Bluebird
Jim White Lyrics

Bluebird on a telephone line
The poet sees a bluebird sitting on a telephone wire.

How are you? I'm feeling fine
The poet greets the bluebird and expresses how he feels.

Sweetly do I whisper your name
The poet speaks softly to the bluebird and mentions its name.

Lonely solo taxi ride to a cheap motel
The poet takes a lonely cab ride to a cheap motel.

On the wrong side of the tracks
The motel is on the bad side of town.

The facts are tricky to explain
The circumstances are complicated and difficult to describe.

Cold front bearing down, blowing in from Birmingham
The weather is changing with a new cold front moving in, coming from Birmingham.

By dawn the window's wet with icy rain
In the morning, the window has gathered icy raindrops on it.

Behind fourteen doors
There are many rooms in the motel.

A sad parade of paramours are throwing little white rocks at sorrow's window pane
People in the motel are throwing small stones at a window, expressing their sadness.

Me, I've found someone to love more than the rain
The poet has found someone he loves more than anything, who gives him happiness even on a rainy day.

Salvation Army ringing bell
The Salvation Army is ringing a bell outside the motel.

Kingdom come and wishing wells
A reference to the afterlife and wishing for good things.

Hey Santa Claus I see your junkie eyes
The poet sees the desperation in people's eyes, even like those of Santa Claus.

It's the devil and the deep blue sea with old friends
Life is a difficult situation, even with friends who might help.

I hope I never see again all tangled up with misery and lies
The poet doesn't want to be in a situation filled with sadness and dishonesty again.

The lonely hiss of passing cars
The sound of passing cars is the only noise he hears, and it's lonely.

Feeds the ache of ancient scars like ghosts beneath my bed rattling chains
The sound of cars reminds the poet of his old, painful memories, causing him emotional pain.

No good luck charm or remedy ever proved to soothe my sanity
The poet couldn't find anything to make him feel better or more sane.

Nor bad medicine served to ease my pain
Even bad medicine couldn't help him feel better.

Had to find someone to love more than the rain
The poet had to find someone who could make him happy, no matter the circumstances.

Now, old habits will die hard
It's hard to break old habits.

This pile of junk setting in my yard
There's a lot of junk in the poet's yard.

Souvenirs from the wrecking ball of dreams
The junk represents dreams that were destroyed.

You spend a lifetime tearing temples down
Destroying dreams takes a long time.

It gets to feel like hallowed ground is a shallow grave
What used to be important now feels unimportant or even dead.

Where ne'er the bluebird sings
The bluebird doesn't come to places like this.

Last time home when I played this song
Last time the poet was at home, he listened to this song.

You said, "Dad, it's sad, and way too long"
The poet's child commented on how the song was too long and sad.

And I pulled you close and held you in my arms
The poet held his child closely.

Yes, salvation wears a thin disguise
Sometimes salvation (or happiness) is only a facade.

'Cause I can see the heaven in your eyes
The poet sees the joy of heaven in his child's eyes.

And I thank God them years I searched were not in vain
The poet is grateful his search for happiness isn't in vain in having his child.

Finally found someone to love more than the rain
The poet finally found someone he loves more than rain on a literal and metaphorical level.

Bluebird, I love you more than the rain
The poet loves his child more than anything, including the rain and everything that brings him down.