Black Crow
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics


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There's a crow flying
Black and ragged
Tree to tree
He's black as the highway that's leading me
Now he's diving down
To pick up on something shiny
I feel like that black crow
Flying
In a blue sky

I took a ferry to the highway
Then I drove to a pontoon plane
I took a plane to a taxi
And a taxi to a train
I've been traveling so long
How'm I ever going to know my home
When I see it again
I'm like a black crow flying
In a blue, blue sky

In search of love and music
My whole life has been
Illumination
Corruption
And diving, diving, diving, diving.
Diving down to pick up on every shiny thing
Just like that black crow flying
In a blue sky

I looked at the morning
After being up all night
I looked at my haggard face in the bathroom light
I looked out the window
And I saw that ragged soul take flight
I saw a back crow flying
In a blue sky




Oh I'm like a black crow flying
In a blue sky

Overall Meaning

Cassandra Wilson's song "Black Crow" is a reflection on the experience of being lost in life, unsure of one's place and searching for fulfillment. The metaphor of the black crow is used to represent the singer's journey, as she is lead by her instincts to follow her desires and find her way. The first stanza sets the tone with imagery of the black crow flying tree to tree, searching for something shiny. This represents the singer's own journey for love and happiness, which she sees as a shiny object to be discovered. The second stanza reinforces the theme of being lost and unsure of what to do next. The singer has been traveling for so long, she's not sure how she will know when she has found her true home. The repetition of the line "I'm like a black crow flying in a blue, blue sky" emphasizes again the feeling of being lost, as the singer has no clear path forward.


In the final stanza, the singer reflects on the journey thus far. She sees her own haggard reflection in the bathroom light, and looks out the window to see the black crow take flight. This final moment reinforces the idea of seeing oneself in the world, as the singer sees herself reflected in the flight of the crow. The song ends with the repetition of the central metaphor, and the singer recognizing that she is indeed like the black crow, lost in the vast expanse of the blue sky.


Line by Line Meaning

There's a crow flying
The singer sees a crow flying


Black and ragged
The crow is black and looks rough


Tree to tree
The crow is flying from one tree to another


He's black as the highway that's leading me
The crow is completely black, like the road the singer is traveling on


Now he's diving down
The crow is descending


To pick up on something shiny
The crow is attracted to something that sparkles on the ground


I feel like that black crow
The singer identifies with the crow


Flying
The singer is also in flight


In a blue sky
The sky is blue


I took a ferry to the highway
The singer took a boat to the road


Then I drove to a pontoon plane
The singer drove to a plane that lands on water


I took a plane to a taxi
The singer flew to a car service


And a taxi to a train
The singer's next mode of transportation is a train


I've been traveling so long
The singer has been on the move for a while


How'm I ever going to know my home
The singer is unsure if they will recognize their home


When I see it again
The singer will eventually see their home again


In search of love and music
The singer is looking for love and musical inspiration


My whole life has been
The singer's entire life has been characterized by


Illumination
Enlightenment and insight


Corruption
Moral decay and dishonesty


And diving, diving, diving, diving.
And taking risks to uncover hidden rewards


Diving down to pick up on every shiny thing
Taking chances to find valuable treasures


Just like that black crow flying
The singer is still like the crow, always on the lookout for something valuable


I looked at the morning
The singer is reflecting on the new day


After being up all night
The singer was awake through the night


I looked at my haggard face in the bathroom light
The singer sees their tired and worn-out face in the bathroom mirror


I looked out the window
The singer looks outside


And I saw that ragged soul take flight
The singer sees the crow, which they view as having a rough exterior but complex interior, fly away


I saw a back crow flying
The singer again sees the crow


In a blue sky
The sky is still blue


Oh I'm like a black crow flying
The singer compares themselves to the crow again


In a blue sky
The sky is still blue




Contributed by Nora J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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