White dove
Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyrics

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White dove sittin' on a blackberry bush
Is there any questioning why
Tell me what heaven you're bound for today
Feel just like I could cry
Feel just like I could cry

Little squirrel sitting on a flat slanted rock
Wondering where the winter meal is coming from
Tired of fighting for it, gonna lay down my gun
Just know that my work is done
Just know that my work is done

Little boy blue now come blow your horn
No more of the sheep is around
Said I'm tired of fighting, gonna lay down my gun
Just know that my work is done
Just know that my work is done

Just know that my work is done
Just know that my work is done

Overall Meaning

Lynyrd Skynyrd's White Dove is a pensive meditation on death, mortality, and surrender. The lyrics poetically explore the idea that everything has a purpose and, ultimately, dies. The references to a white dove perched on a blackberry bush, a little squirrel on a flat, slanted rock, and Little Boy Blue's horn showcase the transience of life and our insignificance in the grand scheme of things.

The symbolism of the white dove in the song is particularly poignant. Doves are often associated with peace, purity, and innocence. When the dove is perched on the blackberry bush in the song, it becomes a metaphorical representation of life's harsh realities. The blackberry bush can be seen as the prickly obstacles that we must navigate in life. The dove's presence on the bush suggests a life that is both fragile and constantly threatened.

The references to the little squirrel and Little Boy Blue add an additional layer of meaning to the song's contemplation of life and death. The squirrel's struggle to find food in winter conveys the difficulties and struggles that come with life, and the inevitability of death. Similarly, Little Boy Blue's statement that his work is done can be interpreted as a symbol of his own acceptance of mortality and surrender to the cycle of life.

Line by Line Meaning

White dove sittin' on a blackberry bush
Observing a white dove sitting on a blackberry bush

Is there any questioning why
Questioning the significance of the dove's presence

Tell me what heaven you're bound for today
Asking the dove where it is headed

Feel just like I could cry
Expressing an emotional response to the dove's presence

Little squirrel sitting on a flat slanted rock
Observing a squirrel sitting on a rock

Wondering where the winter meal is coming from
Musing on the squirrel's thoughts about food

Tired of fighting for it, gonna lay down my gun
Realizing the futility of the squirrel's struggles and choosing to give up

Just know that my work is done
Acknowledging the end of the squirrel's struggle

Little boy blue now come blow your horn
Inviting Little Boy Blue to play his horn

No more of the sheep is around
Noticing the absence of sheep

Said I'm tired of fighting, gonna lay down my gun
Expressing a desire to stop fighting

Just know that my work is done
Acknowledging the end of one's struggles

Just know that my work is done
Reiterating the acknowledgement of the end of one's struggles

Just know that my work is done
Reiterating the acknowledgement of the end of one's struggles

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RICK MEDLOCK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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