Lyr Req: Giant and bonsai trees?/What's the Use...

Subject: Giant and bonsai trees
From: Partridge
Date: 26 Sep 01 - 06:09 AM

I have looked on the super search and the DT, but failed to find this song originally done by Artisan.
Some of the lyrics are
You could have been a gaint said the bonsai tree
and
Why do people change the things they love
Apologies to all if this is on the DT - I did try!

Part

Subject: Lyr Add: WHAT'S THE USE OF WINGS (B Bedford)^^^
From: Wolfgang
Date: 26 Sep 01 - 06:36 AM

There was a time I could make linebreaks in copy&past jobs:

WHAT'S THE USE OF WINGS?

I could have been a giant, said the bonsai tree
But someone bound my roots and held me down
I could have reached for heaven, said the snowy owl
But they clipped my wings and kept me on the ground
I think I heard them tell me that they loved me
They would care for me; without them I would die
But what's the use of roots if you can't spread them
And what's the use of wings if you can't fly?

I could have been a singer, said the mynah bird
But they caged me and then told me what to say
I could have run forever, said the pony
But they bridled me and made me go their way
I think I heard them tell me that they loved me
They would care for me; forever so it seems
But what's the use of voices with no freedom
And what's the use of living others' dreams?

Why do people cage the things they love the most
Is it simply that they fear to be alone?
If you give your love its freedom, it may stay a while
If it leaves you it was never yours to own.

I could have found adventure, said the angel fish
Now my world's so small there's nowhere left to go
I could have ruled a kingdom, said the lion
Now the land inside my head is all I know
I think I heard them tell me that they loved me
They would care for me; and tell me it's all right
But what's the use of life without adventure
And what's the use of strength if you can't fight?

Why do people cage the things they love the most
Is it simply that they fear to be alone?
If you give your love its freedom, it may stay a while
If it leaves you it was never yours to own.

I know I heard them tell me that they loved me
They would care for me; without them I would die
But what's the use of roots if you can't spread them
And what's the use of wings if you can't fly?

© Brian Bedford
^^^

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Giant and bonsai trees
From: Partridge
Date: 26 Sep 01 - 06:47 AM

Many, many thanks Wolfgang for taking the trouble to post twice. I too can sometime manage a line break

:-))

I used the words that a friend gave me - it is he whom is looking for these words. I have just copied and e-mailed them to him
I think I have made an old man very happy!
Part

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Giant and bonsai trees
From: Wolfgang
Date: 26 Sep 01 - 06:48 AM

Attention harvesters!!!
The song even has been posted in the Forum at least twice as I found now when the Forum search was operative again for me: I tried 'Bonsai tree' as the search string.^^^

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Giant and bonsai trees
From: Wolfgang
Date: 26 Sep 01 - 06:50 AM

Thanks for the thanks, Part. I picture a happy old man and get happy myself. Let it spread.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Giant and bonsai trees
From: Nemesis
Date: 26 Sep 01 - 07:27 PM

Hah! I just came in from an evening out listening to "Artisan" including Brian Bedford at the Willows in Arundel singing this very song (well, amongst others).

Apparently, whenever he told his teenage daughter she wasn't going off into the big city from their little village he'd get "Dad, What's the use of wings....."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Giant and bonsai trees
From: GUEST,Genie
Date: 27 Sep 01 - 02:03 AM

Brian Bedford is the author of the song. There is a previous thread about it, in which his website is listed. Look under "wings" in the forum search.

Genie