The best friend in the song died. 'We put her in a box' - i.e. a coffin; 'We prayed to God to bring her back to us' - wishing she were alive again. The 'Mama made me bury her in the backyard' part is a nice macabre twist to it, connecting back to, and strengthening the parallel between the best friend and the robin.
The best friend in the song died. 'We put her in a box' - i.e. a coffin; 'We prayed to God to bring her back to us' - wishing she were alive again. The 'Mama made me bury her in the backyard' part is a nice macabre twist to it, connecting back to, and strengthening the parallel between the best friend and the robin.