Wildflowers
Dolly Parton Linda Ronstadt Emmylou Harris Lyrics


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The hills were alive with wildflowers and I
Was as wild, even wilder than they
For at least I could run
They just died in the sun
And I refused to just wither in place

Just a wild mountain rose
Needing freedom to grow
So I ran fearing not where I'd go
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow

And the flowers I knew
In the fields where I grew
Were content to be lost in the crowd
They were common and close
I had no room for growth
And I wanted so much to branch out

So I uprooted myself from my home ground and left
Took my dreams and I took to the road
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow

I grew up fast and wild
And I never felt right
In a garden so different from me
I just never belonged
I just longed to be gone
So the garden one day set me free

I hitched a ride with the wind
And since he was my friend
I just let him decide where we'd go
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow

Just a wild rambling rose seeking mysteries untold
No regret for the path that I chose
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow





Wildflowers don't care where they grow

Overall Meaning

The song "Wildflowers" by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris is an ode to individuality and the search for freedom. The lyrics compare the singer to a wild mountain rose, needing space to grow and refusing to wither in one place. The singer feels out of place in a garden, longing to branch out and explore new places. The chorus emphasizes the resilience of wildflowers, which can grow anywhere and survive any condition. The singer hitchhikes with the wind, seeking new adventures and refusing to be confined to one place. The song celebrates the power of self-discovery and rejecting societal norms.


One interesting fact about "Wildflowers" is that it was written by Dolly Parton, who first recorded it on her 1977 album "New Harvest...First Gathering." The song had a new life when it was rerecorded by Parton, Ronstadt, and Harris for their 1987 album "Trio." The album went on to be a huge success, earning them a Grammy award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The album's producer, George Massenburg, has said that the trio's harmony on "Wildflowers" was some of the best he had ever heard.


Another interesting fact is that the song has been covered by many other artists, including Tom Petty, who recorded his version for his 1994 album "Wildflowers." Petty was a fan of the song and chose it as the title track for his album. In an interview, he called the song "one of my favorite songs ever written."


"Wildflowers" has also been used in a variety of TV shows and films, including "Sex and the City," "This Is Us," and "Big Little Lies." The song's message of independence and resilience has resonated with audiences across generations.


Chords: G, C, D, G (verse), G, C, G, D (chorus)


Line by Line Meaning

The hills were alive with wildflowers and I
I found myself surrounded by beautiful wildflowers and felt as free as they did.


Was as wild, even wilder than they
I was untamed and free-spirited, just like the wildflowers around me.


For at least I could run
Unlike the flowers that just wilted in the sun, I had the ability to move and explore.


They just died in the sun
The flowers around me couldn't handle the hot sun and withered away.


And I refused to just wither in place
I wasn't going to settle down and fade away like the flowers around me.


Just a wild mountain rose
I was like a wildflower, growing freely and unencumbered.


Needing freedom to grow
I needed to be unchained and able to grow in my own way.


So I ran fearing not where I'd go
I took off without looking back, not knowing where my journey would lead me.


When a flower grows wild
Wildflowers have the ability to thrive on their own, without any interference.


It can always survive
No matter what, wildflowers will adapt and make it through.


Wildflowers don't care where they grow
Wildflowers are not concerned with fitting in, they'll grow wherever they please.


And the flowers I knew
The flowers I was familiar with were content to blend in with the rest.


In the fields where I grew
The fields where I grew up were full of common, unremarkable flowers.


Were content to be lost in the crowd
The flowers around me were satisfied with just being like everyone else.


They were common and close
The flowers were generic and unexceptional, lacking any originality.


I had no room for growth
I knew that if I stayed in that place, I wouldn't be able to reach my full potential.


And I wanted so much to branch out
I had a strong desire to explore and try new things, to not be held back by norms.


So I uprooted myself from my home ground and left
I knew I had to leave to find myself and grow in a way that was true to me.


Took my dreams and I took to the road
I held onto my dreams and started a journey down a road with an uncertain destination.


I grew up fast and wild
I matured quickly and independently, taking on the world without fear.


And I never felt right
I knew that the place I came from wasn't where I belonged.


In a garden so different from me
The environment I was in was at odds with who I truly was.


I just never belonged
I was always out of place and viewed as an outsider.


I just longed to be gone
I had an unshakeable desire to be elsewhere, to experience new things.


So the garden one day set me free
I was able to break free from the restricted and hindering environment and move forward.


I hitched a ride with the wind
I surrendered myself to the great unknown and let fate carry me along.


And since he was my friend
I became comfortable and familiar with the path I was on.


I just let him decide where we'd go
Going where the wind took me felt like the best and most freeing decision.


Just a wild rambling rose seeking mysteries untold
I was a curious and adventurous wildflower pushing the boundaries and going down a path less traveled.


No regret for the path that I chose
I had no second thoughts or doubts about the unconventional and unique path I took.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dolly Parton

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@thotticus1505

The hills were alive with wildflowers and I
Was as wild, even wilder than they
For at least I could run
They just died in the sun
And I refused to just wither in place

Just a wild mountain rose
Needing freedom to grow
So I ran fearing not where I'd go
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow

And the flowers I knew
In the fields where I grew
Were content to be lost in the crowd
They were common and close
I had no room for growth
And I wanted so much to branch out

So I uprooted myself from home ground and left
Took my dreams and I took to the road
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow

I grew up fast and wild
And I never felt right
In a garden so different from me
I just never belonged
I just longed to be gone
So the garden one day set me free

I hitched a ride with the wind
And since he was my friend
I just let him decide where we'd go
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow

Just a wild rambling rose seeking mysteries untold
No regret for the path that I chose
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow



All comments from YouTube:

@grwilsonjr

These girls are the equals to the Traveling Wilburys. Beautiful.

@omargrine8943

nostalgie and memory

@stepnraza

When I left the Caribbean island and moved to the US in 1989, I brought this cassette with me. It was one of my comfort music. I listened to it almost everyday for about two years straight. I still have that cassette with me. Beautiful voices.

@louisianagrandma9787

+nisa smith  Welcome Nisa!  I've used music to comfort for me, for as long as I can remember.  I hope living here has been good to you.  You seem like a lovely person.  God bless you!

@lynnhughston442

nisa smith in 1989 in a small town in Ontario Canada, was given this cassette today I to still have the cassette yet I Thank God I can still listen to its beauty and their talent on a iPad. Lynn Hughston Apr 5th2017

@MrWayneWhite

And I can just imagine you must have been able to identify with the song, being like a wildflower ... branching out on your own in a new environment

@dc9291

If ya gotta go you gotta go. No one said it was easy but to stay would of been harder - so we go where we go - we are free.

@cherylcooper5361

@@dc9291 exactly I remembered playing this song over n over again , when I had to Divorce my husband of thirty one years because of alcoholism among a few other heartbreaking things . I had to uproot myself , because I was no longer content in a garden that had become so different from mines. Love the lyrics , an it's been ten years but I still listen to it from time to time .

@danielburns987

this song went to #6 on the country charts in 1988!!!

@ms.mcconnell4618

Even to this day The Trio is The Dream Team of Country Music❣️I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOO MUCH❣️❤️🤍💜💜💜🖤🤍🤎💛🤍❤️😇😇😇☮️💟✝️💃🏿💃😇😇😇❣️

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