If you had not have fallen
Then I would not have found you
Angel flying too close to the ground
And I patched up your broken wing and hung around a while
Trying to keep your spirits up and your fever down

I knew someday that you would fly away
For love's the greatest healer to be found
So leave me if you need to, I will still remember
Angel flying too close to the ground

Fly on, fly on past, the speed of sound
I'd rather see you up than see you down
So leave me if you need to, I will still remember
Angel flying too close to the ground.

So leave me if you need to, I will still remember
Angel flying too close to the ground.


Lyrics submitted by fallacies

Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground Lyrics as written by Willie Nelson

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    (testing to see if the server is acting well)

    Driftwoodon April 25, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Yeah I don't think this has anything to do with his son. Just flat out love :)

    redskinson January 23, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Here is what Poodie told me. There are a few people Will considers his very best friends that all but one go back to way before the fame and fortune. Those people include his drummer and oldest friend Paul English, Freddy Fletcher who is his sister Bobby's son, Carl Carneilus, Coach Derrell Royal, Waylon Jennings, and Randal "Poodie" Locke who died recently to name a few. Paul English wife Paula Carline was really close to Will and his wife at the time. In fact their daughter Paula was named after her. For reasons known only to God Carline died suddenly and tragically. Willie wrote the song Angle Flying Too Close To the Ground in honor and for Carline. If you listen closely to the words this the meaning to each one is now crystal clear. That is why I can't play it without a tear or two falling. Spice

    Spicewoodon December 24, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song was written way before his son, Billy committed suicide. It was actually written about his divorce with Billy's mom, Willie's first wife, Martha.

    muskraton April 17, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I believe this song was initially released on the Honeysuckle Rose soundtrack in 1980, his son committed suicide in 1991.

    BarryKardonon November 07, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It makes more sense that Willie wrote this about a woman that he loved that eventually left him.....especially if you look at when it was written and when his son committed suicide. I think it is about an ex-wife. Great song either way.

    mallorypmmon October 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    it's obviously written about weed, just like every other song.

    daniellexcannibalon December 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    There are many meanings / interpretations, but I like that one that I heard while in AA. ... It's a song describing one's love for another whom had an addiction (alcohol / drugs) that would likely lead to a untimely death.

    JudasMaidenon October 15, 2016   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    He wrote Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground during his son's lifelong depression and addiction.

    He likely said it was someone else because his son was alive & didn't need that publicity. After, he could say during concerts that it was for him.

    M.M.on November 13, 2018   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song was written for Connie Nelson.

    tina109841on September 04, 2021   Link

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