Boulder To Birmingham
Harris Emmylou Lyrics


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I don't want to hear a love song
I got on this airplane just to fly
And I know there's life below me
But all you can show me
Is the prairie and the sky

And I don't want to hear a sad story
Full of heartbreak and desire
The last time I felt like this
I was in the wilderness
And the canyon was on fire
And I stood on the mountain
In the night and I watched it burn
I watched it burn, I watched it burn

I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would hold my life in his saving grace
I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham
If I thought I could see, I could see your face

Well you really got me this time
And the hardest part is knowing I'll survive
And I come to listen for the sound
Of the trucks as they move down
Out on 95
And pretend that it's the ocean
Coming down to wash me clean, to wash me clean
Baby, do you know what I mean?

I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would hold my life in his saving grace
I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham




If I thought I could see, I could see your face
If I thought I could see, I could see your face

Overall Meaning

The song "Boulder To Birmingham" by Harris Emmylou is a beautiful and melancholic expression of the depth of love and longing. The song talks about the singer's search for meaning in her life, as she navigates through the complexities of love, loss, and heartbreak. She starts the song by saying that she doesn't want to hear a love song because she got on an airplane just to fly. She admires life below her, the prairie and the sky, but she wants more than that. She is searching for something deeper and more profound than what she sees around her.


The singer then talks about the last time she felt this way, when she was in the wilderness, standing on top of a mountain, watching the canyon burn. She uses this metaphor to describe the intensity of her emotions, saying that she feels like she's burning up inside. She expresses her willingness to walk from Boulder to Birmingham if she could see the face of the person she loves, indicating the depth of her devotion.


In the final verse, the singer reveals that she has been hurt in the past, but she has learned to survive. She listens for the sound of trucks, pretending that it's the ocean coming to wash her clean of her pain. The song ends with a repeat of the chorus, saying that the singer would rock her soul in the bosom of Abraham and walk all the way to Birmingham to see the face of her beloved.


Line by Line Meaning

I don't want to hear a love song
I'm not in the mood for a romantic tune


I got on this airplane just to fly
The purpose of my trip is to travel by air


And I know there's life below me
I'm aware that there are people living below in the land


But all you can show me
Despite that, you can only display


Is the prairie and the sky
The plain and the sky as I fly by


And I don't want to hear a sad story
I don't want to be told a woeful tale


Full of heartbreak and desire
One filled with anguish and longing


The last time I felt like this
I felt similarly only recently


I was in the wilderness
When I was alone and isolated


And the canyon was on fire
The gorge was ablaze


And I stood on the mountain
I stood on a peak


In the night and I watched it burn
At night, seeing it engulfed in flames


I watched it burn, I watched it burn
I observed the destruction


I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would take comfort and seek refuge in a biblical figure


I would hold my life in his saving grace
I would secure my existence in his merciful protection


I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham
I would travel a long distance if needed


If I thought I could see, I could see your face
If I had a chance to see you again


Well, you really got me this time
You have truly affected me with your actions this time


And the hardest part is knowing I'll survive
The most difficult aspect is recognizing that I will live through it


And I come to listen for the sound
I have come to listen for


Of the trucks as they move down
The sound of the vehicles rolling down


Out on 95
On Route 95


And pretend that it's the ocean
Imagining that it's the sea


Coming down to wash me clean, to wash me clean
Washing away all my troubles, to cleanse me


Baby, do you know what I mean?
Do you comprehend what I'm saying?


If I thought I could see, I could see your face
If there was a possibility of laying eyes on you




Lyrics © Reservoir One Music, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Bill Danoff, Emmylou Harris

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

@UCqkdtMiE5ZquD_lF9prae4Q

মরুভূমিতে ছিলাম, প্রেমের গান শুনতে চাই না..বোল্ডার থেকে বার্মিংহাম পর্যন্ত হেঁটে যাব.. 😭😞
Lyrics:
I don't wanna hear a love song
I got on this airplane just to fly
And I know there's life below me
But all that you can show me is a prairie and the sky

And I don't wanna hear a sad story
Full of heartbreak and desire
The last time I felt like this
I was in the wilderness and the canyon was on fire

And I stood on the mountain
In the night and I watched it burn
I watched it burn, I watched it burn

I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would hold my life in his saving grace
I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham
If I thought I could see, I could see your face

Well, you really got me this time
And the hardest part is knowing I'll survive
I've come to listen for the sound
Of the trucks as they move down out on ninety-five

And pretend that it's the ocean
Coming down to wash me clean, to wash me clean
Baby, do you know what I mean

I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would hold my life in his saving grace
I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham
If I thought I could see, I could see your face

If I thought I could see, I could see your face



All comments from YouTube:

@ABowen-uz8vx

When my husband died in 2007 I played this over and over again and bawled my eyes out. It helped me so much to grieve.

@darrylg3861

@tomsmith7429

Willie Nelson said: "There are two kinds of men. Those who are in love with Emmylou Harris, and those who haven't yet met her.".

@wanbelstap168

Emmy Lou Harris was my mother’s favorite singer…weeks before she passed…my mother played her songs…singing along…while she cooked or cleaned or just sat reading a book…after she passed..we played these songs as we mourned her passing and celebrated her life…to this day..Whenever I hear Emmy Lou Harris sing…I am reminded of my mother and her love for this amazing artists voice and songs…

@user-zc3im8sq9p

I cry every time I hear this song…..the fire in the canyon is alcoholism and it consumed the only man I ever loved. And I would walk all the way from boulder to Birmingham if I thought I could see him again.

@jenniferwintz2514

The hardest part is knowing I'll survive tears my heart out every time. This song is just a masterpiece as is Emmy Lou herself. I have to hear this every time I'm grieving a loss.

@tippysdaddy7468

One of the best songs ever written and sung just love Emmylou ❤

@douglascarr8045

I was just shy of 1 year old when Emmylou and Gram made history...I listened to Emmylou as a kid. Mom always has a 45 of hers around..this is one I recall well. As I became an adult I discovered GP and loved his music. I loved hers first.

@padraiglyons3709

I cannot listen to this song without crying, it's so breathtakingly beautiful in every way.

@2010philj

indeed.. as is ELH

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