Blackbird
Dolly Shine Lyrics
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Sell them horses all for gold
Out in them hills they'll go oil legged
and blind they'll never catch you so I'm told
When you get *slip twisting cup and a
lip full* there ain't but one way to go
All them thirsty blood seekers and dirty
head hunters out on that snakey stretch of road
down that mountain side coming both
guns a blazing down that mountain side
Well if they ever catch me I'll be lights
out swinging, swingin high from a tall oak tree
Oh I'm too young to die here got this spade
horse in the south with my coat tail in the breeze
Well folklore said that I live ...
some say they burn it down and the stories spread like wild fire from
town to town but the truth is here
between my ears up where the angels fly
They say hero's get remembered and legends never die
So call your possee tell em bring their pistols both guns a blazin
down that mountain side comin both
guns a blazin down that mountain side
So call your possee tell em bring their pistols both guns a blazin
down that mountain side comin both
guns a blazin down that mountain side
The song "Blackbird" by Dolly Shine is a slow and soulful ballad about a young cowboy on the run, trying to sell blackbirds to horse buyers in the badlands of Mexico. The lyrics are filled with imagery of the Wild West, with mentions of head hunters, dusty roads, and guns a-blazing. The chorus repeatedly urges the singer to call his posse and head down that mountain side with pistols both guns a-blazing, insisting that a hero will be remembered and a legend never dies.
Through the verses, it becomes clear that the singer is a wanted man, sought by those who would kill him for his crimes. He bemoans that he is too young to die, but acknowledges that he may eventually be caught and hanged from a tall oak tree. He notes that stories about him have spread like wildfire, but insists that the truth of his life exists only in his own mind, where the angels fly.
Ultimately, the song seems to be a meditation on the fleeting nature of life and the legacy we leave behind. The singer is a romanticized figure, a cowboy antihero who sells blackbirds and rides horses with his coat tail in the breeze. He understands that his life may be cut short, but he's determined to go down in a blaze of glory as a hero and a legend.
Line by Line Meaning
Take the blackbird to the badlands of Mexico
Bring the stolen horses to Mexico and sell them for gold.
Sell them horses all for gold
Trade the stolen horses for currency.
Out in them hills they'll go oil legged and blind they'll never catch you so I'm told
The horses will be sent to the hills, away from their owners, and won't be able to track the thieves.
When you get slip twisting cup and a lip full there ain't but one way to go
When you have a drink and a plan, there's no turning back.
All them thirsty blood seekers and dirty head hunters out on that snakey stretch of road
There are dangerous people on the road who will kill for blood or money.
So call your possee tell them bring their pistols both guns a blazin down that mountain side coming both guns a blazing down that mountain side
Bring a group of armed friends to fight off any potential threats on the journey home.
Well if they ever catch me I'll be lights out swinging, swingin high from a tall oak tree
If caught, the singer will face execution by hanging.
Oh I'm too young to die here got this spade horse in the south with my coat tail in the breeze
The artist doesn't want to die and has a fast horse to make a getaway.
Well folklore said that I live ... some say they burn it down and the stories spread like wild fire from town to town but the truth is here between my ears up where the angels fly
There are stories and rumors about the artist's life, but the truth is only known to them.
They say hero's get remembered and legends never die
The artist hopes to become a legend who is remembered long after they're gone.
So call your possee tell em bring their pistols both guns a blazin down that mountain side comin both guns a blazin down that mountain side
Reiterating the need for protection on the dangerous journey home.
Contributed by Sydney M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.