From the recordings For the Animals and Turkey Visions
When I first saw wild turkeys with wings outstretched, gliding down to land in an open field, I was awestruck to behold their beauty and grace. This song envisions a different kind of Thanksgiving, where our harvest celebration does not require the slaughter of tens of millions of these beautiful birds.
Words and music by Daniel Redwood
Daniel Redwood: guitar, vocals
Mark Thies: keyboards
Lyrics
I long to see the wild turkeys
Fly in on the breeze
Touch down with gentle grace
And roost up in the trees
I’ve seen them with their babies
Seen them with their kin
And I cannot abide
What we have done to them
Oh Lord, let them live
Let them fly
Across the fields of summer
Into the autumn sky
For centuries we hunted them
With arrows swift and true
And when the men with guns arrived
The killing grew and grew
We shot “em out of the sky, boys
Felt like we were men
Time has come to turn that page
If not now, then when? 3x3 fret
Oh Lord, let them live
Let them fly
Across the fields of summer
Into the autumn sky
That turkey on your table
Why should that be her fate?
She never did any harm to you
And now her breast lies on your plate
With the sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce
To make her taste just right
You wouldn’t do that to a dog
So tell me, now) how can this be right?
And when, when will the killing end
And may there come a Great Turning
Turn, turn again
Oh please, let them live
Let them fly
Across a timeless summer
Into a boundless sky
© 2023 by Daniel Redwood (ASCAP)