Bob Lind's Message Board

Surfing around today and thinking about some of the songs I grew up with. I remember Elusive Butterfly" when it came out. It was one of my favorites that I couldn't get enough of! Thanks for having it online.

Elusive butterfly is one of a very few songs I consider "universal songs". I'm glad to have found the lyrics on line and discover who wrote it. I didn't even know the title.

To me a universal song may be concerned with love, traveling, social issues or perhaps other topics, but taps into some deeply felt sense of an oversoul, or the connection between all beings and the earth or the universe.

For some reason, I connected this song with Gene McLennan, the Canadian song writer. Perhaps I saw him perform it on CBC TV in the 70's. I wonder if that is right.

Thanks for writing it, Bob

There is a topic somewhere on this forum where people have posted their own lists of "universal songs" - called something else, I believe, maybe transcendent songs. I found it the other day, but lost it. anyway, here's my partial list. I would be interested in seeing others' lists, either here or in the other thread -and tell me the name of the topic! Thanks.

Gentle on my mind - John Hartford
Don Quixote - Gordon Lightfoot
Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell
City of New Orleans - Steve Goodman
Chimes of freedom - Bob Dylan
Diamonds and rust - Joan Baez
Elusive butterfly - Bob Lind
Sunday Morning Coming Down - Kris Kristofferson