Wings Lyrics

Lyric discussion by dot50 

Cover art for Wings lyrics by Josh Ritter

It's about the historical exploitation of the West and the people who developed it. Set in Ritter's home state of Idaho (Anthony, Coeur d'Alene, Harrison, Wallace, and the Cataldo Mission are all in North Idaho) As the protagonist travels from East to West, he also travels in time (to Hanford, on the Columbia River, a nuclear waste site) In the end the "people" escape into obscurity - but with the saving grace of wings which they may use to ascend (or transcend) their history. Or not.