Lyrics for Flightless Bird, American Mouth as interpreted by campfirestring

Flightless Bird, American Mouth Lyrics
I was a quick wet boy
Diving too deep for coins
All of your straight blind eyes
Wide on my plastic toys
And when the cops closed the fair
I cut my long baby hair
Stole me a dog-eared map
And called for you everywhere

Have I found you?
Flightless bird, jealous, weeping
Or lost you?
American mouth
Big bill looming

Now I'm a fat house cat
Cursing my sore blunt tongue
Watching the warm poison rats
Curl through the wide/white fence cracks
Kissing on magazine photos
Those fishing lures thrown in the cold and clean
Blood of Christ mountain stream

Have I found you?
Flightless bird, brown hair bleeding
Or lost you?
American mouth
Big bill, stuck going down

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nickvb
03-05-2007

Rated 0 
fast becoming one of my favourite I&W i'd love to see him release it

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1 Reply
mantooth
03-20-2007

Rated 0 
this song is beautiful. it's going to be on his next cd, the shepard's dog.

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pervnerve
04-29-2007

Rated 0 
"'The Shepherd's Dog'... as in d-a-w-g." ~Sam Beam

This is a beautiful final piece, for both the concert and the album. I cannot wait to hear it polished up. It's already sublime.

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nickvb
06-14-2007

Rated 0 
yay the album has leaked. the album version is even better than the live version(s). incredible.

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caitlynnoel
06-14-2007

Rated +2 
listening to the album leak, it sounds more like he's singing 'street light' or 'straight, light' not 'straight blind' to me...maybe i'm just deaf. haha

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OpinionHead
10-01-2007

Rated 0 
Whatever the real meaning, this song is stunning. To the end the album, this is a perfect choice. Reminds me of "Dead Man's Will" in a way with the solemn sound and soft prose. The music sounds more orchestral than the instrumentation on "Dead Man's", but that comparison is really cosmetic and nothing more.

I like this tune.

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ambervoodoo
10-03-2007

Rated 0 
amazing song. just heard the album version and when the chorus kicked in... every hair stood on edge!!! I think this song is infused with american politics but also feel a failed love senerio looming beneath... something spoiled or gone bad. Maybe its one in the same.. our failure as a communtity, in love, in america.. in over our heads.. ?

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songyone
10-28-2007

Rated 0 
I think the lyrics in the first verse are:

"All of your street light eyes"

I agree with others who said this is about America... It is a lament, really. A sort of broken-hearted love song to America.

In any event, it is just strikingly beautiful.

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legsaregoing
12-11-2007

Rated +2 
I just picked up the album, and the lyrics are in the CD. He might sing it differently live, but assuming it was just hard to hear, corrections are needed:
It is officially "Street light eyes."
2nd verse: "*wide* fence cracks" is correct.
Last Chorus: "Flightless Bird, *grounded*, bleeding"
The last line is "Big *pill*, stuck going down"

My thoughts: This is surely a lament of lost America, in my opinion. It starts with childhood memories, toys, the County Fair: Leave it to Beaver America. Then the "cops" shut it down, he grows up "cut my long baby hair" and he is searching... "called for you everywhere", with an "American mouth"

The second verse gets into this loss of voice thing that is really cool: the house cat, too fat to do anything about the rats in the yard, his tongue sore from talking. This is a powerful analogy IMO about feeling alienated and voiceless in America, unable to help the broken/flightless/bleeding bird....er....bald eagle?? Is it lost or found? too late or are we to save it??

Also, you might find it interesting that Sam uses the same chords/progression in this song as in the 50's classic "Earth Angel" (think "back to the future" and the Dance scene). Slowed down a bit, of course. (for you guitarists: capo on 5th, then C, Am, F, G)

Great song!

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3 Replies
kellyisadickslap
12-26-2007

Rated +1 
i think its "pissing on magazine photos"

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1 Reply
Elegnaim
03-04-2008

Rated 0 
The thing with the cat reminds me about something Bill Maher once said, about how married men live longer, and how housecats also live longer, but they tend to be sad, broken masses of fur that can only stare at a world they never get to experience or something to that effect.

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nachosgrande
05-02-2008

Rated +3 
IMO, there are dual, yet similar, themes running through this song: (1) an individual's loss of innocence/idealism; and (2) the degradation/dissolution of the mythical "American" dream.

The first verse sets our protagonist as an innocent child (quick, wet, diving too deep) - newly born, baptized, full of energy/enthusiasm, carefree. We get a glimpse of what's to come through the "blind" eyes of the adult world whom the child can already see seem focused on material things ("plastic toys"). The "cops" (his own adulthood) crash the party and he's forced to grow up and give up his pure youthful enjoyment of life (cut his baby hair). Thus, he begins his quest to find his meaning/life in this adult American landscape. For me, it also brings to mind the end of the idealism of the peace/protest movement of the late 60's...the system crushes the uprising...the hippies cut their hair...and wander off...going on to what?

Well, the second verse tells us exactly where our protagonist's journey has landed him...a big fat safe spot with the adults of his youth. He's achieved the "American Dream", or has he? Now all talk and no action. He curses himself and the wrong/injustice he sees around him, yet he idly sits and watches these "poison rats" (the establishment, big business, corrupt government) slither by and destroy his ideal world. He bides his time in his magazines, finding pleasure in viewing some advertisement of folks fishing in some idyllic river. He is not out there himself, but even if he was, he would be merely pillaging/ruining/sacrificing a place of nature ("blood of christ mountain stream").

It's a really depressing song, but it's certainly beautiful.

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1 Reply
cryingatbirth
05-18-2008

Rated 0 
i think this song reflects a lot of the same ideas as "boy with a coin." Both reference a lot of the same ideas. I think it specifically is a commentary on commercialism, war, greed and america screwing up. It is a perfect ending to a brillant cd.

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chelsea_logan
10-08-2008

Rated 0 
Pretty sure it's "big PILL looming" and "big PILL stuck going down" not "bill"...

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DreamAwake
10-24-2008

Rated 0 
Wow, k... why would they put this on the twilight soundtrack? Unless they've decided to make twilight a political satire... Pretty sure that's not the case.

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6 Replies
arynlea
10-28-2008

Rated +1 
I was at Borders and flipped through the movie guide that they have there for TWILIGHT. I read that Kristen Stewart picked this song for the prom scene song. I could be wrong cause i was just skimming through but I'm pretty sure thats what it said.

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frontrowbaby
11-13-2008

Rated +1 
Kristen Stewart did pick it for the Prom scene...and rightfully so in my opinion. This is a beautiful song. Iron & wine are a brilliant band.

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crumbs
11-13-2008

Rated 0 
Wow, I'm suprised people are shocked this song was chosen. I just read it was included for the soundtrack and am thrilled as Ive loved i&w for quite awhile... anyhow, I think this was a wonderful choice. Not only is the mood and beauty so prominent but I think there are some links you can draw to vampires (and yes, I agree its about Politics! Just saying if you want to see the links they are there, like most things).
eg. "Have I found you? Flightless bird" immediatley reminded me Edward Cullen's whole flying without wings thing... Plus the repetition of found/lost being a prominent phrase throughout "i don't want to lose you...".
And yes, I know it wasn't written with any thought at all for its presentation in Twilight but frankly I can't wait to be sitting in the cinema and here this come on, not only for the movie and the beautiful music but for the fact that this song, to some degree reflects the whole emotional beauty and torment to the book/film.
Plus, it may get some more people into Iron and Wine

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plainnjaine
11-21-2008

Rated 0 
I've never heard the band prior to listening to this song. BUT! I must say it is very beautiful! I stumbled on it upon watching the movie "Twilight" and just HAD to know what the title was! Whatever the meaning is, it's still on repeat!

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TridentRPG
11-21-2008

Rated 0 
Yeah this is the first time I've ever heard of Iron And Wine as well (from seeing Twilight). I thought it was gorgeous and had to find out who it was by to get it, and yes I agree that this song can be related to the story of this movie, very well so. As in how Edward does not want to bring his new love into the eternal life she desires so much, she's wants to be with him forever, and he's not sure of giving it to her and questions her if just a long life with him is enough... anyways, beautiful song :)

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LilSpiceGirl
11-24-2008

Rated 0 
I think that Such Great Heights would have worked well too.. Since it's a love song and all. But this song is good too. I didn't even know that Iron & Wine was on the soundtrack. They're amazing and I love them. =] And Twilight =D

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Juxta
11-25-2008

Rated 0 
I have to say I was very surprised to hear Sam Beam start singing during Twilight of all movies. I'm not really sure if it really goes as well with the movie as some are saying. I do think it's great that it raising awareness of his supreme music and it is hkjhb wonderful song. I was wondering what the "American Mouth" is referring to exactly I have an idea but I'm not really sure...

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hdsweetpea
11-25-2008

Rated 0 
legsaregoing

It's capo on 2nd fret, the chord procession is correct though :D

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antiistatic
11-27-2008

Rated 0 
So, even though I hate Twilight, this comment has nothing to do with that.
I believe that this song was misplaced in the movie. It has nothing to do with the scene that it's in.

Other than that, I really like this song, Sam's voice is so smooth and soothing, and I love laying with my partner and listening to Iron & Wine's CD's, and this song has became one of our new favorite ones.

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2 Replies
off_piste_chick
11-27-2008

Rated 0 
I agree that this song was written with political meaning. However, I think when applied in a different context this song fits Twilight very well. The first verse describes the life Bella has as a human. As a human being she is and will be able to fully experience the joys of life. The second verse describes what Bella's life would be like if she became a vampire. She would just be stuck unchanging in the world watching human beings live life. She would be unable to get truly involved in the world as to protect her secret. Has Isabella Swan finally found the life she wants, or by involving herself with Edward Cullen is she going to lose the life she is meant to live?

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