El Condor Passa "If I Could"
Simon and Garfunkel Tribute Band Lyrics

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I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail
Yes I would
If I could
I surely would
I'd rather be a hammer than a nail
Yes I would
If I could
I surely would

Away, I'd rather sail away
Like a swan that's here and gone
A man grows older every day
It gives the world
Its saddest sound
Its saddest sound

I'd rather be a forest than a street
Yes I would
If I could
I surely would

I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet
Yes I would
If I could
I surely would

Away, I'd rather sail away
Like a swan that's here and gone
A man grows older every day
It gives the world

Its saddest sound
Its saddest sound

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "If I Could" by Simon and Garfunkel Tribute Band's song El Condor Passa are an expression of the singer's desire to be something greater than what they currently are. The comparisons made between a sparrow and a snail, and a hammer and a nail, suggest a desire for freedom and power. The singer would rather be a bird that soars through the sky than a slow-moving slug, or a tool that creates something than an object that is used and discarded. The second stanza continues to express this need for escape, as the singer describes wanting to sail away like a bird, rather than being tied down to aging and the inevitable decay of existence.

The final verse takes a slightly different tack, as the singer expresses their wish to be closer to nature rather than the urbanity of modern life. They would prefer to be a forest than a street and to be connected to the earth beneath their feet. This is perhaps an extension of the idea of freedom and escape, as the forest is a symbol of the natural world, untamed and unchained. All in all, the song is an expression of the human need for transcendence, the desire to be something greater than ourselves and to escape the limitations imposed on us by our physical bodies and the world around us.

Line by Line Meaning

I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail
If given a choice, I would prefer to be a fast-moving bird like a sparrow than a slow-paced creature like a snail.

Yes I would
The singer affirms their preference for being a sparrow over a snail.

If I could
The singer acknowledges that this is a hypothetical situation, and that they are unable to actually become a sparrow.

I surely would
The artist strongly affirms that they would take the opportunity to become a sparrow if it were possible.

I'd rather be a hammer than a nail
The artist expresses their preference for being the one in control (a hammer) rather than being at the mercy of others (a nail).

Away, I'd rather sail away
The singer desires to escape their current situation, and would prefer to go somewhere else instead.

Like a swan that's here and gone
The singer aspires to a graceful and beautiful existence, like that of a swan.

A man grows older every day
The artist acknowledges the inevitable process of aging and the passing of time.

It gives the world
The process of aging results in something being given to the world - in this case, a certain sound.

Its saddest sound
The sound being referred to is a representation of the sorrow or unhappiness that comes with growing older and realizing the passage of time.

I'd rather be a forest than a street
The singer expresses their preference for living amongst nature (a forest) as opposed to an urban, man-made environment (a street).

I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet
The artist desires to be connected to the natural world, and to feel the ground beneath them.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PAUL SIMON, JORGE MILCHBERG, DANIEL ALOMIA ROBLES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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