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The late Jim Seals (who died this past June) and Dash Crofts were heavily into the Baha'i faith, which was founded in the mid-1800s by a Persian nobleman in search of universal truth. It is currently one of the fastest-growing religions in the world.
I bring this up because its philosophy is a major part of today's "Great Song of 1973."
On the surface, "Hummingbird" seems self-explanatory, but in actuality, the lyrics quote several Baha'i scriptures.
Jim explained that the song is about the persecution that each of the world's great teachers (including Christ) have suffered. They've been misunderstood, persecuted, and eventually killed.
The lyric, "Hummingbird, don't fly away" is a plea for forgiveness from the human race.
Whether or not music fans were/are aware of the deeper Baha'i meaning of the song, it struck a chord. "Hummingbird" was a rather unlikely hit, reaching #3 on Canada's Adult Contemporary Chart and #12 on Billboard's Easy Listening Chart.
But that's what makes "Hummingbird" by Seals & Crofts a "Great Song of 1973:" layers of meaning hidden in the lyrics for people to discover.
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