Meaning of "Rock and Bird" by Cowboy Junkies

The lyrics of "Rock and Bird" explore the themes of control, freedom, and betrayal within the context of a relationship. The woman in the song represents someone who seeks to balance stability (Rock) and freedom (Bird) within her life and in her relationships. By capturing both Rock and Bird and making them prisoners until they acknowledge who is in control, she symbolizes the struggle for power and dominance in relationships. The woman's decision to release them and have Rock become her anchor while Bird becomes her dream illustrates the dual nature of love and the constant push and pull between security and freedom. The setting of the forest with Rock beneath her and Bird above her serves as a powerful metaphor for the complexity of relationships, with the woman caught between the stability of the past and the longing for freedom and new beginnings. The lyrics of the song ultimately speak to the pain of betrayal in love, with Bird singing songs of love's betrayal and the woman expressing her disappointment and sense of loss.