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.
Prairie in the Sky
Bill Staines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the pouches of my saddle bags with my bedroll tied behind.
There′s a prairie in the sky, I'll find it by and by
Hues of brown and yellow to make a soul unwind
Let the music take me home to where my heart may roam
I′ll fly across the meadows, touch the tall grass as I go.
Let the gentle western wind slay with me 'til the end
Beside me 'til the day is done and the sun is settled low.
Leave the ponies to run free, far as the eye can see.
I′d ride the range forever to see them once again.
Let the wild, flying things soar above me on their wings,
And the stars fill up the night sky and the moon light up the plains.
I ride a big blue roan, I carry all I own
In the pouches of my saddle bags with my bedroll tied behind.
The lyrics to Bill Staines's song "Prairie in the Sky" paint a picture of a wanderer or a cowboy riding his horse through the vast open prairies. The song begins with the singer on a big blue roan or a horse, carrying all of his belongings in the saddle bags and his bedroll tied behind. He describes the endless prairie in the sky that he dreams of finding someday. The colors of the prairie unfold before him as he rides through it, hues of brown and yellow transporting him to a serene world that makes his soul unwind.
The singer of the song is not in a hurry, he simply wants to let the music guide him to where his heart feels at home. He wants to fly across the meadows, feel the tall grass brushing past him as he rides. He wishes to ride alongside the gentle western winds until everything comes to an end at the setting of the sun. He wants to let the ponies run free, far as the eye can see, and ride the range forever to see them once again. In the end, the lyrics describe the wild flying things that soar above him as he rides, with the night sky filled with stars and the moon lighting up the plains.
"Prairie in the Sky" is a song that captures the essence of a cowboy's life in the olden days. It depicts the idea of roaming free through the open prairies and showcasing the American ideal of individualism. The song has become very popular due to the mythology and romance associated with the Wild West. It is admired for its melody, lyrics, and the emotional connection it has with its listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
I ride a big blue roan, I carry all I own
I am traveling with my horse and all of my belongings packed in the saddle bags and bedroll tied behind me.
There's a prairie in the sky, I'll find it by and by
I believe there is a place in the sky that mirrors the beauty of the prairie, and I will search for it in due time.
Hues of brown and yellow to make a soul unwind
The earth tones of the prairie have a therapeutic effect that can soothe the soul and calm the mind.
Let the music take me home to where my heart may roam
I allow the music to guide me back to where I feel most at home and comfortable, wherever that may be.
I'll fly across the meadows, touch the tall grass as I go
I dream of running wild and free through vast fields of grass, feeling the soft blades graze my skin in pure bliss.
Let the gentle western wind stay with me 'til the end, beside me 'til the day is done and the sun is settled low
I wish for the westward breeze to accompany me throughout my journey, by my side until the end of each day, when the sun sets below the horizon.
Leave the ponies to run free, far as the eye can see
I grant the horses their freedom to roam and gallop as far as their hooves will take them, enjoying the expanse of the prairie.
I'd ride the range forever to see them once again
I would be willing to travel far and wide across the vast plains indefinitely, just for the chance to reunite with the horses and revisit the prairie.
Let the wild, flying things soar above me on their wings, and the stars fill up the night sky and the moon light up the plains
I love watching the various creatures of the sky take flight, and appreciate the bright constellations and moonlight that illuminate the prairie at night.
Writer(s): Mary Mccaslin
Contributed by Taylor Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.