Boulder to Birmingham
Starland Vocal Band Lyrics


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I don't wanna hear a love song
I got on this airplane just to fly
And I know there's life below me
But all that it can show me is the prairie and the sky

And I don't wanna hear a sad story
Full of heartbreak and desire
The last time I felt like this
I was in the wilderness and the canyon was on fire

And I stood on the mountain
In the night and I watched it burn
I watched it burn, I watched it burn

I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would hold my life in his saving grace
I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham
If I thought I could see, I could see your face

Well, you really got me this time
And the hardest part is knowing I'll survive
I've come to listen for the sound
Of the trucks as they move down out on ninety five

And pretend that it's the ocean
Coming down to wash me clean, to wash me clean
Baby, do you know what I mean

I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would hold my life in his saving grace
I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham
If I thought I could see, I could see your face

I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would hold my life in his saving grace
I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham




If I thought I could see, I could see your face
If I thought I could see, I could see your face

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Boulder to Birmingham" by Starland Vocal Band are about a person who is trying to escape their heartbreak and past. The singer is on a plane, trying to distance themselves from their life and emotions. They don't want to hear a sad love song or a story about heartbreak because it's too painful for them to bear. The last time they felt this way, they were in the wilderness and the canyon was on fire, symbolizing that their emotions were out of control.


The lyrics then transition to the singer wanting to be comforted by the bosom of Abraham, a reference to the biblical story of the afterlife. The singer wishes they could find comfort and salvation in a higher power. They would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham (which is a distance of over 1,000 miles) if they thought they could see the person they love. The singer is longing for love and connection, which they believe will save them from their heartbreak.


The lyrics evoke a sense of escape and longing for something greater. The singer is trying to distance themselves from their emotions, but at the same time, they can't help but hope for love and salvation. The song is a haunting and reflective ballad about the complexities of love and human emotions.


Line by Line Meaning

I don't wanna hear a love song
I am not interested in hearing a song about love.


I got on this airplane just to fly
I am on this airplane just for the pleasure of flying.


And I know there's life below me
I am aware that there is life below me.


But all that it can show me is the prairie and the sky
The view below me can only offer a sight of the prairie and the sky.


And I don't wanna hear a sad story
I do not want to listen to a story that is sad.


Full of heartbreak and desire
A story that is full of heartbreak and desire is not what I want to hear.


The last time I felt like this
I felt like this previously, under similar circumstances.


I was in the wilderness and the canyon was on fire
When I was in the wilderness, a canyon nearby caught fire.


And I stood on the mountain
I was standing at a mountain peak.


In the night and I watched it burn
I witnessed the canyon burning at night.


I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would find comfort in the afterlife.


I would hold my life in his saving grace
In the afterlife, I would trust in the protection of Abraham.


I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham
I would be willing to travel a great distance, from Boulder to Birmingham.


If I thought I could see, I could see your face
If I thought I would be able to see your face at the end of my journey, I would go to Birmingham.


Well, you really got me this time
You have emotionally affected me this time.


And the hardest part is knowing I'll survive
The most challenging part of my current experience is knowing that I will make it through.


I've come to listen for the sound
I have started paying attention to the sounds around me.


Of the trucks as they move down out on ninety five
I am listening to the trucks driving by on the ninety-five highway.


And pretend that it's the ocean
I am pretending that the sound of the trucks is the sound of the ocean.


Coming down to wash me clean, to wash me clean
I imagine the sound of the trucks as waves that cleanse me.


Baby, do you know what I mean
Do you understand what I am trying to say?


I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would find comfort in the afterlife.


I would hold my life in his saving grace
In the afterlife, I would trust in the protection of Abraham.


I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham
I would be willing to travel a great distance, from Boulder to Birmingham.


If I thought I could see, I could see your face
If I thought I would be able to see your face at the end of my journey, I would go to Birmingham.


I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham
I would find comfort in the afterlife.


I would hold my life in his saving grace
In the afterlife, I would trust in the protection of Abraham.


I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham
I would be willing to travel a great distance, from Boulder to Birmingham.


If I thought I could see, I could see your face
If I thought I would be able to see your face at the end of my journey, I would go to Birmingham.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Bill Danoff, Emmylou Harris

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

StarlandandMore

Thanks for including our version of Boulder, our live performance of this is on our channel

StarlandandMore

@Karen C thanks Karen, our live performance of Boulder is here on our channel.

Karen C

Yours was the first version I ever heard, and when I sing this song to myself, I still sing your version (sometimes more than one part 😎).
I love all renditions...

BestClassicCountryMusic

Thanks PIPERH Pierson & thanks to you all. Being a hardcore country music 🎶 fan of the 60's-90's your songs and music are what's missing in country music today...Appreciating more of the softer early pop/rock music of that era as well now, let's face it Country Music had gone AWOL to a certain degree...but I do appreciate your all's blessings in posting your music.. thanks so much again StarlandandMore ...Dan

StarlandandMore

@BestClassicCountryMusic yes we were Fat City, all of 9 albums are on our channel along with some unreleased music and our 1977 tv show and our live performances..feel free to share, we put this channel up with the help of PIPERH Pierson who suggested it as a way to reach our fans

5 More Replies...

john francis

Quite simply the best version of this great song . Beautiful vocals and superb musicianship from a very underrated band.

People of taste know how good they are.

Mark Loren

Just wonderful. What a performance. When I hear this, I have to remember to breath. You really got me this time.

John Doe

"The Canyon was on fire and I stood on the mountain..." From Boulder to Birmingham" a song that will always remind us of the horrific Boulder County fires Dec 2021-Jan 2022.

BestClassicCountryMusic

Yes..prayers and heartfelt sorry for the mass losses of everyone from this horrific event…blessings…Dan

Elizabeth Linsay

This version is beyond compare. I knew you would go far. I loved you then and I love you now.

Always, Elizabeth Lindsay

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