Flying Horses
Dispatch Lyrics
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And in my hands I held it and I knew I was on my own
So I picked it up and held it to the sky
And in my reflection I knew I was all alone
Yeah (yeah)
Then I saw this girl with the most beautiful hair
She had it wrapped around her, for clothes she did not wear
Gorgeous footsteps in the sand as if she didn't care
Well, she was the prettiest girl I ever saw
The stone lay still without a flaw
The feelings I had defied the law
As I came to, I went to
And I took a look, a look down the road
To see a badger and a one-eyed toad
They didn't say a word they just looked at me
With that wise old look of the old
(Yeah wise old look of the old)
Yeah
Then I went down to town
To my favorite merry-go-round
To the place where magic hoses fly
And you seldom see a frown
But then I stole a ring from the flying horses
And I can't begin to explain how
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And it's all rusty now
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And I can't begin to explain how
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And it's all rusty now
(It's all rusty)
You see 'cause that stone fell though my pocket
And that lock of hair flew away with the wind
If you chance to meet upon either
Well you know where they've been
But don't pick them up or try to find me
They're much happier to be on their own
Beauty like that knows no home
And if you take a look, a look down the road
You'll see a badger and a one-eyed toad
They won't say a word they'll just look at you
With that wise old look of the old
(Hey yeah, wise old look of the old, hey yeah)
Yeah but then I stole a ring from the flying horses
And I can't begin to explain how
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And it's all rusty now
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And I can't begin to explain how
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And it's all rusty now
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And I can't begin to explain how
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And it's all rusty now
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And I can't begin to explain how
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And it's all rusty now
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And I can't begin to explain how
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And it's all rusty now
I stole a ring from the flying horses
And I can't begin to explain how
I stole a ring from the flying horses
The lyrics to Dispatch's Flying Horses are full of abstract imagery and surreal metaphors, leaving room for interpretation and individualized meanings. The song seems to follow a journey of self-discovery, with the singer encountering beautiful things (such as the river's stone and the girl's hair), as well as strange creatures (the badger and one-eyed toad). In the end, the singer admits to stealing a ring from the flying horses and expresses a sense of confusion and inability to explain how it happened.
The river of doubt and the beautiful stone may represent a moment of personal uncertainty or a difficult decision the singer faced. The girl with beautiful hair, who is "clothes she did not wear," may symbolize a free spirit or a sense of liberation that the singer longs for. The badger and one-eyed toad could be seen as ominous figures, possibly representing the consequences of the singer's actions.
The flying horses themselves are a mysterious and fantastical element to the song. The fact that the singer was able to steal a ring from them adds to the song's dreamlike quality. The line "If you chance to meet upon either, well you know where they've been" suggests that the stone and lock of hair the singer lost may have ended up in the possession of the flying horses, further emphasizing their mystical nature. The repetition of the line "I can't begin to explain how" in regards to the stolen ring reinforces the surreal and enigmatic tone of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
The river of doubt gave birth to a beautiful stone
From adversity comes beauty
And in my hands I held it and I knew I was on my own
I realized that I was alone and had to rely on myself
So I picked it up and held it to the sky
I embraced the beauty and hopefulness of the stone
And in my reflection I knew I was all alone
I saw my own loneliness in the reflection of the stone
Then I saw this girl with the most beautiful hair
I encountered a stunningly beautiful woman
She had it wrapped around her, for clothes she did not wear
She wore her long hair like clothing
I asked her for a lock and she complied, after leaving
I asked for a lock of her hair and she gave it to me before leaving
Gorgeous footsteps in the sand as if she didn't care
She left behind striking footsteps in the sand, seemingly unbothered
Well, she was the prettiest girl I ever saw
She was the most beautiful person I had ever seen
The stone lay still without a flaw
The stone remained still and perfect
The feelings I had defied the law
My emotions were intense and overwhelming
As I came to, I went to
As I came to my senses, I continued on my journey
And I took a look, a look down the road
I surveyed the path ahead of me
To see a badger and a one-eyed toad
I saw an animal duo by the road
They didn't say a word they just looked at me
The animals were silent but observant
With that wise old look of the old
They conveyed an aura of ancient wisdom
Then I went down to town
I traveled to the town
To my favorite merry-go-round
I visited my favored amusement ride
To the place where magic hoses fly
An imaginative place where fantastical things happen
And you seldom see a frown
It was a happy, joyful place
But then I stole a ring from the flying horses
I committed theft from a mythical creature
And I can't begin to explain how
I cannot describe how it occurred
And it's all rusty now
The stolen item has become old and tarnished
You see 'cause that stone fell though my pocket
The beautiful stone fell out of my pocket
And that lock of hair flew away with the wind
The lock of hair was carried away by the wind
If you chance to meet upon either
If you come across either item
Well you know where they've been
You know about their journey
But don't pick them up or try to find me
Do not collect or search for these items or myself
They're much happier to be on their own
The items are better off solitary
Beauty like that knows no home
True beauty is not confined to a specific place
You'll see a badger and a one-eyed toad
You will encounter the same animal pair I did
They won't say a word they'll just look at you
The animals will continue to be silently observant
Yeah but then I stole a ring from the flying horses
I reiterate that I committed theft from a mystical creature
And it's all rusty now
The stolen item remains old and tarnished
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BRADLEY CORRIGAN,, CHARLES STOKES URMSTON, PETER FRANCIS HEIMBOLD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PMcDFPV
This music changed my life, it still helps ground me to this day and I will always go back to Dispatch when I start to feel disconnected from this beautiful world.
@goofydawg5011
I'm Glad I'm not the only one who feels the exact same way
@mikeyrizzo7606
Ditto.
@badmoon710
Showed my 8 year old son this song and the general. Told him these were the songs that brightened up my day back in 2002-2003. He said “dad these songs brightened my day up in 2022!”
@sarahfelsch5465
Love that
@heatherherbert8322
Listening to these songs again is giving me a warm heart. My fiancé who just passed a couple weeks ago, was from cape cod and he's listened to most of their songs and told me where and what they were about. I miss him, but i know hes listening right beside me ❤
@Emma-cj8mo
He absolutely is!
@rickkomperda833
One of the greatest bands of all time. Still making amazing music. Excellent song right here.
@Jams140
Came back Dispatch during quarantine, hell ya
@staceyend611
Same!