Their signature style is dreamy slow songs, with beautiful melodies.
The original band, including Mike Bitts (bass), and Steve Brown (drums), was formed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the early 80s when the members met during a Catholic school production of Godspell. Although all members of the band have contributed musically, Karen Peris does most of the group's writing.
Their eponymous debut album, released in 1989 (A&M Records), was produced by Larry Klein, then-husband of Joni Mitchell, and recorded in the couple’s basement recording studio. The album peaked on the Billboard charts at #167 in 1990, and the album’s second track, "Black Sheep Wall", released as a single in 1989, peaked at #22 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks. The album’s fifth track, "Clear to You", was used on the soundtrack of the pilot episode of Beverly Hills 90210. Klein also produced their 1991 follow up, Umbrella.
Their third and final A&M album, Glow, released in 1995 (A&M Records), Was produced by Dennis Herring, who had previously produced two records for Camper Van Beethoven. This album is a departure from Klein's heavier production style. Whereas the first two releases may have brought to mind The Sundays and The Cocteau Twins with their moody keyboards, Herring's lighter touch gave more emphasis to the group's guitar work and to Karen's vocals and lyrics.
Glow contains songs that appear on the soundtracks of the films Empire Records, and Dream for an Insomniac, as well as the television series Party of Five. The album’s second track, Bright as Yellow, peaked on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks at #33.
In 1999 the band recorded for a new label, Badman. Additionally, drummer Steve Brown left the band to pursue a career as a chef. On the subsequent album, Birds of My Neighborhood, Brown played drums and brushes on "Snow," but otherwise the group became a trio. Now bereft of drums, their sound took an even more acoustic direction. Some songs featured just Don and Karen, and a few, such as "She May Turn Around," featured only Karen's voice and instrumentation.
The 2000 release of Christ is My Hope, featuring religious music that had inspired them over the years, was independently released on their own website. Small Planes, released in 2001, featured outtakes from Glow and Birds of My Neighborhood. 2003's Befriended was their next "regular" album.
In 2004, the Innocence Mission released Now the Day is Over, a collection of lullabies. Except for "My Love Goes With You," all songs are cover versions, such as a stripped-down vocal and piano rendition of Henry Mancini's Moon River,
The Innocence Mission's new album We Walked in Song was released March 13, 2007.
Oh Do Not Fly Away
The Innocence Mission Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
till all the light and color
have stayed the whole of spring,
until I believe it.
And if, and if I count on you,
oh do not fly away.
I dare not count on you,
Oh can you tell me of the future,
if something is the matter?
I am afraid to look
down the road much further.
And if, and if I count on you,
oh do not fly away.
I dare not count on you,
it is too early to say.
All through the dog paths and hazel,
in every place I've entered,
I've looked for you to come,
years ago or sooner.
And if, and if I count on you,
oh do not fly away.
I dare not count on you,
it is too early to say.
The Innocence Mission's song "Oh Do Not Fly Away" appears to be about the fear of depending on someone or something in the future. The first verse talks about the hesitation to celebrate until there is complete proof that spring has arrived. This could be a metaphor for waiting until something is definite before allowing oneself to be happy or hopeful. The following verses continue the theme of uncertainty, with the singer expressing fear, hesitation, and a desire to avoid looking too far ahead.
The repeated refrain of "And if, and if I count on you, oh do not fly away. I dare not count on you, it is too early to say" communicates the singer's fear of being let down, abandoned, or disappointed by someone or something they are relying on. The song suggests that the fear of the uncertain future is a powerful force that can lead us to hold back from fully experiencing life.
Overall, "Oh Do Not Fly Away" is a poignant exploration of the challenges of trusting and depending on others, and the fear that comes with uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll wait to ring the bells awhile,
I will hold off on celebrating until I am sure it's real, until spring has fully bloomed and proved itself.
till all the light and color
Until every vibrant color and ray of light has saturated the season.
have stayed the whole of spring,
Until the entirety of spring has passed, confirming what it has promised since its first bloom.
until I believe it.
Only then, when I can trust that it has come to fruition, will I celebrate it fully.
And if, and if I count on you,
Assuming, just in case, that I need someone like you around.
oh do not fly away.
Please don't leave me, don't abandon me now.
I dare not count on you,
I don't have the courage to trust that you'll stick around.
it is too early to say.
It's too early to guarantee whether or not I will need you..
Oh can you tell me of the future,
Can you shed some light on what is to come?
if something is the matter?
I'm worried that something is wrong and I want to be prepared for it..
I am afraid to look
I'm scared to know what's down the path ahead if it's not what I'm hoping for.
down the road much further.
What if I look down that road and find you're not there anymore?
All through the dog paths and hazel,
Everywhere I've gone, through every twist and turn, every obscure path,
in every place I've entered,
In every place I've explored,
I've looked for you to come,
I've always hoped you'd show up, that you'd be there too.
years ago or sooner.
Whether it was years ago or just yesterday, I've always longed for you.
And if, and if I count on you,
Assuming, just in case, that I need someone like you around.
oh do not fly away.
Please don't leave me, don't abandon me now.
I dare not count on you,
I don't have the courage to trust that you'll stick around.
it is too early to say.
It's too early to guarantee whether or not I will need you.
Contributed by Mia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.