As the Crow Flies
Tony Joe White Lyrics


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As the crow flies, baby
Will I ain't so far from you
As the crow flies, baby
Will I ain't so far from you
But since I don't have wings
I can't get home as fast as I want to
As the crow flies, baby
Will I ain't so far from you
As the crow flies, baby
Will I ain't so far from you
But since I don't have wings
I can't get home as fast as I want to
In a dream last night
Where I heard you call my name
In a dream last night
Where I heard you call my name
Well, I took it as an omen
And I jumped on the very first weight train
Yeah, as the crow flies
Well, you don't know baby
How I miss you sweet caress
Well, you don't know baby
How I miss you sweet caress
When I'm in your lovin' arms
I swear I make my very best
As the crow flies, baby
That's how I'm on my way
As the crow flies, baby
I'm on my way
But don't stop runnin'




I can get home for the break of day
Get home for the break of day (x7)

Overall Meaning

The song "As the Crow Flies" by Tony Joe White is a blues rock ballad that tells the story of a man who is far away from the one he loves, but is determined to make his way back to her. The chorus, "As the crow flies, baby, well I ain't so far from you, but since I don't have wings, I can't get home as fast as I want to" portrays the frustration of the singer who is unable to reach his lover as quickly as he wishes he could. He explains that in a dream, he heard her call his name and took it as a sign to make his way back to her. The lyrics suggest that while the distance between them may be great, his love for her is strong enough to motivate him to make the journey.


The verse, "Well, you don't know baby, how I miss your sweet caress. When I'm in your lovin' arms, I swear I make my very best," reveals the depth of the singer's feelings for his lover. It shows that he is not just physically distant from her, but also emotionally longing to be with her. The final verse, "But don't stop runnin', I can get home for the break of day," expresses the urgency of the singer's desire to be with his lover and encourages her to wait for him until he arrives.


Line by Line Meaning

As the crow flies, baby
I'm not very far away from you


Will I ain't so far from you
I am trying to convey that I am not too far away from my lover


But since I don't have wings
I don't have the ability to fly like birds in the sky


I can't get home as fast as I want to
It is taking me longer to get back to my lover than I would like


In a dream last night
I had a dream last night


Where I heard you call my name
You called my name in my dream


Well, I took it as an omen
I interpreted the dream as a sign


And I jumped on the very first weight train
I decided to take the first train back to you


Yeah, as the crow flies
I intend to make the trip back as efficiently as possible


Well, you don't know baby
You may not realize


How I miss you sweet caress
I am longing for your loving embrace


When I'm in your lovin' arms
I feel complete and content when I am with you


I swear I make my very best
I genuinely try to be the best version of myself when we are together


That's how I'm on my way
I am en route in the most direct manner available to me


But don't stop runnin'
Please keep waiting for me


I can get home for the break of day
I will arrive back in your arms by daybreak




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TONY JOE WHITE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Winterstick549

It's a real shame so many of you find it impossible to appreciate both Tony and Rory's versions.

null

I LOVE both versions!! If it wasn't for Rory's "Irish Tour '74," I would've never checked-out Tony. Tony an exceptional singer, composer, and musician,

Tadhg Bean-Bradley Music

Great track I found as a result of Rory’s cover. Love both versions, completely different to each other.

Robert Donaldson

Rory Gallagher introduced me to this song 40 plus years ago. I'm just getting around to hear the original. Procrastination is my specialty

Paul Hezard

It's a very good version indeed, but Tony's blues is soooo funky!!

Simon Wyatt

Such a good track, thanks for sharing.

Shardash odysseo58

A Great Bluesman.....rip

Big Tex

Tony Joe's version all the way! Swamp funk baby!!

Thor Nil

As a Rory Gallagher fan I like this version. I did not feel people were putting down one version or the other. When someone plays a song that means he likes that song and the person who wrote it. It's like comparing Carol by Chuck Berry or the Stones. It makes no sense.

Jussi T

I don't think the reason why Rory covered this song was that he didn't like the original song. Just saying! He must've respected Tony Joe White so I don't get the hateful comments. Rory's version is very special to me, but I don't think it's even fair to compare the two songs because they are completely different. And I think that no matter how good a cover version of a song is, it wouldn't excist without the original song and that's good to remember.

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