
Love Dar! Me and my sweetie will be going to see her in State College, PA on 9/12. Just hope she doesn't go too pop and lose her identity.
Identity? And what should that be? Stevie Nicks wannabe?
Posted 19 years ago by masterhead    [ Reply ]
NeilBlanchard wrote:
Hello: Neil
Thanks for the compliment on my good ears. However, I think Popper sounds like NO ONE ELSE, so to me, it's easy to distinguish his playing. Like Stevie Wonder...has a unique harmonica style all his own.
Posted 19 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
Leetzy wrote:
Horrible...
Or perhaps the exact opposite. ;-)
Posted 19 years ago by number6    [ Reply ]
Horrible...
Posted 20 years ago by Leetzy    [ Reply ]
Hello: Pyro wrote:
Was that John Popper on harp?
You have good ears! Cclicking on the CD link yielded this credit:
3 - I Saw A Bird Fly Away (featured guests: John Medeski - keyboards; John Popper - harmonica, vocals)
Neil
Posted 20 years ago by NeilBlanchard    [ Reply ]
Was that John Popper on harp?
Posted 20 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
I bought this CD after hearing Mercy of the Fallen here on Radio Paradise. My wife and 5 year old daughter absolutely love this song. I enjoy the CD and plan to buy more of Dar! Thank you again RP!
Posted 20 years ago by Pipes    [ Reply ]
Not my favorite Dar song but a good one, nonetheless.
Posted 20 years ago by pixidrizzl    [ Reply ]
I haven't listened to RP in a few months, and after only 10 minutes of listening here comes one of those songs I have to mute everytime. This and a few too many other songs that just don't deserve the amount of rotation they get, are the reason I'm burnt out on RP after only a year of occasional (twice a week for a few hours) listening. Oh well looks like it's back to KFOG for now... :(
Posted 20 years ago by racerx    [ Reply ]
Not only is Dar a wonderfully gifted songwriter and performer, she is also a wonderful person who has a relationship with her fans unlike any I've seen before.
Posted 20 years ago by llazare    [ Reply ]
Overrated folkie diva
Posted 20 years ago by drH    [ Reply ]
Love Dar! Me and my sweetie will be going to see her in State College, PA on 9/12. Just hope she doesn't go too pop and lose her identity.
Posted 21 years ago by charlesryder    [ Reply ]
Oh to see her perform this song live was awesome! Every song I\'ve heard that I wasn\'t quite sure if I liked was sent over to \"outstanding\" after seeing her perform them with an understated passion. Recommend it to anyone.
Posted 21 years ago by marycrichards    [ Reply ]
Well this is different. Not sure what I think yet.
Posted 21 years ago by AC    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by SDBob: Whew... for a moment I thought I was listening to another Gawd Awful Chrissie Hynde's song!!
??
Posted 21 years ago by Enrique    [ Reply ]
Whew... for a moment I thought I was listening to another Gawd Awful Chrissie Hynde\'s song!!
Posted 21 years ago by SDBob    [ Reply ]
Doubleplusungood!
Posted 21 years ago by Enrique    [ Reply ]
Oh dear, how embarrassing, given all the scorn and abuse (Well actually no, not really) :roll: I generally like Dar, but I LOVE this
Posted 21 years ago by philarktos    [ Reply ]
Love it...put me right into a much better mood. Dar has a wonderful, unique vocal style, and the different (for her) instrumentation really works.
Posted 21 years ago by ladybinnath    [ Reply ]
Embarrassing! I don\'t imagine Dar is very proud of this one.
Posted 21 years ago by eric    [ Reply ]
Sorry, but I reach for mute on this one, too kindergarden-school-song-sounding for me.
Posted 21 years ago by racerx    [ Reply ]
Sorry, really not very good at all! :( :(
Posted 21 years ago by Enrique    [ Reply ]
Saw Dar play this song the other night on Conan O\'Brien. Her vocals were coming in and out because her head bobbed to the beat of the song. Sounded terrible. It\'s a little better on this studio version but not by much.
Posted 21 years ago by Spliff    [ Reply ]
Saw Dar for the first time several years ago (\'96 maybe?), when she was opening for Patty Larkin in front of small coffeehouse crowd. Dar was fantastic, and Patty had an off night. Talked to her after the show, and she\'s every bit as nice as she comes across on stage. She did alienate a lot of her hardcore folkie fans, when she came out with Mortal City. It was a little more than they could handle (esp. \"As Cool As I Am\").
Posted 21 years ago by Art_Carnage    [ Reply ]
i was wondering if that was john popper on backup vocals/harmonica... seems likely since the previous song was blues traveler! anyone know for sure? -- just answered my own question. it is john popper.
Posted 21 years ago by jpalembas    [ Reply ]
Ugh. Laughably bad. Just thought I'd add that!
Posted 21 years ago by eric    [ Reply ]
Dar is a great songwriter. And she\'s a total nerd live. I love it.
Posted 21 years ago by lordcruloze    [ Reply ]
nice song...catchy beat.....pleasant to listen to on a dreary friday morning in january...play some more by this artist, si vous plait, merci
Posted 21 years ago by BLADERUNNER    [ Reply ]