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Nature Boy
David Bowie Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning

This story is about love
The woman I loved is dead

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy

They say he wandered very far
Very far over land and sea

A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise, was he

And then one day
One magic day, he passed my way
While we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me

The greatest thing
You'll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved
In return

Overall Meaning

The song "Nature Boy" by Massive Attack is a beautiful melancholic ballad about love and loss. The opening lines "This story is about love / The woman I loved is dead" set the tone for the rest of the song, which reflects on a romance that has ended in tragedy. The lyrics then shift to describe a mysterious and otherworldly boy who wanders far and wide, possessed of a wisdom beyond his years. The protagonist meets this boy and they have a conversation about many things, including the nature of love. The song's chorus, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn / Is just to love and be loved in return," encapsulates the message of the song: that love is the most important thing in life, and that it is worth pursuing even if it ultimately ends in heartbreak.


The lyrics of "Nature Boy" are hauntingly beautiful and open to interpretation, but one common reading is that the protagonist is mourning the loss of a past love and seeking solace in the wisdom of the strange and magical boy. The song could be seen as a meditation on the power of love to transform us and give our lives meaning, even in the face of death and loss.


Line by Line Meaning

This story is about love
The story being told is centered around the idea of love


The woman I loved is dead
The person telling the story has lost the woman they loved


There was a boy
The story begins by introducing a male character


A very strange enchanted boy
The boy is described as being odd and magical


They say he wandered very far
Rumors exist that the boy traveled a great distance


Very far over land and sea
The boy's alleged travels took him over both land and water


A little shy and sad of eye
Despite his extraordinary nature, the boy was somewhat introverted and melancholy


But very wise, was he
Despite his young age and demeanor, the boy was wise


And then one day
At some point in the past, something happened to the boy


One magic day, he passed my way
The narrator had a chance encounter with the boy, which was seemingly magical


While we spoke of many things
During their conversation, the narrator and the boy covered a variety of topics


Fools and kings
The specific content of their conversation included discussions of people of various social statuses


This he said to me
At some point in the conversation, the boy expressed a particular idea to the narrator


The greatest thing
The idea the boy conveyed to the narrator is seen as being of great importance


You'll ever learn
The idea the boy conveyed has to do with learning something important


Is just to love
The important thing the boy conveyed has to do with the concept of loving others


And be loved
In addition to loving others, the boy stressed the importance of being loved as well


In return
The final part of the boy's message had to do with how love should be reciprocated




Lyrics © GOLDEN WORLD
Written by: Eden Ahbez

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

andrew james Bunting

Lyrics
This story is about love,
The woman I loved is dead

There was a boy,
A very strange enchanted boy.

They say he wandered very far,
Very far over land and sea.

A little child and sailed about,
But very wise, was he.

And then one day, one magic day he passed my way,
While we spoke of many things fools and kings, this he said to me.

The greatest thing, you'll ever learn,
Is just to love, and be loved in return.



andrew james Bunting

Lyrics
There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he

And then one day
A magic day he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me
The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return

The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return



Mike Ballard

“Late Fragment

And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth.”

― Raymond Carver, A New Path to the Waterfall



All comments from YouTube:

Juan Gris

"Nature Boy" is a song first recorded by American jazz singer Nat King Cole. It was released on March 29, 1948, as a single by Capitol Records, and later appeared on the album, The Nat King Cole Story. The song was written in 1947 by eden ahbez and is partly autobiographical. It is a tribute to ahbez's mentor Bill Pester, who had originally introduced him to Naturmensch and Lebensreform philosophies, which ahbez practiced. When Cole was performing in 1947 at the Lincoln Theater, ahbez wanted to present the song to him, but was ignored. He left the copy with Cole's valet, and from him the singer came to know of "Nature Boy". After receiving appreciation for his performance of the song, Cole wanted to record it but needed consent from the writer. Eventually, he tracked down ahbez.

The Spirit of Light

Actually he found Nat King Cole and asked him to record it.

Ken Newton

@Iain Brown Music / Kirk Yetholm blood Alex does the best job RIP, Nat King Cole great (but no cigar) RIP as well. This Bowie RIP version isn’t something I’d listen to on my own, though it seems a great accompaniment to a movie or theatre production.

Iain Brown Music / Kirk Yetholm blood

Listen to the band ‘Big Star’s version…. Alex Chilton ❤️

DvC W

Thank you! I had no idea and now I got Nat King Cole playlist goin. Appreciate your service for sharin!

JessFa_Channel

@Greg Battles actually this time was a white man lo, but yes, I get your point and you are totally right

5 More Replies...

Di Ci

It's amazing to see how each interpretation/cover gives a unique feel to this song.

Humblemonk M

That's the mastery & magic of this song & it's writer eden ahbez 1948

kung kefa

Agree ! Nat King Cole is perfect ! And this one (Bowie) is special !

Sevtap Tincer

But this one definitely stands out, great David Bowie

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