White Valiant
The Mutton Birds Lyrics


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you're from the family that moved in up the valley
it's lucky i picked you up and not somebody else
we'll have to turn inland there's been a landslide at the quarry
though i say it myself you couldn't have better help
if you found yourself losing your way though here

you can still see the moon
though it's the middle of the morning
you can smell the clay
like i say, you can count yourself lucky
not many people know this way

let's turn off for a minute, i've seen something
let's take a look now
hold on tight, this stretch has needed fixing for years
over there i knew it, can read these roads like a book now
if you drive them every day
in the last half hour a lot of cars have been through here

you can still see the moon
though it's the middle of the morning
you can smell the clay
like i say, you can count yourself lucky
not many people know this way

here we are
on a hill over there
see all the cars parked in a field
and the crowd walking down the fenceline

you can still see the moon
though it's the middle of the morning
you can smell the clay
like i say, you can count yourself lucky
not many people know this way

remember where we left the car
remember where we left the car




remember it's a white valiant
remember it's a white valiant

Overall Meaning

The Mutton Birds' "White Valiant" tells the story of a man driving a car with a passenger in a rural area, who appears to be unfamiliar with the area. The man claims to know the roads like a book and mentions a landslide at a quarry, showing an intimate familiarity with the area. He also highlights how lucky the passenger is that he picked them up and not someone else, implying that others may not be as helpful or trustworthy as he is. As they drive, the man notices a crowd of parked cars and people walking down a fenceline. The song ends with a reminder to remember where they left the car, which is a white valiant.


On a surface level, the song appears to be about picking up a hitchhiker and showing them around a rural area. However, it could also be interpreted as a commentary on trust and the kindness of strangers. The man in the song appears to be someone the listener can trust, but the subtle reminder to remember where the car is and what type of car it is, highlights the need to be cautious of those we trust.


Line by Line Meaning

you're from the family that moved in up the valley
You come from the family that recently moved into the valley.


it's lucky i picked you up and not somebody else
I'm thankful that I found you instead of someone else.


we'll have to turn inland there's been a landslide at the quarry
We need to take a detour because there was a landslide at the quarry.


though i say it myself you couldn't have better help
I'm confident that I'm the best person to help you right now.


if you found yourself losing your way though here
If you ever find yourself getting lost in this area.


you can still see the moon
Despite the time of day, the moon is still visible.


though it's the middle of the morning
Even though it's in the middle of the morning.


you can smell the clay
The air has a distinct smell of clay.


like i say, you can count yourself lucky
You should feel fortunate for this experience.


not many people know this way
Only a small number of people know about this route.


let's turn off for a minute, i've seen something
Let's take a brief detour because I saw something interesting.


hold on tight, this stretch has needed fixing for years
This road has been needing repairs for a long time, so hold on tight.


over there i knew it, can read these roads like a book now
I'm familiar with this area and know these roads well.


in the last half hour a lot of cars have been through here
A significant number of cars have been passing through this area in the last half hour.


here we are on a hill over there
We have arrived at a hill nearby.


see all the cars parked in a field
There are many cars parked in a nearby field.


and the crowd walking down the fenceline
There is also a group of people walking down a fenced area.


remember where we left the car
Don't forget where our car is parked.


remember it's a white valiant
And don't forget that our car is a white valiant.




Contributed by Claire E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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