White Bird
It´s A Beautiful Day Lyrics
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In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White bird
In a golden cage
Alone
The leaves blow
Across the long, black road
To the darkened skies
In it's rage
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Unknown
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird
Dreams of the aspen trees
With their dying leaves
Turning gold
But the white bird
Just sits in her cage
Growing old
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
The sunsets come
The sunsets go
The clouds roll by
And the earth turns old
And the young bird's eyes
Do always glow
She must fly
She must fly
She must fly
White bird
In a golden cage
On a winter's day
In the rain
White bird
In a golden cage
Alone
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
White bird must fly
Or she will die
The lyrics of "White Bird" by It's A Beautiful Day describe a beautiful bird trapped in a golden cage, surrounded by rain and darkness. The bird's environment reflects the bird's emotional state as she is alone, confined and growing old. The bird dreams of the freedom and beauty of the natural world, especially the aspen trees with their turning golden leaves. Despite this, the white bird does not attempt to fly and remains trapped in her cage. The chorus repeats a haunting refrain, "White bird must fly, or she will die" urging the bird to take flight, to find freedom and fulfil her destiny.
The lyrics of "White Bird" are a metaphor for the human condition, reflecting the universal human desire for freedom and the struggle to attain it. The white bird's golden cage represents society's constricting norms, expectations and conventions. The caged bird's emotional state reflects the emotional and mental turmoil felt by many people when living under these restrictions. The chorus is a powerful call to action, urging the listener to break free from societal constraints and pursue their dreams.
It's A Beautiful Day formed in San Francisco in 1967, and "White Bird" was a hit single in 1968. The song has become a classic of the psychedelic era and is known for its inventive use of orchestration and haunting melody. The band members claim they were inspired by Ravi Shankar's Indian classical music and the Beatles' pioneering work with "Norwegian Wood" and "Strawberry Fields Forever". David LaFlamme's emotive and soaring violin solos are a key element of the song's impact. "White Bird" continues to be an enduring classic and has been covered by many artists in a wide range of styles.
Line by Line Meaning
White bird
The bird being talked about is white
In a golden cage
The bird is trapped and kept in a luxurious cage
On a winter's day
In a season symbolizing loneliness, the bird is caged
In the rain
Even in unpleasant weather, the bird is still trapped in the cage
Alone
The white bird has no company in her isolated cell
The leaves blow
Nature continues its motion even as time passes
Across the long, black road
Refers to the passage of time
To the darkened skies
The skies are pictured to be gloomy and overcast
In it's rage
The weather is unpredictable, like a person's feelings
But the white bird
Nevertheless, the bird being talked about is…
Just sits in her cage
…unable to spread her wings and soar high
Unknown
Her existence is anonymous, which is strange considering she is a white bird
White bird must fly
The bird must break free from the cage in order to survive
Or she will die
Staying isolated is slowly killing her inside
Dreams of the aspen trees
The bird dreams of freedom, of open spaces and the clean air
With their dying leaves
The aspen tree leaves symbolize the fact that life can leave us unexpectedly
Turning gold
The leaves become beautiful in death, implying hope and new beginnings
Growing old
Time passes for the bird, and her dream remains unfulfilled
The sunsets come
Like life passing, the sun sets every day
The sunsets go
Days come and go, taking with them moments that will never come back
The clouds roll by
The greater world continues turning
And the earth turns old
Even the earth does not last forever
And the young bird's eyes
And despite everything, the young bird retains…
Do always glow
…her enthusiastic nature, her faith, and hope for the future
She must fly
The only way for the bird to live completely is to break out of the golden cage and fly
White bird must fly
Emphasizes the bird's need for freedom and hope for a better future
Or she will die
Without her dreams being fulfilled, she will not survive and will die inside.
Lyrics © MUSIC & MEDIA INT'L, INC., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID LAFLAMME, LINDA LAFLAMME
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@barrysmith8920
Incredible in EVERY WAY..
Those harmonies..
That powerful bass line..
David’s violin 🎻..
The organ tranquility..
Guitar abstractions...
Lyrics from another world..
Intoxicating percussion/drums..
Etc. 🌹
@svensofficialpage7060
They use to rehearse in my grandma's garage on Pennsylvania Ave on Potrero Hill in San Francisco in the mid 60's! My grandmother use to babysit Pattie Santos when she waa a child. My mom played this tune on regular rotation in our house growing up. Amazing band indeed!
@claystablein9739
That's nuts and cool nuts at that!
@rodneybudlong1545
I actually was weeping with the joy of the memory. Tears on my face from being transported in time to a more innocent time, with it;s special magic. Music never to be duplicated again.
@donheenan1571
I agree
@philmarasco7833
Music.
@philmarasco7833
I wish this band played at woodstock n.y. in 1969 summer they are so grate..good hippie
@donheenan1571
And to have vinyl lps today would be a win!
@jg6698
More innocent time? Race riots, anti war protests. Body bags from Nam. Yeah, go ahead and weep. 🙄
@elmono3939
Hard to believe it happened 52 years ago.... One of the most under-rated songs of the Hippie era
@pattyayers
Not underrated at all