Blowin' In The Wind
Ray Conniff Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Verse 1

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you can call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
And how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they've forever banned?

Chorus
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind.

Verse 2
How many times must a man look up
Before ha can see the sky?
How many tears must hehave shed
Before he vcan hear the peopla cry?
How many wars will it take till he learns
that too many peopla have died.

(Repeat Chorus)

Verse 3
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
How many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
And how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see?





(Repeat Chorus)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ray Conniff's song "Blowin' In The Wind" explore fundamental truths about the human condition and human rights. The song poses a series of rhetorical questions about issues such as personal growth, environmentalism, war and peace, and freedom from oppression. The first verse asks how many roads a man must walk down before he can be considered a man. This line can be interpreted as a metaphor for the multiple paths one takes in life before they finally mature and become the best version of themselves. The subsequent questions in the first verse, about the number of seas a dove must sail and the number of times cannonballs must fly signify the struggles that people or society face in progressing towards peace and sustainability.


The second verse poses three more rhetorical questions about the act of recognizing the suffering of others, and the cost of war. The third verse is about the futility of fighting against the forces of nature rather than respecting them, and the struggle for freedom in different societies. The repeated chorus emphasizes that the answers to these pressing issues are not easy to find and simple solutions do not exist. Ultimately, the answer to the recurring question posed in the song is "blowing in the wind", suggesting that the answers to these problems can be found only in time, through ongoing dialogue, and the continuous struggle for social and political change.


Line by Line Meaning

How many roads must a man walk down
What is the amount of struggles and sacrifices a man must endure?


Before you can call him a man?
To be able to label a man with respect, how long must he walk the difficult paths of life?


How many seas must a white dove sail
How long should the peacekeeper suffer through this world?


Before she sleeps in the sand?
How long will it take for peace to establish in the lives of peacekeepers, like the white dove?


And how many times must the cannonballs fly
How long must the world see the destruction and havoc wreaked by these weapons?


Before they've forever banned?
When will the world understand this destruction must end and we should ban the usage of such weapons?


How many times must a man look up
How many times must a man gaze at the true beauty of nature to notice it?


Before ha can see the sky?
Until when will he be blind to the charms of nature?


How many tears must hehave shed?
How deep and long-lasting must a man suffer so that the world can acknowledge their pain?


Before he vcan hear the peopla cry?
What extent of remorselessness should blind the society to hear the plea of the victims?


How many wars will it take till he learns
What more harm should war bring upon humanity to realize its consequences?


that too many peopla have died.
The number of deaths taken by wars highlights the sad reality that can emerge.


(Repeat Chorus)
The rebuking answer lies with the wind


How many years can a mountain exist
How long can an entity in nature exist?


Before it is washed to the sea?
Until when does nature's creation stand without interference from humans?


How many years can some people exist
Until when will humans have to face discrimination?


Before they're allowed to be free?
Until when will humans be treated equally and create a world worth living?


And how many times can a man turn his head
Until when will the person avoid actions he doesn't want to do?


Pretending he just doesn't see?
Until when will we excuse ourselves from the actions we must take?




Contributed by Benjamin K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found