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Sparrows Over Birmingham Lyrics

Fell down on both knees, you were young
Bones still soft, legs fell numb
Oh, how those sparrows sang for you

So you grew up an isolated pup
You had some books, you had some love
Oh, God was watching over you
Oh, how those sparrows sang for you

You witnessed a man, a holy man
Touched your head with his gentle hands
Oh, God was watching over you

Lived in a house in birmingham
A preacher's son, the Lord's plan
Oh, God was watching over you
Oh, how those sparrows sang for two

When you arrived, carried you there
Near the preacher's son, your only love
Oh, God was watching over you

Wedding bells rang, church choir sang
A gospel song, a beautiful one
Oh, such a melancholy tune
Oh, how it reminds me of you
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8 Meanings

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Cover art for Sparrows Over Birmingham lyrics by Josh Rouse

I'm shocked that no one has commented on this song. It's definitely one of Josh Rouse's best.

The meaning seems to be pretty simple - reflecting on a past love that seems to be have passed away. A beautiful melancholy tune.

Cover art for Sparrows Over Birmingham lyrics by Josh Rouse

wow. i discovered this song thanks to the Girl Next Door soundtrack and the use of this song in that movie is magical. definitely a great one.

Cover art for Sparrows Over Birmingham lyrics by Josh Rouse

Amazing song...

Cover art for Sparrows Over Birmingham lyrics by Josh Rouse

this song is so beautiful just heiring the sadness in his voice.its the perfect melancholy song.i love it ,i just kay in bed and just listen it this song.it makes me cry.it just makes me think about things.

Cover art for Sparrows Over Birmingham lyrics by Josh Rouse

Any idea what this song actually means? Im guessing he misses someone in the past, remembering her/him

Definitely about a love that passed away, but when I hear the lyrics, it sounds like he's actually describing the funeral service. Carried her to a church, pastor touches gently touches her head, melancholy church music following. Could be a metaphor, but in other songs he always seems to be direct yet still poetic.

Not Valid
Cover art for Sparrows Over Birmingham lyrics by Josh Rouse

I always felt this song may have been autobiographical and is really about Josh Rouse when he was starting out in music and how visiting a church reminds him of growing up.

Maybe I'm wrong and the song isn't about him at all.

Cover art for Sparrows Over Birmingham lyrics by Josh Rouse

The vibe I get from it is that it's about a girl who is physically impaired ("Bones still soft/Legs fell numb") who grows up isolated ("An isolated pup") and eventually gets married ("Wedding bells rang"). It's arguable that she's miraculously cured through the intervention of a minister ("You witnessed a man/A holy man/Touched your head/With his gentle hands/An oh God was watching over you"), but it could also be that the minister is just a positive influence on the trajectory of her life.

My Opinion
Cover art for Sparrows Over Birmingham lyrics by Josh Rouse

This song is actually about the nineteen sixty three bombing of the birmingham church on sixteenth street. It was a black church and 4 young black girls were killed and it's about one of the survivors. The holy man referred to is Martin Luther King. I think the person the song is describing is the life of Sarah Collins Randolph. She was a surviving sister in the same part of the church where her sister Addie Mae Collins was killed by bombs set by White National K.K.K. members.