Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Stephen Stills: Treetop Flyer

I heard this song on the way to work today--I liked it a lot (probably because it reminded me of the style of another poet-singer-songwriter I know, Wes Houp)

Artist: Stephen Stills
Song: Treetop flyer
Album: Stills Alone
[" Stills Alone " CD]

I could be a rambler from the seven dials
I don't pay taxes 'cause I never file
I don't do business that don't make me smile
I love my aeroplane 'cause she's got style
I'm a treetop flyer
Born survivor
I will fly any cargo you can pay to run
these bush league pilots just can't get the job done
Got to fly down into the canyons, never see the sun
There's no such thing as an easy run
For a treetop flier
Born survivor
I'm flyin' low, I'm in high demand
Fly fifteen feet off the Rio Grande
Blow the mesquite right up off the sand
Seldom seen, especially when I land
I'm a treetop flier
Born Survivor
People ask me, "Where'd you learn to fly that way?"
Over in Vietnam, chasin' NVA
The government taught me, and they taught me right,
Stay under the treeline, and you might come out alright
I'm a treetop flier
Born survivor
Comin' home, I'm runnin' low and fast
promised my woman this one's gonna be my last
Get the ship down, and I tie her fast
then some old boy walks up, says "Son, you wanna make some fast cash?"
I'm a treetop flyer
There's things I am and there's things I'm not
I am a smuggler and I could get shot
But I gonna die, I ain't goin' to get caught,
'Cause I'm a flyin' fool and my aeroplane is just too hot
I'm a treetop flier
Born survivor

5 comments:

Michael said...

Ignore the previous post--do not visit the links.

Anonymous said...

I tried to find a copy of this for you on the web, but had no luck. Not even the commerical download services I looked at had it. If my supposition is correct, it goes too far for "mainstream" sensibilities. All which means to me, anyway, that we've entered a drastically politically correct phase. Not surprising, considering the cumulative effect of Bushist destruction. The instinct is to step softly when violent batshit crazy people are having their widdle egos hurt.

Michael said...

Thanks for the attempt J.

Anonymous said...

I finally found a decent cover version at the Internets Archive.

Anonymous said...

There's a great version of this song on I-tunes by Big Daddy 'O'