Pretty Bird Lyrics – Dave Matthews

Song Facts:

• Artist: Dave Matthews
• Genre: Acoustic / Folk

Annotations and Meaning:

"Pretty Bird," by Dave Matthews, is a lachrymose poem which reflects his thoughts and ideas on love, freedom, and the impermanence of beauty. The light verse, comforting melody, seems to carry great meaning in letting go and relationships being transient but at the same time uplift the timeless beauty of the person loved. The words "Fly away, little pretty bird / Fly, fly far away" are doubled as a chorus and a kind of thematic statement in the song, providing a sort of emotional setting free—or maybe the realization of someone loved. Repeating "freedom, the natural course" enforces the importance of "freedom" and the "natural course." Because true love sometimes does require being set free for the other's good. The line "And pretty you will always stay" encapsulates the depth in unconditional love: an acceptance that the beauty and even the essence of the loved one have not decayed from time or miles. This is definitely the form of timeless admiration that goes beyond any other faculties of simply being. "Love's own tender flame warms this meeting, and love's tender song you sing" reflects in a beautiful way the tenderness and warmth with which love encompasses and envelops human beings, as if it were a nurturing force. The imagery of the flame of love and song brings a feeling of soothing and harmony, hence emphasizing that love can really comfort and soothe people. The line "I cannot make you no promise / For love is such a delicate thing" acknowledges the complexities and uncertainties within love relationships. She realized in some respect that love is brittle, and even though it may be powerful, it can't be promised by any means. Finally, "Pretty Bird" by Dave Matthews says it all: love has to let go, where there's freedom in change. A poignant release is the message that the song conveys—it's rather an acknowledgment that when one loves with deep regard, he or she loves someone enough to let them go free to fly while holding them in his or her heart forever beautiful. That is a timeless reminder of how beautiful it is to be selfless in caring for someone, far beyond one's desires for closeness.