This song was first released on the spirit album. it is the only album it has been released on.
Peaceful valleys, animals and children asking me
Tell the story that you told of sailors drinking tea
Tell the one about the man who saddled up the wind
Pegasus and flying fish and woodsmen made of tin
A kid knows what he wants to be before he’s nine or ten
Cowboys, clowns, and men of war and someone else’s friend
But nine grows into big boys’ pants and then to scars and pain
Twenty’s fast and hard as nails but doesn’t come again
There’s days to fall and days to rise and days for making haste
Days for seeking out yourself but no days you can waste
Nighttimes filled with love so good it aches to rest it down
Endless hallways dark with sleep and rivers dark with sound
Peaceful valleys, animals and children asking me
Tell the story that you told of sailors drinking tea
Tell the one about the man who saddled up the wind
Pegasus and flying fish and woodsmen made of tin
Children climbing on my arms and pigeons on my head
Get thee up my little man and dream a dream instead
Dream a dream of rocking chairs and flying through the night
Dream until the morning’s gone and turned the dark to light
Then come and get your daddy if he hasn’t blown away
Rock him in your children’s hands and help him find his way
Take him to your hiding place and let him come inside
He’ll never tell your secret, cross my heart and hope to die
Peaceful valleys, animals and children asking me
Tell the story that you told of sailors drinking tea
Tell the one about the man who saddled up the wind
Pegasus and flying fish and woodsmen made of tin
Words by joe henry, music by john denver