This song went through a rewrite between its first introduction in 1992 and its reappearance in 1993. The version immediately below is the later version as Phil sings it, with notes marking variations from the Hunter lyric book "Box Of Rain" or from the sheet music in the songbook "Anthology II". Following that is one of the earlier 1992 versions.
(1) this is as Phil sings it and as in the songbook, but Box Of Rain has "gonna wave to the people" (ie no "curious")
(2) Box Of Rain has no "rippling"
(3) Box Of Rain has "Oceans of sky to the moon"
(4) Phil sometimes (at least to my ears) sings "raise my voice ..."
(5) the songbook has "Was born on the fourth of July"
(6) this is what Phil sings. But Box Of Rain and the songbook have "Gonna rise up and reel out the love song in my soul"
(7) Box Of Rain has no "rolling"
(8) this is what is in Box Of Rain and the songbook. But it sounds as if Phil sings "that drowning in delusion."
Gonna wave, gonna wave
Gonna wave to the wind
Gonna wave my way
My way on through the wind
Gonna wave, gonna wave
Gonna wave to the wind
Gonna wave my way to
Places I never have been
Gonna wave to the curious people (note 1)
Looking on from the side of
The road as I'm rolling on by
Wave goodbye to the trouble
That's always on my mind
Gonna jumpstart my life
Or go down trying
Gonna wave to the memories
I carry in my heart and the
New ones I'll find along my way
To the new millennium
Reeling round the bend like
A dove or some dark-winged bird of prey
Gonna wave, gonna wave
Gonna wave to the wind
Gonna wave my way
My way on through the wind
Gonna wave, gonna wave
Gonna wave to the wind
Gonna wave my way to the
Edge of the world and jump in
Gonna snap like a rippling banner (note 2)
Sailing sheets to the breeze over
Cloudy oceans to the moon (note 3)
I could hold out forever
Keeping it together
Or wish upon a star and call the tune
Lift my voice like the young man (note 4)
Broken in the war who
Cries out to know the reason why (note 5)
Gonna stand and deliver (note 6)
A passionate song to the
High wide and handsome morning sky
Gonna wave, gonna wave
Gonna wave to the wind
Gonna wave my way
My way on through the wind
Gonna wave, gonna wave
Gonna wave while the wind
Plays the stars, the sky, the
Moon and the night like a hymn
Gonna ride with the rolling thunder (note 7)
Let the sky crack assunder
As lightning cries out of the rain
Gonna wade across rivers
Gathered in the stream from the
Mountains that rise above the plain
Wave away my confusion
That drives this delusion (note 8)
So long I forgot that I could fly
Soar aloft like a songbird
Dancing in the wind
Singing long, singing loud, singing high
Gonna wave, gonna wave
Gonna wave to the wind
Gonna wave my way
My way on through the wind
Gonna speak to the breeze
Add my voice to the wind
Singing: say, can you see
By the dawn's early light streaming in?