If I Had Wings

Album: Learn to Live (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Rucker said on his record company's website: "I think that's one of the most important songs I've ever written. I wrote it with Frank Rogers and Rivers Rutherford, after we'd just written another song. Frank had on a T-shirt - kind of like Aerosmith's logo; a guy with angels on his shirt. Rivers strummed a chord and said, 'If I had wings.' I said, 'What's that?' and he said, 'I just came up with it' and we said, 'OK, everybody, take your guitars back out…'"
  • Vince Gill and Alison Krauss sang background vocals on this song. Said Rucker: "They gave me chills. To get in touch with another artist in the pop world, you'd have your manager call their manager. I didn't have to go through any of that. We just called them. We have 38 Grammys between the three of us - and I've got two (laughs)."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Rob Halford of Judas Priest

Rob Halford of Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford dives into some of his Judas Priest lyrics, talking about his most personal songs and the message behind "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Artis the Spoonman

Artis the SpoonmanSong Writing

Even before Soundgarden wrote a song about him, Artis was the most famous spoon player of all time. So why has he always been broke?

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Rufus Wainwright

Rufus WainwrightSongwriter Interviews

Rufus Wainwright on "Hallelujah," his album Unfollow The Rules, and getting into his "lyric trance" on 12-hour walks.