Wildfire
Murphey Michael Lyrics
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On a dark, flat land she rides
On a pony she named Wildfire
With a whirlwind by her side
On a cold Nebraska night
Oh, they say she died one winter
When there came a killing frost
Busted down its stall
In a blizzard, he was lost
She ran calling Wildfire
She ran calling Wildfire
She ran calling Wildfire
By the dark of the moon, I planted
But there came an early snow
Been a hoot-owl howling outside my window now
'Bout six nights in a row
She's coming for me, I know
And on Wildfire we're both gonna go
We'll be ridin' Wildfire
We'll be ridin' Wildfire
We'll be ridin' Wildfire
On Wildfire we're gonna ride
We're gonna leave sodbustin' behind
Get these hard times right on out of our minds
Riding Wildfire
The lyrics to Murphey Michael's song Wildfire are steeped in folklore and legend, telling the tale of a woman who rides through the dark, flat land atop her faithful pony named Wildfire. The opening lines of the song set the scene for the story, describing Yellow Mountain and the pony she rides with a whirlwind by her side. The lyrics suggest that this woman is a wild spirit, seemingly at one with the elements as she rides through the cold Nebraska night on her pony.
The narrative of the song takes a turn as we learn that the woman and her beloved pony may have met a grisly fate. Winter brings a killing frost and Wildfire is lost in a blizzard, sending the woman on a desperate search to find her beloved and call back to him. This search leads her to repeatedly call out "Wildfire" in the chorus, as she seeks to be reunited with her beloved pony.
The final verse of the song finds the singer planting in the dark of the moon, as an early snowfall signals the woman's return. The sense of foreboding crescendos as the hoot-owl howls outside the singer's window, signalling the rider's imminent arrival. The song ends on a note of determination, with the singer and the woman riding off together on Wildfire, leaving behind their struggles and hardships in a bid to find freedom on the open road.
Line by Line Meaning
She comes down from Yellow Mountain
A woman descends from Yellow Mountain
On a dark, flat land she rides
She rides on a dark and flat terrain
On a pony she named Wildfire
She rides on a pony with the name Wildfire
With a whirlwind by her side
She has a whirlwind beside her
On a cold Nebraska night
It's a cold night in Nebraska
Oh, they say she died one winter
They say that she died one winter
When there came a killing frost
Death came because of a frost
And the pony she named Wildfire
Her horse named Wildfire
Busted down its stall
Wildfire broke out of its stable
In a blizzard, he was lost
He was lost in a blizzard
She ran calling Wildfire
She ran, calling out for Wildfire
By the dark of the moon, I planted
I planted under the dark of the moon
But there came an early snow
However, there was an early snowfall
Been a hoot-owl howling outside my window now
There has been a hoot-owl howling outside my window lately
'Bout six nights in a row
It has been happening for about six nights in a row
She's coming for me, I know
I know that she's coming for me
And on Wildfire we're both gonna go
We're both going to ride on Wildfire
We'll be ridin' Wildfire
We'll be riding Wildfire
We'll be ridin' Wildfire
We'll be riding Wildfire
On Wildfire we're gonna ride
We're going to ride on Wildfire
We're gonna leave sodbustin' behind
We'll leave behind the hard labor of farming on the land
Get these hard times right on out of our minds
We'll forget about the struggling times
Riding Wildfire
We'll be riding on Wildfire
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Larry Cansler, Martin Murphey Michael, Michael Martin Murphey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@spanishking21
Todays music is garbage, absolutely garbage. I dont even turn on the radio. nothing compares to the classics. This song is beautiful and haunting. Lovely thanks for posting.
@davidomholt
I don't know why this song always makes me cry! Y'all feel the same, right?
@hardlines4
Beautiful....God bring me back to the 60's, 70's, and 80,s and take me away from todays GARBAGE of music and t.v.!!
@msstodea1
This song makes me cry everytime I hear it. I don't know why, and its not sad tears-not happy either, just tears and emotion.
@BCTTV_DTJ
When I was a kid I used to listen to my aunt Ruthie's 45 rpm records, and I wore this song out on her record player. I just came home from her funeral today (she was only 47) and I thought about this song the whole 3 hour ride back home. I love this song...and I love you Ruthie....I'll miss you. Love Always, Pete
@Bondfinesse
Words cannot express how much i love this song. Truly heart touching
@Catwoman1121
One of the most beautiful songs ever recorded! Very nice video.
@cagekicker18
I don't know how anybody could hear this song and not be moved by the emotional content and the story that is told. It is one of the finest songs from one of the most under-rated performers in American music history.
@GuitarzFromMarz
I grew up in Fort Bragg, CA. Sometime in 1975 MY dad was driving us home, I'm sure my brother and I were getting On his last nerve, And he slipped in his 8 Track of Micheal murphy martin,And I remember the song Wildfire came to play and it became dead silent. The funny thing is I am older now than my dad was back then, And i am still playing this song, I miss him so much!
@MarkBearTN
this song never gets old, it's a classic!