What does Fly Like an Eagle mean?

Steve Miller Band: Fly Like an Eagle Meaning

Album cover for Fly Like an Eagle album cover

Song Released: 1976


Fly Like an Eagle Lyrics

Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future

I want to fly like an eagle
To the sea
Fly like an eagle
Let my spirit carry me
I want to fly like an eagle
Till I'm...

  1. anonymous
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    Jun 14th 2022 !⃝

    it's about the social ills of poverty, starvation, illness, etc... fly like an eagle reminds Americans of the ideals of our progressive founding fathers who broke away from British totalitarianism

  2. anonymous
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    May 10th 2020 !⃝

    It seems to me that Steve was inspired by the biblical scripture Psalms 139:9 when he wrote the words... fly like an eagle to the sea!

  3. anonymous
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    Apr 9th 2020 !⃝

    I have no idea what the writer meant. I just know that I intend to have it played at the end of my funeral as they let my ashes go into the wind and out to sea. And I expect there will be an eagle present as there was at my father's funeral in 2008 and 10 years later at my mother's funeral. My family name and Crest includes and eagle.

  4. anonymous
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    Feb 6th 2020 !⃝

    To me, this song is about drug overdose. In the version I have, a heart monitor can be heard at the end. The lyrics "fly like an eagle" and "let my spirit carry me" refer to the euphoria that is experience when taking drugs. The techno/soundboard throughout the song suggest drugs as well.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  5. anonymous
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    Nov 10th 2019 !⃝

    Time flies

  6. anonymous
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    Sep 15th 2019 !⃝

    Sometimes we all want to fly away and be set free. Whether from hunger, pain of lossing someone, disease, poverty, etc. I don't know what the song actually means but I was reminded of it one day on my drive home from work. It was one of those "where has time gone" moments for me. Of course, I answered "into the future". Had to look the song up since it's been years since I'd heard it. I had no clue what the meaning of the song was when I was little. Funny how we learn so much while slipping away but life itself hinders us from living what we learn until we are like the eagle floating above it all.

  7. anonymous
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    Aug 2nd 2019 !⃝

    I always thought it was about the Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949, but I looked closely at the lyrics today and that seems like it would be a stretch. According to Wikipedia an earlier version of the song played live mentioned escaping an Indian reservation. That makes sense, but ultimately I think it's just a song about escaping the harsh realities of the world to envision a better future, all the while realizing that the future approaches every second unimpeded. It's ultimately a call to make the world a better place, to solve some of the world's most pressing and yet timeless problems.

  8. anonymous
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    Jan 4th 2019 !⃝

    This is really about Miller spiritually lifting himself above everyone and finding the solution to the worlds indefinite problems.

  9. anonymous
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    Sep 10th 2017 !⃝

    I believe it's about astral projection. Astral projection is the process of disconnecting your astral body from your physical body and exploring higher realms. "Fly like an eagle let my spirit carry me" The astral body IS the spirit of a person. Astral projection is well known among hippies and spiritual gurus so it fits with the psychedellic theme.

  10. anonymous
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    Jun 13th 2016 !⃝

    In a way you can say this song is about consciensciously rising [flying like a eagle] to ''escape'' into the future in order to be free and know oneself from the reality of what a unhealthy revolution can bring, but also can be about not running out of your mind for overcoming it, but with having faith in the power of The Lord that the poor and the hungry will be fed and clothed throughout the revolution. All the while preparing you to become a conscienscious space traveler by developing your conscious mind to the point that you can travel by creating and getting into a upwards tunnel zone vision. Realizing and feeling your thoughts with the eagle fadeing into consciousness to rise and disconnect from your body, and into the time that's slippin away through the revolution and into the future.

  11. anonymous
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    Aug 6th 2014 !⃝

    It's about skydiving.

    During the "fly like an eagle" parts he's looking at the horizon, enjoying the experience.

    During the "time keeps on slipping" parts he's looking down at the ground rushing towards him.

    The song ends during a "time keeps on slipping" part. Ouch.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  12. anonymous
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    Feb 13th 2013 !⃝

    It's just psychedelic. What do need to know?


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