nature boy
Angela McCluskey Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

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
Be loved in return

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Angela McCluskey’s song “Nature Boy” describe a mysterious and wise boy who wandered far and wide, and one day passed by the singer. The boy is described as being strange and enchanted, with wisdom in his eyes despite his shyness and sadness. When they spoke, they touched on a range of topics from fools to kings, and the boy imparted on the singer the greatest lesson one can learn - to love and be loved in return. His words are repeated twice, emphasizing their significance and power.


The song’s theme centers around the idea of love as the most important thing in life. The boy’s wisdom lies in recognizing that love is not only important, but it is the greatest thing one can learn. The idea that loving and being loved in return is the ultimate goal is a universal and timeless idea, and the song’s message resonates with listeners of all ages and backgrounds. The lyrics also suggest that the boy is not from this world, further adding to his mystical and otherworldly appeal. The song’s melody and arrangement have a dream-like quality, further adding to the ethereal and magical mood of the song.


Line by Line Meaning

There was a boy
The story begins with the existence of a boy


A very strange
He was unique and unusual in some way


Enchanted boy
There was something magical or captivating about him


They say he wandered
The boy was rumored to have roamed around


Very far, very far
He had traveled a great distance


Over land and sea
He traveled both on land and on water


A little shy and sad of eye
He appeared timid and had a mournful look


But very wise was he
Despite his shyness and sadness, he possessed great wisdom


And then one day
At some point, a significant event occurred


One magic day
This event was incredible, extraordinary or had a powerful impact


He passed my way
The boy came across the storyteller's path


While we spoke
During a conversation between them


Of many things
They discussed various topics


Fools and kings
Their conversation ranged from the foolish to the royal


This he said to me
The boy shared some insight or advice


The greatest thing
His advice was of the utmost importance


You'll ever learn
This is a lesson that will stay with you always


Is just to love and
The most essential thing to learn is to give and receive love


Be loved in return
To love wholly and be loved back is to live fully


And then one day
The story repeats that something of significance happened


One magic day
The same kind of astonishing event occurred


He passed my way
The boy again appeared to the artist


While we spoke
In a similar manner, they conversed


Of many things
Once again discussing various topics


Fools and kings
Their conversation encompassed the extremely wealthy to the extremely poor


This he said to me
Like before, the boy imparted some essential knowledge


The greatest thing
Again emphasizing the extreme importance


You'll ever learn
This lesson will stick with you indefinitely


Is just to love and
The same valuable piece of information was repeated


Be loved in return
The most fulfilling existence is surrounded by loving and receiving love




Contributed by Matthew T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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