“When I was young my heart was young then too
Anything that it would tell me,
that’s the thing that I would do
But now I feel such emptiness within
For the thing that I want most in life
Is the thing I can’t win“
Wow, that’s very powerful isn’t it? Just how many can relate to those lines? The anticipation ahead when we’re young versus the stark realities of unmet expectations as life unfolds, is often a very harsh truth to absorb.
Emptiness inside, felt within one’s soul, is truly an awful feeling, cavernous, cold and void.
“The one I love forever is untrue
And if I could you know
that I would fly away with you …..“
Snowbird, I beg, please take me away with you, back to when life was predictable and easy. Back where Spring always followed Winter. Back when we could depend on expected paths to rightly follow our hearts.
“The breeze along the river seems to say
That she’ll only break my heart again
should I decide to stay.“
Defeat becomes the anticipated course way. There is no yellow brick road to follow so why do we seek it?
How sad the lyric components of this beautiful song come to express such of life’s disappointment.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Many recognize this gentle easy tune as the 1970 hit of Canadian award winning artist Anne Murray. But Elvis Presley music lovers also know the cover he did from the Elvis Country LP recorded on September 22, 1970.
It was Canadian songwriter Gene MacLellan from Prince Edward Island who penned this song after he was inspired by his observation of a flock of snow buntings on a beach. I love the fact he was from P.E.I., a beautiful place I am hoping to visit in 2023.
Did you know this prolific and talented song writer also created another tune the King recorded?
“Put Your Hand in the Hand” was MacLellan’s also. It’s a shame such a creative composer suffered severely with depression and died in 1995 by suicide. Sadly, mental health issues do not respect professions.
Listening to the satiny smooth Presley voice is by far the most positive redeeming quality of this soulful song, if you are one who happens to pay attention to the poetry of the lyrics.
————————————————————————
Snowbird
(Words and music by Gene MacLellan)
Beneath this snowy mantle cold and clean
The unborn grass lies waiting
for its coat to turn to green
The snowbird sings a song he always sings
And speaks to me of flowers
that will bloom again in spring
When I was young my heart was young then too
Anything that it would tell me,
that’s the thing that I would do
But now I feel such emptiness within
For the thing that I want most in life
Is the thing I can’t win
Spread your tiny wings and fly away
And take the snow back with you
Where it came from on that day
The one I love forever is untrue
And if I could you know
that I would fly away with you
The breeze along the river seems to say
That she’ll only break my heart again
should I decide to stay
So little snowbird take me with you when you go
To that land of gentle breezes
where the peaceful waters flow
Recorded: 1970/09/22, first released on Elvis Country
TCB Radio Network 