Roger McGuinn (born James McGuinn III) is most famous for being a founding … Read Full Bio ↴Roger McGuinn (born James McGuinn III) is most famous for being a founding member, singer, guitarist, and songwriter in The Byrds. Since that band's demise he has had moderate success as a solo artist, working with many other artists, including Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. Some of his solo material has appeared in films, such as 1969's Easy Rider.
Roger, along with the other Byrds members, was honored with an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

Pete's Song
Roger McGuinn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There are three things
Most beautiful
In all the world we know
Nay, there are four
So wonderful
For mortal eyes to behold.

A bird on the wing

A snake on the rock
And a man and a maid in love
One more thing, yes, one more thing
And a ship under sail plowing the waves.

We'll never know all the how's and why's
But we know that we're here
And if we believe God gave us gifts
He'd want us to use them now
Today, this year.

To build a world where all can share
The big and small, the low and high

We'll never know if we will succeed
But I believe that we must try.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Pete's Song by Roger McGuinn describes the four beautiful things that we can find in the world, as described in the first stanza. The first three things are quite simple: a bird on the wing, a snake on the rock, and a man and a maid in love. However, the fourth is a bit more complex: a ship under sail plowing the waves. These things may seem mundane or even random but they hold a beautiful simplicity in their existence. The second stanza begins to address a more profound concept. While we may not understand everything in the world, we know that we are here and that we have been given talents and gifts by a higher power for a reason. McGuinn encourages the belief that we should use these talents to create a world that benefits everyone, not just a select few. Although we may not know if we will succeed, we must try.

The reference to the four beautiful things in the first stanza could be seen as a metaphor for life's simple pleasures. Often, we get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life that we forget to stop and appreciate the beauty around us. The second stanza presents a call to action. It reminds us that we have a purpose in this world and that we should use our unique gifts to make a positive impact on others. Pete's Song encourages listeners to think deeply about what they're doing with their lives and to pursue a purpose that benefits humanity.

Line by Line Meaning

There are three things
Roger McGuinn is about to list three beautiful things that he believes are wonderful to see

Most beautiful
Out of all the things one could consider beautiful, the three things he is about to list are the most beautiful

In all the world we know
These three beautiful things are things that can be experienced anywhere in the world

Nay, there are four
Actually, he realizes there are four things he wants to list instead of three

So wonderful
The four things he is about to list are not only beautiful, but also wonderful to see

For mortal eyes to behold.
These four things can be seen and appreciated by all human beings

A bird on the wing
The first beautiful thing he lists is a bird in flight

A snake on the rock
The second beautiful thing he lists is a snake resting on a rock

And a man and a maid in love
The third beautiful thing he lists is a couple in love

One more thing, yes, one more thing
He adds one more beautiful thing to the list

And a ship under sail plowing the waves.
The fourth beautiful thing he lists is a ship sailing on the ocean

We'll never know all the how's and why's
There will always be things in the world that we don't fully understand

But we know that we're here
We may not know everything, but at least we know we exist

And if we believe God gave us gifts
He suggests that if one believes in God, they may believe that they were given gifts or talents to use

He'd want us to use them now
If someone believes in God, they may feel it is important to use their gifts and talents in the present moment

Today, this year.
We should use our gifts and talents now, rather than waiting for some other time in the future

To build a world where all can share
He believes the ultimate goal should be to create a world where everyone can benefit equally

The big and small, the low and high
This world should include and benefit people of all types, regardless of their social status or wealth

We'll never know if we will succeed
He acknowledges that it's possible we may not be successful in achieving this goal

But I believe that we must try.
Regardless of the outcome, he believes it's important to make an effort to build a world where everyone can share equally

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: TRADITIONAL, PETER SEEGER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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