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 to Meet You
Roger McGuinn Lyrics
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We'd lay across the field
Sheltered in the shadow of a tree
We'd write our poems to take along
To sing out on the road
And you would always sing this song to me.
May the road rise to meet you
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.
Autumn leaves would change our trees
To colors 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.
Through the winter days our tree
Would shiver in the wind
Waiting for the warning touch of Spring
I'd hold you in the firelight-
We'd stare into the flame
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
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
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.
The lyrics of Roger McGuinn's song "May the Road Rise to Meet You" talk about the seasons changing and the passage of time in a relationship. The opening lines describe summertime, when the couple would lay in a field and write poems to take with them on their travels. The singer tells us that his partner always sang this song to him - a powerful blessing that wishes the person traveling a safe, pleasant journey. The song's chorus repeats this sentiment, calling on the power of God to guide the traveler.
As the lyrics progress, the couple navigates through autumn and winter, with the leaves changing colors and the tree shivering in the wind. The singer describes holding his partner close and staring into the firelight. In each season, the partner sings the same song as in the opening lines, providing a sense of continuity and stability in a changing world.
The song's title and central refrain come from an old Irish blessing - "May the road rise to meet you/May the wind be at your back" and so on. This blessing is often used at weddings, funerals, and other significant life events. McGuinn's song takes the blessing and uses it to describe a lifelong romance, implying that the singer and his partner will continue to travel through life together, always wishing each other well.
Line by Line Meaning
Summertime - the sun would shine
During the summer, the sun would radiate its light on us.
We'd lay across the field
We would lie down together on the field.
Sheltered in the shadow of a tree
We would find refuge from the sun under the shade of a tree.
We'd write our poems to take along
We would pen our poetic verses to have them handy for the journey ahead.
To sing out on the road
We would sing our songs aloud while on the journey.
And you would always sing this song to me.
You would always sing this particular song to me.
May the road rise to meet you
I hope that the journey you embark on goes smoothly.
May the wind be at your back
May the wind blow in the direction you're moving, giving you momentum.
May the sun shine warm upon your land
May the sun provide you with warmth and light on your way.
May the rain fall soft upon your face until we meet again
May the raindrops that fall upon your face be gentle until we see each other again.
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
May God take care of you and keep you safe.
Autumn leaves would change our trees
The autumn would transform the leaves on our trees.
To colors on the ground
The leaves would change colors and fall to the ground.
Swirling patterns beautiful to see
The arrangement of the leaves on the ground was beautiful to observe.
I'd lay my head down on your lap
I would recline with my head on your lap.
I wouldn't make a sound
I would be quiet and peaceful in that position.
Through the winter days our tree
Our tree would be sustained through the winter.
Would shiver in the wind
It would shudder in the blustering wind.
Waiting for the warning touch of Spring
It would await the coming of Spring, signaled by a certain touch.
I'd hold you in the firelight-
We would stay close to the fire.
We'd stare into the flame
We would gaze fixedly at the fire.
And this is what you always used to sing.
You would sing this song on those occasions too.
Contributed by Colton O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.