Beautiful Day
Bob Neuwirth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you were going down
It did not make me feel that well
Though in my heart, I knew
That you were heaven bound
Having done your time down here
In hell
And then, this morning
At the breaking of dawn
I swear I heard the closing of a door
Though in my heart I know
Another has opened
The way it had so many times before
What a beautiful day to go to heaven
Oh, what a day to hear the red birds sing
What a wonderful way to go to heaven
Carried by angels born to meet the king
Whenever I feel the fading of the light
When I sense the setting of the sun
In my heart I′ll know that on this perfect morning
From here on Earth, the master's work was done
What a beautiful day to go to heaven
Oh, what a day to hear the red birds sing
What a wonderful way to go to heaven
Carried by angels born to meet the king
Carried by angels born to meet the king
Bob Neuwirth's "Beautiful Day" is a somber yet uplifting song, with lyrics that hint at the singer's acceptance of a loved one's passing. The first stanza reveals the singer's initial feelings of distress upon hearing the news of someone's impending death, but also acknowledges a sense of peace in knowing that their soul will soon transcend from the horrors of earthly life to a peaceful afterlife. The line "having done your time down here in hell" speaks to this idea of death being a form of release from struggle and suffering.
The second verse is a bit more abstract and seems to describe the moment of the person's passing. The "closing of a door" could represent the end of their earthly life or the beginning of a new one. The repetition of the phrase "the way it had so many times before" suggests that the singer has witnessed many similar passings, perhaps indicating a sense of experience with death and the spiritual realm.
The chorus is a bright spot amidst the mournful verses, with its optimistic lyrics about the person's journey to heaven. The "red birds" singing symbolize the beauty and joy of the afterlife, while the idea of being carried by angels to meet the king suggests a sense of honor and recognition for the soul's journey. The final verse returns to the singer's own feelings of acceptance and understanding about death, reaffirming that the person's life was complete and their "master's work was done."
Overall, "Beautiful Day" is a contemplative and poetic look at death that balances sadness with hope, and acknowledges the spiritual significance of passing on to the next realm.
Line by Line Meaning
When I first heard the news
At the beginning of the song, the singer is explaining that he received some news, but he's not explicitly stating what that news was.
That you were going down
The news the singer received was that someone was dying or going to die soon.
It did not make me feel that well
The singer is letting his listeners know that the news he received was upsetting and did not make him feel good in any way.
Though in my heart, I knew
Even though the news was sad and upsetting, the artist knew something else in his heart. He felt something different than just sadness or fear.
That you were heaven bound
The artist knew deep in his heart that the person who had died was heading to heaven after having a difficult life.
Having done your time down here
The person who passed away had gone through lots of hardships and difficult times in life on Earth.
In hell
The singer implies that living life on Earth was like living in hell for this person, but they have now found peace.
And then, this morning
The artist is changing the subject and telling his listeners about a new day.
At the breaking of dawn
The artist is referring to sunrise, which is the beginning of a new day.
I swear I heard the closing of a door
The artist is saying that he metaphorically heard a door getting closed, which implies an end to something.
Though in my heart I know
Even though something ended, the singer knows something new is starting.
Another has opened
Again, the artist is talking about a door, but this time he is talking about a new door opening. This means that something new and exciting is beginning.
The way it had so many times before
This opening door is something the singer has experienced before many times.
What a beautiful day to go to heaven
The singer is saying that the day the person passed away was a beautiful day and an ideal day to go to heaven.
Oh, what a day to hear the red birds sing
The singer is creating an image of a beautiful environment with red birds singing in the background. This implies that the person died peacefully surrounded by beautiful nature.
What a wonderful way to go to heaven
The artist implies that the person who died had a beautiful and peaceful death, which is something to be grateful for.
Carried by angels born to meet the king
The person who died was carried by angels and this signifies the belief that the woman went directly to heaven.
Whenever I feel the fading of the light
The singer is shifting back to himself, implying that he's going to talk about how he feels.
When I sense the setting of the sun
The singer is saying that he feels like the sun is setting in his own life as well.
In my heart I'll know that on this perfect morning
This implies that even though the setting of the sun is here, he knows that there will be a new day just like the day the woman died.
From here on Earth, the master's work was done
The artist is saying that the woman who died completed her job on Earth and it was her time to go to heaven.
Carried by angels born to meet the king
The last line is repeated, emphasizing that angels carried the person who died to meet God.
Writer(s): Bob Neuwirth
Contributed by Abigail B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sherry
on Everbody's Got a Job to Do
He just got fired by his wife or girlfriend! It’s about a relationship, job is just a metaphor. Neuwirth has a sly sense of humor