Birds

I agree with most of these comments, but this song has always meant (to me) to be about someone (the singer) leaving his lover ("It's over"),who he has fallen out of love with, but still cares about, & is telling her, as mentioned by coolnuts5, that she will find someone else. The twice-repeated line: "Tomorrow, see the things that never come today" means to me that he's telling his partner that she will someday find someone to give her the love that he no longer can give her. Whatever the exact meaning, like SO many Neil songs, the beauty & bittersweetness is overwhelming.

I have a memory burn of this song.

Released in September 1970, and I had the album since it's release. This song never really touched me (though I loved it) until in April 1971 when I signed the adoption papers to surrender my only child (a son), and returned home to put the album on (again) one day.

I'm sure it doesn't match Neil's intention, but forever after, this song for me, is about walking away from my son after signing the adoption papers (I was 16 at the time). "It's all over...." :/

Of course it's metaphorical, pretty much all Neil's songs are. This one is about Canada Geese, however. I heard him refer to it in a concert many years ago. Good stuff.

To me, this song has always been about the death of a beloved one that was taken too soon.

One partner died too soon and "fly away with you" but they are still with them in spirit guiding them to the afterlife with them but the path seems endless to rejoin their beloved "tomorrow, see the day that never comes" it always feels like the living partner is ready to die and see their loved one tomorrow but it never comes and they are left in pain.

However, they will guide them in spirit and be a shadow always watching over them until they finally join them and hope they have the will to still live a happy life "shadow on the things you know, feather fall around you, and show you the way to go"

Eventually the time comes for them to die and rejoin their beloved "special morning brings another sun. Tomorrow, see the things that never come,Today" they are finally ready to die and once again see their "guardian angel" that has been flying over them and guiding them back to their "nestled wings"

I'm not sure but i think maybe its about how he has to leave someone he loves, because he feels like he's not the right person for her, and he's saying someone better will come and take his place.

Could it be about death?

I think this is a beautiful song, although so sad... I always think this will be the one I'll have played at my funeral! The song is definitely about loss - I agree with Neiltone though - and think it is about losing someone through death. It seems to me to be about a guy saying goodbye to his lover - but the song is so full of love for that person - how could it be someone just splitting up? It seems to be saying there will be a tomorrow - a sun to shine through the shadows of today... I've always thought of the "feathers fall around you" line as feathers from an angels wings... hey - perhaps I'm being too sentimental - just the way I've always interpreted this lovely song.

I think the song can mean alot of things, as most Neil Young songs can be pretty deep. It could be about a man that suffered the loss of a family memeber or lover ect.

My opinion when I hear this great song titled "Birds" with lyrics like "fly away with out you" and "feathers fall around you and show you the way to go..." I mean if you look at the name of the song and he mentions flying and feathers a few times in the song. I am thinking about a baby bird coming of age and his mother can no longer raise and its time for him to fend for himself and grow up and eventually meet a female partner and starting a family. "Its over" meaning the mother and baby bird relationship, now the mother bird has to move on. At least thats what I think about when I hear this lol.

It's totally about, well, birds without a doubt, but the magic is the mood of the song.. This is the saddest thing Ive heard in a long time, man. Makes me miss my ex-girlfriend so much.

The song is fundamentally about acceptance!! Soothing the one you have to walk away from. Acceptance of a loss and moving on but not in a maternal sense. About moving on, as though it is bittersweet to the writer/singer but tragic for the person they're walking away from and so they are trying to give them hope. It can't be about baby birds leaving the nest when the opening line is "Lover"! It's about a person leaving someone and trying to comfort them at the same time, which is in itself self absorbing to the writer and even harder for the person it's directed to. There is an anger in the writers tone if you listen to the words and melody. They're also wanting to be free. "When you see me fly away without you" He sings about freedom so well needed. So there for it can't be a mother. It's about grievance alright, but definitely a breakup grievance.