It’s almost unthinkable that it has been 20 years today since country singer-songwriter Sara Evans was telling her dreams to the scarecrow, and then “Born to Fly” landed at the top spot on the charts. Because it’s a hit song that still sounds just as relevant and feels just as infectious as it did when it was climbing the charts two decades ago. If it was released right now, in 2021, it’s very likely that “Born to Fly” would reach the top spot all over again.
“When I wrote ’Born to Fly,’ I knew it was a song I loved, but I had no idea it would turn into an anthem for people to follow their dreams and reach for the stars,” Evans told CMT.com the day before the song’s chart-topping anniversary. “When I found out it was No. 1, I was SO extremely honored and proud of course as an artist, but also as the songwriter!”
Evans wrote the fiddle-heavy and very traditionally country song — about reaching for the stars, for your dreams, and for the love you’ve been praying to find — with Marcus Hummon and Darrell Scott. It was on her album of the same name released in 2000.
Full lyrics for “Born to Fly”:
I’ve been tellin’ my dreams to the scarecrow
About the places that I’d like to see
I said, “Friend, do you think I’ll ever get there?”
Oh, but he just stands there smilin’ back at me
So I confessed my sins to the preacher
About the love I’ve been prayin’ to find
“Is there a brown eyed boy in my future?” Yeah
An’ he says, “Girl, you’ve got nothin’ but time”
But how do you wait for heaven?
And who has that much time?
And how do you keep your feet on the ground when you know
That you were born
You were born to fly?
My daddy, he is grounded like the oak tree
My momma, she is steady as the sun
Oh, you know I love my folks, but I keep starin’ down the road
Just lookin’ for my one chance to run
Hey, ’cause I will soar away like the blackbird
I will blow in the wind like a seed
I will plant my heart in the garden of my dreams
And I will grow up where I’ll wander wild and free
Oh, how do you wait for heaven?
And who has that much time?
And how do you keep your feet on the ground when you know
That you were born
You were born, yeah
You were born to fly?
So how do you wait for heaven?
And who has that much time?
And how do you keep your feet on the ground when you know
That you were born
You were born to fly?
