Roger, along with the other Byrds members, was honored with an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
May The Road Rise
Roger McGuinn Lyrics
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Sheltered in the shadow of a tree
We'd write our poems to take along
And sing out on the road
And you would always sing this song to me
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your land
Until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand
Autumn leaves that change our tree
To colours on the ground
Swirling patterns beautiful to see
I'd lay my head down on your lap
I wouldn't make a sound
And you would always sing this song to me
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your land
May the rain fall soft upon your face
Until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand
Though the winter days our tree would shiver in the wind
Waiting for the warming touch of spring
I'd hold you in the firelight
We'd stare into the flames
And this is what you always used to sing
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your land
May the rain fall soft upon your face
Until we meet again
And may God hold you in the palm of his hand
And may the rain fall soft upon your face
Until we meet again
And may God hold you in the palm of his hand
The lyrics of Roger McGuinn's "May The Road Rise" are about the seasons changing, and the experiences shared between two people during those times. In the summer, when the sun shines, they would lay in the field and write poetry, preparing for their journey ahead on the road. The singer's partner would sing a song to them, which goes "May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your land, May the rain fall soft upon your face, Until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand." This song seems to be a blessing, wishing good fortune for the person who is setting off on a journey.
During the fall, the trees change and the leaves fall to the ground, presenting a beautiful sight. The singer lays their head on their partner's lap and listens to the same song being sung to them. The lyrics suggest that the song is comforting and reassuring- something that the person needs to hear when going through a time of change. As they move on to winter, the tree shivers in the wind, waiting for the warmth of spring. The singer and their partner spend time together by the firelight, and the same song is sung again. It seems like the song is a constant source of hope and support, regardless of the season or circumstance.
One interesting thing to note about "May The Road Rise" is that it features a traditional Irish blessing as the chorus. This blessing is often recited at weddings, funerals, and other important occasions. Also, the song features a mandolin riff that is reminiscent of the traditional Irish tune "Danny Boy." The chord progression of the song is simple yet haunting, contributing to the peaceful and soothing feel of the song. The lyrics and melody are both comforting and uplifting, making it a perfect song to listen to when feeling emotional or reflective. The song was written by McGuinn and Irish environmental activist and singer-songwriter John Boyle, and was released on McGuinn's album titled "Back From Rio" in 1991.
Chords:
Intro: G – D9 (x3)
Verse 1:
G
Summertime the sun would shine
D G
We'd lay across the field, sheltered in the shadow of a tree
G
We'd write our poems to take along
D G
And sing out on the road, and you would always sing this song to me
Chorus:
G
May the road rise to meet you
D G
May the wind be at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your land
G
May the rain fall soft upon your face
D G
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand
Verse 2:
G
Autumn leaves that change our tree
D G
To colours on the ground, swirling patterns beautiful to see
G
I'd lay my head down on your lap
D G
I wouldn't make a sound, and you would always sing this song to me
Chorus:
G
May the road rise to meet you
D G
May the wind be at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your land
G
May the rain fall soft upon your face
D G
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand
Verse 3:
G
Though the winter days our tree would shiver
D G
In the wind, waiting for the warming touch of spring
G
I'd hold you in the firelight
D G
We'd stare into the flames, and this is what you always used to sing
Chorus:
G
May the road rise to meet you
D G
May the wind be at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your land
G
May the rain fall soft upon your face
D G
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand
Outro:
G
And may the rain fall soft upon your face
D G
Until we meet again, and may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Line by Line Meaning
Summertime the sun would shine we'd lay across the field
During summer, we would lay across a field, basking in the sunlight.
Sheltered in the shadow of a tree
We found shade under a tree to shield us from the sun.
We'd write our poems to take along
We would write poems to take with us on our journey.
And sing out on the road
We would sing our songs while traveling.
And you would always sing this song to me
You always sang this song to me.
May the road rise to meet you
I wish for you to have a smooth journey with no hindrances on the road ahead.
May the wind be at your back
Hopefully, the wind will always be pushing you forward, aiding in your journey.
May the sun shine warm upon your land
I hope the sun will always shine warmly on your property.
May the rain fall soft upon your face
When it rains, I pray it will bring you good things gently and not harshly.
Until we meet again
Until we see each other again, perhaps on our next journey.
May God hold you in the palm of his hand
I pray God will always be there for your guidance and protection.
Autumn leaves that change our tree
The autumn leaves change the appearance of our tree.
To colours on the ground
The leaves are now colorful and have fallen to the ground.
Swirling patterns beautiful to see
The patterns the leaves create on the ground are pleasing to the eye.
I'd lay my head down on your lap
I would rest my head on your lap.
I wouldn't make a sound
I would be silent.
Though the winter days our tree would shiver in the wind
During the winter, our tree would sway in the wind due to the cold.
Waiting for the warming touch of spring
We eagerly awaited the arrival of spring when the weather would warm up.
I'd hold you in the firelight
We would sit near the fire and embrace each other's warmth.
And this is what you always used to sing
You frequently sang this song to me.
Contributed by Sadie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kees Kleinendorst
Brilliant ! I love this guy. Greetings to all Byrdsfans from Holland/europe
jiggermast
What a lovely song, simply lovely
El
That's a great interpretation of that song. We sing that (the classic version) every year for the spring concert at our high school to send off the seniors. This year, I'm a senior, and I think it's a great way to say goodbye for now.
Walt Brown
I've seen him close his shows with that beautiful blessing since the 90s! And he was giving those looks of love to Camilla, a truly wonderful lady who has been married to him 44 years as of spring, 2022.