Swan Swan Hummingbird

[AmigaJoe]

By R.E.M. of course. Any thoughts on what this tune is about? Seems to concern the Civil War but beyond that I don't know. A lot of the lines seem like nonsense, which they may well be, but I'd like another's opinion.

thx

[Farin]

it is indeed about the Civil War, but it doesn't have any deeper meanig...

according to "R.E.M. Inside Out", it was written after the band's bus broke down in Elk's Bow, Wyoming. They had nothing to do, so they drank a lot and among other songs wrote "Swan Swan H" (within 20 minutes)...

so the majority of the lyrics is, indeed, nonsense

I hope that could help you

and welcome to Songfacts

[Shawna]

this might help people in putting in their two cents.

Swan, swan, hummingbird

Hurrah, we are all free now

What noisy cats are we

Girl and dog he bore his cross

Swan, swan, hummingbird

Hurrah, we are all free now

A long, low time ago, people talk to me

Johnny Reb, what's the price of fans

Forty a piece or three for one dollar?

Hey captain, don't you want to buy

Some bone chains and toothpicks?

Night wings, her hair chains,

Here's your wooden greenback, sing

Wooden beams and dovetail sweep

I struck that picture ninety times,

I walked that path a hundred ninety,

Long, low time ago, people talk to me

A pistol hot cup of rhyme

The whiskey is water, the water is wine

Marching feet, Johnny Reb, what's the price of heroes?

Six in one, half dozen the other,

Tell that to the captain's mother,

Hey captain, don't you want to buy,

Some bone chains and toothpicks?

Night wings, her hair chains

Swan, swan, hummingbird

Hurrah, we are all free now

What noisy cats are we

Long, low time ago, people talk to me

A pistol hot cup of rhyme,

The whiskey is water, the water is wine