Post by Wood AvensOn Thu, 05 Feb 2004 11:50:53 +0000, Wood Avens
Post by Wood Avenshttp://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/t/thecryofthewildgoose.shtml.
I've always thought of that song against a mental backdrop of the
geese flying south in autumn, but the song doesn't actually say so.
In fact (replying to my own post) the words say "Spring is coming and
the ice will break", so the geese are starting to fly north.
I still tend to think of them flying south, even though I'm very
familiar with the lyrics. One of my early childhood memories is of my
mother quoting from this song when we'd see geese flying south every
autumn.
Back then, I didn't know it was a song -- it just seemed like some
timeless quote (perhaps from some early American poem). I found it
that it was a song when I was in my teens and bought a Frankie Laine
album that included it. It immediately became one of my favorite
songs -- and still is to this day (20-odd years later).
The song opens with them flying north, although the lyrics (posted at
the above link) are a bit off:
My heart knows what the wild goose knows
And I must go where the wild goose goes
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best?
A wanderin' fool or a heart at rest?
*The last line should read: "A wanderin' FOOT or a heart at rest?"
I used to think it said "fool" as well, but I've now got 3 different
versions of the song on cd, and all 3 clearly say "foot." Foot
actually makes more sense poetically, as the metaphoric choice in the
question is between 2 body parts: foot and heart.
I've seen several lyrics sites that erroneously list it as "fool."
Tonight I heard the wild goose cry
Hangin' north in the lonely sky
*This line is actually "WINGIN' north in the lonely sky." Geese don't
hover, after all.
Tried to sleep, it warn't no use
'cause I am a brother to the old wild goose
(Oh, my heart knows what the wild goose knows)
(And I must go where the wild goose goes)
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best?
A wanderin' FOOT or a heart at rest?
Woman was kind and true to me
She thinks she loves me, more fool she!
She's got a LEARN that ain't no use
*Hopefully that was just a typo on the transcriber's part.
To love a brother of the old wild goose
(Oh, my heart knows what the wild goose knows)
(And I must go where the wild goose goes)
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best?
A wanderin' FOOT or a heart at rest?
8(OH, YOU WILD GOOSE!)
The cabin is warm and the snow is deep
And I got a woman who lies asleep
She'll wake up tomorrow's dawn
And find, poor critter, that her man is gone
*There are slight variations on the above, and other, lines in the 3
versions. For example, the original recording runs: "WHEN SHE WAKES
AT tomorrow's dawn/SHE'LL FIND, poor critter, that her man is gone."
(Oh, my heart knows what the wild goose knows)
(And I must go where the wild goose goes)
(Wild goose, brother goose, which is best?)
(A wanderin' fool or a heart at rest?)
Let me fly, let me fly, let me fly away
Spring is comin' and the ice will break
And I can't linger for a woman's sake
She'll see a shadow pass overhead
And she'll find a feather 'side her bed
*There are also several variations on the above line, switching the
ownership of the bed.
(Oh, my heart knows what the wild goose knows)
(And I must go where the wild goose goes)
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best?
A wanderin' fool or a heart at rest?