Roan Pony
Paul Williams Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

When my world becomes too much for me
And I've had my fill of its schemes
I reach back into its history
And I recall my childhood dreams

With my love for how things used to be
And a once imagined friend
I will find a time that's right for me
Try to find a better end by dreaming

I'll ride away on my roan pony
Shoshone Indian guide by my side
We'll chart the course of a new river
Give her a name then we're gone
We've got to move on

Down from the hills
Across the plains to a golden shore
Down, down from the hills
To stand where no man has stood before

Then my world comes screaming back to me
And it's more than I can take
I escape before it gets to me
I must bend before I break

So I run from what I've come to be
To a time before my own
'Til my friend is standing next to me
And I know I'm not alone, I'm dreaming

I'll ride away on my roan pony
Shoshone Indian guide by my side
We'll chart the course of a new river
Give her a name then we're gone
We've got to move on

Down from the hills
Across the plains to a golden shore
Down, down from the hills
To stand where no man has stood before

I'll ride away on my roan pony
Shoshone Indian guide by my side
We'll chart the course of a new river




Give her a name then we're gone
We've got to move on

Overall Meaning

The song "Roan Pony" by Paul Williams is about escaping reality and finding solace in childhood dreams. The lyrics express a desire to return to a simpler time and place, where the singer can ride away on his roan pony and chart the course of a new river with a Shoshone Indian guide by his side. He identifies with his love for how things used to be and seeks to find a better end by dreaming. When the world becomes too overwhelming, he turns to his once imagined friend and together they escape to a time before his own.


The chorus describes the journey down from the hills, across the plains, and to a golden shore where no man has stood before. It paints a picture of a world untouched by the chaos of modern life, one where the singer can truly be free. In the face of overwhelming stress and anxiety, he turns to his imagination and the memory of simpler times to find peace and respite.


Overall, "Roan Pony" is a song about the power of dreaming and imagination to provide a sense of escape and renewal in difficult times. It's an expression of the universal human desire to find a safe haven from the world's turmoil, and a poignant reminder that no matter how hard life gets, there's always a way to dream ourselves to a better place.


Line by Line Meaning

When my world becomes too much for me
When life feels overwhelming and too difficult to handle


And I’ve had my fill of its schemes
And I’ve experienced enough of its manipulations and plans


I reach back into its history
I look to the past for comfort and guidance


And I recall my childhood dreams
And I remember the hopes and ambitions I had as a child


With my love for how things used to be
With my nostalgia for the way things were in the past


And a once imagined friend
And my old imaginary companion


I will find a time that’s right for me
I will discover a moment that is appropriate for me


Try to find a better end by dreaming
Attempt to imagine and visualize a more favorable outcome


I’ll ride away on my roan pony
I will embark on a journey riding my reddish-brown horse


Shoshone Indian guide by my side
With a Shoshone Native American as my helpful escort


We’ll chart the course of a new river
Together, we’ll plan out the path of a previously undiscovered waterway


Give her a name then we’re gone
Give the river a title and then we’re off


We’ve got to move on
We must continue to progress forward


Down from the hills
Descending from the highlands


Across the plains to a golden shore
Crossing the grasslands towards a magnificent coastline


To stand where no man has stood before
To reach a location where no human has ever been


Then my world comes screaming back to me
Then, reality hits me hard and forcefully


And it’s more than I can take
And I’m unable to handle it all by myself


I escape before it gets to me
I avoid it before it becomes too overwhelming


I must bend before I break
I need to be flexible before I become broken


So I run from what I’ve come to be
So I flee from what I’ve turned into


To a time before my own
To a period that existed before my birth


‘Til my friend is standing next to me
Until my imaginary buddy is right next to me again


And I know I’m not alone, I’m dreaming
And I realize that I’m not by myself, and that I’m only dreaming


I’ll ride away on my roan pony
I will embark on a journey riding my reddish-brown horse


Shoshone Indian guide by my side
With a Shoshone Native American as my helpful escort


We’ll chart the course of a new river
Together, we’ll plan out the path of a previously undiscovered waterway


Give her a name then we’re gone
Give the river a title and then we’re off


We’ve got to move on
We must continue to progress forward


Down from the hills
Descending from the highlands


Across the plains to a golden shore
Crossing the grasslands towards a magnificent coastline


To stand where no man has stood before
To reach a location where no human has ever been




Contributed by Alexis L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Izzy Casura-Powestri

My fave song on the album. Love the opening piano riff and everything up to the end!!

357344

I am sure the album is magnificent! Paul Williams music is always outstanding.

357344

Never heard this till now and it is wonderful.

Yonah Music Emporium

Good one, Paul!

Gabriel Bodine

paul williams i love tou

phil defer

hello à tous...vous pouvez le retrouver dans le film "phantom of the paradise" de brian de palma

Gabriel Bodine

paul i wish you wer e still her <3

Cherokee Rose Thomas

Paul Williams is still alive. He is 80 and still very active