Emeli Sandé’s “Sparrow” Lyrics Meaning
Emeli Sandé’s “Sparrow” is a track that is meant to uplift the listener. Interpreted another way, this song was written to produce a positive feeling and counteract unfavorable psychological conditions such as low self-esteem and identity crisis against the backdrop of such issues proliferating in the modern world. The song was also inspired by Emeli’s admiration of the late Nigerian musician Fela Kuti.
From the onset of the track, you can see that Emeli is feeling positive and powerful. She has the ‘wind beneath her wings’, which is likely an allusion to the title to the song. And like a bird, she is also singing, specifically “for all the heroes who have fallen”.
In the chorus, we find that Emeli has decided to “take the long way home”, which likely implies that she is boldly facing the challenges that lie ahead of her instead of trying to avoid them. Again she is empowered to do so based on her optimism, operating under the belief that she is “going to take the world by storm”.
In the second verse, you can see that this positivity is based on her belief that the audience she is addressing is already powerful. And this strength gives them the ability to capitalize on all opportunities as well as reclaim what was unjustly taken from them.
Later in the bridge, we find the true inspiration behind the title, which is Emeli inspiring the audience to have “the heart of a sparrow”. Under such a disposition there will be life-threatening experiences. However, the courage that comes along with it outweighs these risks.
Then the third verse seemingly focuses on the inner qualities such people possess such as purity, strength and the ambition and ability to “spread love”.
