Dorthia Cottrell grew up in the rural town of King George, Virginia. She go… Read Full Bio ↴Dorthia Cottrell grew up in the rural town of King George, Virginia. She got her start playing music on piano as a child, singing alongside her grandmother or dad while he played guitar. In her early teens she finally picked up a guitar and wrote her first song which eventually carried her onto Richmond where she found herself as Windhand’s powerful leading vocalist and lyricist. She is set to release her debut self-titled record, due out March 3rd on Forcefield Records. The songs on the album span a full decade, with Dorthia’s palpable vocals pushing into a new realm of folk. Her somber acoustic music has been described as grieving and sparse, with a nod in the direction of Townes Van Zandt and Gram Parsons, whose “Rake” and “A Song For You” she covers on her debut album.

Orphan Bird
Dorthia Cottrell Lyrics

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Paved in bone, blessed are these highways that carry us home
pale white eyes, like children we desperately reach for the sky
singin, "everything dies but what then? everything dies but is that the end"
My brother is your brother too
teach her of shame show her love
betray all her trust, teach her to love
deep in that coma blue sky
i saw my life passing me by

feeling the fires recede
and let that deep coma blue sky wash over me
blessed be the highways that carry us on
through the desert and into the sea
well he picks all the roses that grow by the overpass
and gathers them all round my feet
there's no funeral lullaby, sad goodbye lullaby tune
my daddy's prayin those 6 string prayers
because even heaven sings the blues
maybe all our skin will turn to dust

baby all our skin will turn to dust
and leave our hearts behind

Overall Meaning

The opening line of “Orphan Bird,” “paved in bone, blessed are these highways that carry us home,” immediately sets the tone for the song. These lyrics suggest that there is an air of sadness and contemplation that the listener should expect. The lines that follow, “pale white eyes, like children we desperately reach for the sky,” lead us to believe that we are grappling with the ideas of death and the unknown. This line particularly speaks to a sense of innocence, as if we are all children in the face of death, reaching out for something greater than ourselves.

The line “everything dies but what then? everything dies but is that the end” is a particularly poignant one, as it not only questions death but also the idea of what comes after. The following lines “my brother is your brother too / teach her of shame show her love / betray all her trust, teach her to love” create this intricate weaving of ideas and emotions. The line about the brotherhood serves as a testament to a bond that is universal while also being fraught with hazards. The final lines “maybe all our skin will turn to dust/ and leave our hearts behind” expresses a universal truth that all things will eventually come to an end. These lyrics are not only introspective but evoke a sense of melancholy, that everything is fleeting and temporary.

Line by Line Meaning

Paved in bone, blessed are these highways that carry us home
The roads are built on the bones of our ancestors, but they still provide us with a way home.

pale white eyes, like children we desperately reach for the sky
We look to the sky with eyes that are tired and sad, hoping for something better.

singin, "everything dies but what then? everything dies but is that the end"
We wonder what happens after death, and whether or not it truly is the end.

My brother is your brother too
We should treat everyone as if they are family, regardless of who they are or where they come from.

teach her of shame show her love
We must both acknowledge that shame exists, but also show love and compassion towards others in order to help heal them.

betray all her trust, teach her to love
It is essential to break down people's trust in order to teach them how to truly love and appreciate others.

deep in that coma blue sky
In a trance-like state, we feel as though we are wandering through an endless blue sky.

i saw my life passing me by
We fear that our lives are slipping away from us, too quickly to catch and hold onto.

feeling the fires recede
Our passions and motivations may begin to dim as we grow older or face adversity.

and let that deep coma blue sky wash over me
We seek comfort in the endless blue sky, letting ourselves be carried away by it.

blessed be the highways that carry us on
We are thankful for the roads and paths that guide us through life, even in difficult times.

through the desert and into the sea
We are willing to travel through any terrain or circumstance in order to reach our goals.

well he picks all the roses that grow by the overpass
A man takes care to pick the roses that grow in unexpected places, nurturing beauty wherever he can find it.

and gathers them all round my feet
He brings the roses to his loved ones, surrounding them with beauty and care.

there's no funeral lullaby, sad goodbye lullaby tune
There are no songs to comfort us in our grief, and we feel alone as we say goodbye.

my daddy's prayin those 6 string prayers
A father turns to his guitar in order to pray and find solace in his faith.

because even heaven sings the blues
Even in a place of pure joy and happiness, there can still be sadness and sorrow.

maybe all our skin will turn to dust
We are confronted with the reality of our own mortality, and the idea that everything we know and love will one day be gone.

baby all our skin will turn to dust
We come to accept and make peace with the inevitability of our own death.

and leave our hearts behind
Even as our bodies crumble into dust, the love and memories we leave behind will endure.

Contributed by Carter E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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