Waldman's solo career had an auspicious beginning. The first Wendy Waldman album, "Love Has Got Me," was released by Warner Bros. Records in 1973 and proclaimed by Rolling Stone Magazine to be the "singer-songwriter debut of the year." She has made eight critically acclaimed solo albums and toured extensively as well. In 1996, Warner Bros. released Love Is The Only Goal: The Best Of Wendy Waldman, followed in 2005 with the reissue of her entire catalog of Warner albums. More than 70 other artists have recorded her songs in fields as diverse as pop, R&B, jazz, country, film and Latin music. Among her biggest records are "Save The Best For Last" and "The Sweetest Days" by Vanessa Williams; "Fishin' In The Dark" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (most recently covered by Garth Brooks); "Baby What About You" by Crystal Gayle; "I Owe You One" by Aaron Neville; "Heartbeat" by Don Johnson, "I'm Gone" by Alison Krauss.
Waldman became the first woman to produce country music extensively and was responsible for Suzy Bogguss' award-winning debut album, as well as New Grass Revival's "Friday Night in America," considered a tour de force in the acoustic music world. In recent years she has focused on producing independent artists, among them John Cowan, Arthur Lee Land, Brian Joseph and Anna Wolfe. Her most recent production projects include Acoustic Sunset: Live At The Longhouse (the latest album from Los Angeles based rock band Hypnogaja), and Thief Of Time, the new recording by the late Artie Traum. She recently put the finishing touches on a brand new solo album entitled My Time In The Desert, her first in 18 years. Wendy recently filmed a music video for the set's first single, "My Last Thought," with critically acclaimed director, Graham Baclagon.
Wild Bird
Wendy Waldman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sing a song that I can't capture
I'll make it up to you somehow
High my hat was hung there for a while
On a pole set up Norwegian style
Ready to show them what I can
Little bird came flying by
That bird was singing out of range
And I got lost into a haze
He couldn't pick me up so I took him down
To be the centre of my crown
And I thought he'd make the change
He was singing out of range
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
If you can understand and now
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
You know it will never be the same
Truly wild will never tame
And I think it is a shame
Cuz all of the sudden he stopped singing his song
I lost my mind and all went wrong
I've got a heavy hand
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
Wild bird flying
Sing a song I can't capture
I'll make it up to you
If you can understand and now
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
Wild bird flying
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
The lyrics to "Wild Bird" by Wendy Waldman tell the story of a protagonist who tries to capture the essence of a wild bird's song but is unable to quite capture it. The bird's melody was elusive, singing "out of range" and leaving the singer in a "haze." She takes the bird down, hoping it will change its tune and make it easier for her to capture it. In the end, the bird stops singing, and the singer is left with a heavy heart and the knowledge that true wildness can never be tamed.
The metaphorical meaning of the song is about the loss of innocence and the desire to capture something pure and untainted. The wild bird represents the pure and unadulterated nature of the world, and the desire to capture its essence shows the singer's hunger for something authentic and unspoiled. The singer's attempt to make it easier for herself to capture the bird's song represents our human desire to manipulate and control everything around us, often to our detriment.
Overall, the lyrics of "Wild Bird" are insightful and thought-provoking, exploring themes of desire, loss, and the struggle to hold onto something pure in a world that can often seem chaotic and fraught with difficulties.
Line by Line Meaning
Wild Bird flying
The singer is observing a wild bird flying.
Sing a song that I can't capture
The bird is singing a song that the singer cannot capture or understand fully.
I'll make it up to you somehow
The singer feels a sense of obligation to the bird for not being able to fully appreciate its song and promises to make it up to the bird in some way.
High my hat was hung there for a while
The singer was in a position of high status.
On a pole set up Norwegian style
The singer's hat was displayed in a way similar to traditional Norwegian style.
Ready to show them what I can
The singer was ready to show off her abilities and prove herself.
Little bird came flying by
The bird surprised the singer by flying by.
And as northern flames light up the sky
The sky is illuminated by northern lights.
That bird was singing out of range
The bird's song was beyond the singer's range of understanding.
And I got lost into a haze
The singer became confused and disoriented.
He couldn't pick me up so I took him down
The singer was unable to understand the bird's song, so she brought the bird down to her level of perspective.
To be the centre of my crown
The bird became the center of the singer's attention.
And I thought he'd make the change
The singer believed that the bird would help her understand its song.
You know it will never be the same
The singer comes to the realization that things will never be the same again.
Truly wild will never tame
The wild nature of the bird cannot be tamed or controlled.
And I think it is a shame
The singer thinks it is a shame that she is unable to fully appreciate the bird's song.
Cuz all of the sudden he stopped singing his song
The bird suddenly stops singing its song.
I lost my mind and all went wrong
The singer becomes upset and confused.
I've got a heavy hand
The singer feels a sense of responsibility for not being able to fully understand the bird's song.
If you can understand and now
The singer hopes that someone else will be able to understand the bird's song.
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
The singer promises to make it up to the bird in some way.
Wild bird flying
The singer is still observing the wild bird flying.
I'm gonna make it up to you somehow
The singer reiterates her promise to make it up to the bird.
Wild bird flying
The song ends with the repeated image of the wild bird flying.
Contributed by Amelia K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.