B-side of the hit-single "Daniel" (1972). Music by Elton John; lyrics by Bernie Taupin.
Lyrics:
Turn me loose from your hands
Let me fly to distant lands
Over green fields, trees and mountains
Flowers and forest fountains
Home along the lanes of the skyway
For this dark and lonely room
Projects a shadow cast in gloom
And my eyes are mirrors
Of the world outside
Thinking of the way
That the wind can turn the tide
And these shadows turn
From purple into grey
For just a Skyline Pigeon
Dreaming of the open
Waiting for the day
He can spread his wings
And fly away again
Fly away skyline pigeon fly
Towards the dreams
You've left so very far behind
Just let me wake up in the morning
To the smell of new mown hay
To laugh and cry, to live and die
In the brightness of my day
I want to hear the pealing bells
Of distant churches sing
But most of all please free me
From this aching metal ring
And open out this cage towards the sun.
Bernie Taupin: "That's a song with a history. I think, funnily enough, Skyline Pigeon was the first really good song that we ever wrote. I think it was a lanmark as far as our writing was concerned - it was a good blend of lyrics and melody. It was originally included on the Empty Sky album, and was also one of the first songs that we wrote that was covered. There was a guy called Roger Cook that wanted to record it, and in order for him to record it, Dick James gave part of the publishing to him. We obviously liked the song enough to re-record it later on, and I think it also turned up on a couple of live albums. Most recently it turned up again, because at AIDS victim Ryan White's funeral Elton played it, and if I'm not mistaken, there's a quote from it on Ryan's grave", 1992.
