From the recording Tiny Town
Lyrics
YELLOWBIRD
THEY USED TO CALL HIM BIRDY
BUT HIS NAME WAS YELLOW BIRD
HE CAME BACK FROM VIET NAM
AND HARDLY SPOKE A WORD
HE MOVED US NEAR MISSOULA
MOTHER FATHER SON AND DAUGHTER
I KNOW THE STORY WELL
BECAUSE BIRDY WAS MY FATHER
BIRDY HAD SOME PHOTOGRAPHS
HE BROUGHT BACK FROM THE WAR
MOSTLY HIM WITH THE LOCALS
BARE FEET ON A BAMBOO FLOOR
BIRDY LEARNED HOW TO GROW
IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN
HE PAID BACK WHAT HE BORROWED AND BROUGHT THE MONEY HOME
BIRDY TOOK TO FARMING
WITH THE HELP OF HIS SON
HE KEPT THE PROFILE LOW
BIRDY ALWAYS PACKED A GUN
EVERYTHING WENT FINE TILL I TURNED 17
FEDERAL AGENTS CAME ONE DAY
AND THEY TOOK EVERYTHING
BIRDY DIED N PRISON
AND THEY LAYED HIS BODY LOW
I TOOK A SHOT AT COLLEGE
AND STARTED A GROW
BIRDY WAS THE MAN THAT TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING I KNOW
I WISH HE COULD HAVE SEEN IT
WHEN I MOVED DOWN TO COLORADO
OH AFTER ALL THIS TIME
YELLOW BIRD IS FREE TO FLY
OH AFTER ALL THIS TIME
YELLOW BIRD IS FREE TO FLY
OH AFTER ALL THIS TIME
YELLOW BIRD IS FREE TO FLY