In the early '70s, there was a subgenre -- still being excavated and discov… Read Full Bio ↴In the early '70s, there was a subgenre -- still being excavated and discovered by collectors -- of privately pressed, or quite limited-edition, singer/songwriter folk albums that sounded like burnt-out leftovers from the hippie era. A percentage of these, in turn, were recorded and released by musicians with fervent if rather inarticulate religious beliefs. Dave Bixby's Ode to Quetzalcoatl is one of these, and though its purpose seems to have been to celebrate his deliverance from evil after embracing Christianity, it nonetheless sounds quite despondent and isolated in its mood. With acoustic guitar usually serving as his only instrumental accompaniment (and a bit of flute and harmonica heard at times), Bixby sings in a moan-lilting, slightly echoing voice whose sad and lonesome feel gives the impression that his demons have by no means been wholly exercised by salvation.

Bixby also released a second album, Second Coming under the name Harbinger, around the same time as Ode to Quetzalcoatl. This album would remain almost unheard until both albums were reissued in 2009 by Guerssen records of Spain.

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Soft Winds
Dave Bixby Lyrics

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Soft winds blowing
My old breezes
Whisper to my mind
Eating food from gentle spirits
Filling up my soul

Looking at my body sleeping
It's different than I am

Caught within this world of illusions
It thanks it understands

Ever learning, never knowing
Just what lies inside
Using words to understand
Things that can't be said

Now and then, when I transcend
And see things with my eyes
Always reaching, ever grasping
Truth, as it goes by

I see mountains, beautiful mountains
The mountains of my mind

I have never been a climber
But this time I'll climb.

Overall Meaning

Dave Bixby's song Soft Winds reflects on the calmness and gentle nature of the breeze that creates an environment of peace and tranquility. The artist describes how the winds whisper to his mind and fill up his soul like food from gentle spirits. The notion of looking at his sleeping body indicates introspection and enlightenment. The artist reflects on his body's limitations to understand the world of illusions and the importance of transcending to see things with his eyes. His realization that he is constantly learning but will never know what lies inside is a reminder of the complexity of human nature. Furthermore, the song emphasizes the use of words to understand the things that can't be said.

The artist's depiction of the beautiful mountains is symbolic of the mountains of his mind, representing the vastness of his thoughts and ideas. He has never been a climber but intends to climb, displaying his determination to immerse himself in his thoughts, even if it requires stepping outside his comfort zone. The constant perseverance and effort to grasp the truth emphasize the importance of self-growth and reflection as an integral part of life.

Line by Line Meaning

Soft winds blowing
Gentle breezes are blowing

My old breezes
The familiar winds of the past

Whisper to my mind
Speak softly to my thoughts

Eating food from gentle spirits
Feeding on the kindness of others

Filling up my soul
Satisfying my deepest desires

Looking at my body sleeping
Observing myself while I rest

It's different than I am
My subconscious self is not the same as my conscious self

Caught within this world of illusions
Trapped in a reality that is not entirely truthful

It thanks it understands
It falsely believes it comprehends everything

Ever learning, never knowing
Continuously gaining knowledge without certainty

Just what lies inside
Uncertain of what resides within oneself