Notable Bill Staines songs include "Bridges," "Crossing the Water," "Sweet Wyoming Home", "The Roseville Fair", "A Place in the Choir", "Child of Mine," and "River."
His songs have been recorded by other artists including, Peter, Paul, & Mary, Makem and Clancy, Nanci Griffith, Mason Williams, The Highwaymen, Glenn Yarborough, Jerry Jeff Walker, Grandpa Jones, and Priscilla Herdman. Staines has recorded twenty-two of his own albums, fifteen of which are still in print as of 2005. His songs have been published in four songbooks, If I Were A Word, Then I'd Be A Song; River; Music To Me: The Songs of Bill Staines; and All God's Critters Got A Place In The Choir.
Staines is left-handed and plays a right-handed guitar upside-down so that the bass strings are at the bottom. He has developed his own fingerings and picking style over long years playing this way.
In 2004 his memoir, The Tour: A Life Between the Lines, was published.
Music To Me
Bill Staines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When my heart brushed the sky
And simple love was the love I knew
We walked as one back then
Untouched by why or when
Now once again I remember you
We danced, we clicked our heels
And told the stories that lovers tell
You sang the songs anew
And made them all seem true
With a voice that I love so well
Did I ever tell you, your name was music to me?
Did I ever show you from the start?
Did I ever know you would fly, oh fly away?
Did I ever offer you my heart?
Ah, but we were younger then
And touched by restless wind
Soon vivid colors of love turned blue
Now I wonder how you've grown
And run the roads you've known
Now once again I remember you
Did I ever tell you, your name was music to me?
Did I ever show you from the start?
Did I ever know you would fly, oh fly away?
Did I ever offer you my heart?
Did I ever tell you, your name was music to me?
Did I ever show you from the start?
Did I ever know you would fly, oh fly away?
Did I ever offer you my heart?
So time has come and gone
You sang another song
Yet I still linger beneath your spell
And how I long to hear
Those words you whispered near
With a voice that I love so well
Did I ever tell you, your name was music to me?
Did I ever show you from the start?
Did I ever know you would fly, oh fly away?
Did I ever offer you my heart?
Did I ever tell you, your name was music to me?
Did I ever show you from the start?
Did I ever know you would fly, oh fly away?
Did I ever offer you my heart?
The song "Music To Me" by Bill Staines is a nostalgic look back at a past love that was full of simple love and passion. The lyrics paint a picture of a time gone by when everything was fresh and new, and love was something pure and innocent. The singer longs for the person he loved back then and wonders what has become of them. He remembers their time together fondly, and the memories of their love inject his life with an indescribable magic, something that he refers to as music.
Throughout the song, the singer speaks of how the person he loved was like music to him. Their mere presence could lift his spirits and fill him with joy. He knew that he loved them deeply, but he wonders if he ever truly showed them how he felt. The regret and longing in his voice are palpable as he sings of a love that was never fully realized, a love that ended too soon.
Overall, "Music To Me" is a beautiful tribute to a love that was lost too soon. The song speaks to the everlasting power of music and love in our lives, even after those we love have moved on. It is a reminder that even when we lose the ones we love, their memory can still inspire us and bring us comfort when we need it most.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a time gone by
I remember a time in the past
When my heart brushed the sky
I felt immense happiness and love
And simple love was the love I knew
Love used to be uncomplicated
We walked as one back then
We were united
Untouched by why or when
We did not care or question why or when we loved
Now once again I remember you
I recall you once more
We danced, we clicked our heels
We had fun, we were happy
We dreamed in feathered fields
We had big and beautiful dreams
And told the stories that lovers tell
We shared romantic stories
You sang the songs anew
You breathed new life into old songs
And made them all seem true
You made those songs feel authentic
With a voice that I love so well
Your voice was amazing
Did I ever tell you, your name was music to me?
Did I ever express how important you are to me?
Did I ever show you from the start?
Did I demonstrate my love for you from the beginning?
Did I ever know you would fly, oh fly away?
Did I ever realize you would leave someday?
Did I ever offer you my heart?
Did I ever give you my love?
Ah, but we were younger then
We were young and full of life
And touched by restless wind
We were affected by change and uncertainty
Soon vivid colors of love turned blue
Our love became sad and painful
Now I wonder how you've grown
I am curious about how you have matured
And run the roads you've known
And explored your own path
Now once again I remember you
I think of you again
So time has come and gone
A lot of time has passed
You sang another song
You moved on and found another passion
Yet I still linger beneath your spell
But I still feel the power of your charm
And how I long to hear
And how badly I want to listen to
Those words you whispered near
Those sweet things you said to me
With a voice that I love so well
With the voice that I adore
Contributed by James C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.