Michael Murphy's "Wildfire"

[booker]

Ok.... I've had issues with this song since the 70's. First, who is "she" that he is singing about? Also, the first lyric is that "she comes down Yellow mountain, on a dark flat land she rides" Ok... which is it... mountains or flat? "On a cold Nebraska night" Nebraska has no mountains. Then, "They say she died one winter"... Who? The pony "wildfire" breaks down his stall and "she" (the dead person) goes looking for it?This was a hit record in it's day, and doesn't even make sense! So, all you screeners out there, remember.... it's not always bad to write crap songs.

[og]

Maybe it was the same majic dust that produced "Horse With No Name".

[ernstinen]

Quote:Ok.... I've had issues with this song since the 70's. First, who is "she" that he is singing about? Well, my wife & I watched "Brokeback Mountain" the other night, so maybe there's a clue in there somewhere.Seriously, that's a great movie and "Wildfire" is a great record. As a song, I have no clue.Ern

[drew]

In '74 I was traveling thru the NW and picked up a hitchhiker who told me he was going to a 3 day pop festival in Idaho. He asked where I was headed and I said "Idaho".I remember it like it was yesterday (of course yesterday is a little fuzzy to me). One night Michael Murphy was playing, they filled the stage, must have been 9 or 10 musicians on stage, the music was unbelievable. People kept walking up to me asking "Who the hell is this?"I'd say "Michael Murphy", and they'd say "Who?""You know, 'Wildfire'." It was the only hit he'd had and nowhere near a favorite song of mine.It was a year or two later before his next hit "Carolina In The Pines" came out, which to me is the best song of his to get radio play. Love that one. He's pretty much traditional country now, I miss the southern rock style he was playing back then. They were GREAT! Been a fan ever since.

[booker]

So next time you see him... ask him what the heck the song is about.

[lwj001]

http://www.pic-a-pagediscounts.com/Real ... rics.htmlI lived in Red River, New Mexico for four years, from '82 - '86. MMM made many appearances there. I think the song "Wildfire" is a combination of senarios from different locations. I think he got the "she comes down Yellow mountain" from the color of the water which was washed off Elephant Rock mountain just down-valley from Red River, toward Questa. When it came a flooding rain, the whole Red River stream from that point to the Rio Grande turned yellow, known locally as "yellow wash".