9 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Famous Flower of Manhattan Lyrics
And I found a flower in a field
A field of cars and people
Rows of concrete, paint, and steel
Manhattan is where it grew
And I thought to cut it from its stem
And take it from the cracks
Between the bricks that it lay in
And save it from the city strife
Away from the city life
Then someone they whispered in my ear
A country girl can't be made out of anybody here
Don't touch it, it loves you not
Don’t touch it, it loves you not
Cause blue birds don't fly without their wings
And when we put them in a cage
the world can't hear them sing
So selfish when greed sets in
Possession, the king of sin
And people don't ever let you down
Forever find a way to kill
whatever life they've found
A heart beat and I want it too
Manhattan is where she grew
So I left and I let the flower be
And yesterday I saw the flower on cable TV
Much prettier than here with me
For all of the world to see
Much prettier than here with me
A field of cars and people
Rows of concrete, paint, and steel
Manhattan is where it grew
And take it from the cracks
Between the bricks that it lay in
And save it from the city strife
Away from the city life
A country girl can't be made out of anybody here
Don't touch it, it loves you not
Don’t touch it, it loves you not
And when we put them in a cage
the world can't hear them sing
So selfish when greed sets in
Possession, the king of sin
Forever find a way to kill
whatever life they've found
A heart beat and I want it too
Manhattan is where she grew
And yesterday I saw the flower on cable TV
Much prettier than here with me
For all of the world to see
Much prettier than here with me
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
“If you love a flower, don’t pick it up. Because if you pick it up it dies and it ceases to be what you love. So if you love a flower, let it be. Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.”
― Osho
Just heard this quote today. I can't imagine the song isn't at least partly based off of it.
Regina Spektor
I love this song, It makes me so happy to know its written about regina spektor :) SHES SO AMAZING
and this song is so true
How does it have to do with Regina?? :) I am curious, if someone could tell me the story!
Did not know that Regina wrote this, but I definitely think it is one of the most under-appreciated Avett Brothers' songs.
and by "wrote this," i mean written about. .. oops :)
Cause blue birds don't fly without their wings And when we put them in a cage the world can't hear them sing So selfish when greed sets in Possession, the king of sin
Leaves me speechless every time.
This is a great song, but the meaning is pretty obvious. The flower is a girl he loves, but she is a city girl and he wants to take her back to the Country. He realizes he cannot make her what he wants her to be and lets her go. She becomes who she is destined to be and he admires her from afar, knowing she is better off for it.
To me, this song is about wanting something (a flower) or someone (a girl) very badly because you think that it'll be the best for both of you, but in the end having to realize that it isn't meant to be. You have to let go of this object that you feel so strongly about in order for it to have true happiness.