Donna the Buffalo represents one of the most respected brands in the world of touring roots acts. For 21 years DTB has performed feel good, infectious music that often moves listeners physically and spiritually. In the words of a longtime fan, "Their songs are well known to contain lyrics offering poetry and sage commentary on the attractions and struggles with love and politics in this life. Their magnetic musical mix has often been described as dance music, and, for sure, there is everything from foot-tapping to get-up-and-feel-ecstatic moving in their sound; but there is also some deeply satisfying solace in what DTB has to say and how they say it. The dynamic songwriting tandem of Jeb Puryear and Tara Nevins have penned over 140 songs in their collaboration with DTB."
Their fervent fan base, self-named The Herd, follows the band with zeal and has created a unique and supportive community online and at DTB shows across the nation. As an extension of this community and the band's own dedication to live roots music, Donna started, and are still the driving force behind, the Finger Lakes Grass Roots Festival of Music and Dance in Trumansburg, NY. 2010 marks the festival's 20th year. Stemming from its success, a second Grass Roots Festival was started in Silk Hope, North Carolina in 2002: the now biannual Shakori Hills Grass Roots Festival.
Over the years, Donna the Buffalo has had the opportunity to collaborate and/or record with musicians such as Jim Lauderdale, Preston and Keith Frank, Bela Fleck, Mamadou Diabate, Claire Lynch, David Hidalgo, The Duhks and Amy Helm, just to name a few. This past year, Nevins also toured with former Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann's band BK3.
The band's 2008 release Silverlined, on Sugar Hill Records, rose to #8 on the Americana Music Chart. With a twenty-one year tenure to celebrate, hundreds of gigs ahead of them, and an ever-evolving grassroots sound; it looks like Donna the Buffalo is riding a cloud that is truly Silverlined.
www.donnathebuffalo.com
Sailing
Donna the Buffalo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can hold a finger high in the air
Under the sky in the middle of it all
I can feel the wind blow the same for us all
In the middle there's a lot to know
In the middle there's a lot to see
Of a world that can be so cold
Chorus:
Sailing, Sailing
Sailing, Sailing
So many ways the world does live
So many ways the world does give
So many ways the world does make
So many ways the world does take
So many different lives the world does live
So many rivers the world must cross
So many tears the world does stream
So many eyes the world to see
Donna the Buffalo's song "Sailing" is a song about the interconnectedness of the world and the beauty that can be found if we just take the time to look. The lyrics paint a picture of being outside in the middle of a field, feeling the wind blow for us all, and being able to see and know so much in the middle of it all. The world is described as having both a coldness and a heart of gold, which is a reflection of the complexity of the world we live in.
The chorus of the song repeats the word "sailing" four times, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for moving through life. It can be seen as a call to continue moving forward, even when the world can be difficult to navigate. The verses following the chorus explore the different ways that the world operates - the ways it lives, gives, makes, and takes. There are so many different lives that the world contains, with so many rivers to cross and tears to shed. However, there are also so many eyes to see the beauty of the world around us.
One interpretation of this song is that it is about finding peace in the midst of chaos. Despite the complexities of the world and the difficulties that we face, there is still beauty and interconnectedness to be found if we just take the time to look for it.
Line by Line Meaning
Outside in the middle of a field
Outdoors, surrounded by nature, removed from civilization
I can hold a finger high in the air
I can sense the direction and strength of the wind
Under the sky in the middle of it all
In the open, with nothing impeding the vast sky above
I can feel the wind blow the same for us all
The wind is a force that affects everyone equally, regardless of differences
In the middle there's a lot to know
Being in the center of things can reveal much that is hidden from the edges
In the middle there's a lot to see
A vantage point from the middle can offer a broader perspective than from the sides
Of a world that can be so cold
The world can be harsh and unforgiving
Of a world with a heart of gold
The world can also contain immense beauty, kindness, and generosity
Sailing, Sailing
Repeating the word 'sailing' as a mantra or chorus, evoking the feeling of moving forward and unifying the diverse world
So many ways the world does live
Different cultures, traditions, and lifestyles exist across the world
So many ways the world does give
People and nature both offer gifts to one another in many different ways
So many ways the world does make
There are countless ways people create things, from art to technology to food
So many ways the world does take
There are also many ways people extract, deplete, or exploit the planet and each other
So many different lives the world does live
People lead vastly different existences depending on many factors
So many rivers the world must cross
There are numerous challenges and obstacles that humanity must face and overcome
So many tears the world does stream
There is much sadness, pain, and suffering in the world
So many eyes the world to see
Every person has their own unique perspective and experience of the world
Writer(s): Tara Nevins
Contributed by William P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.