El Condor Pasa - Simon and Garfunkel I ' d rather be a sparrow than a snail . Yes I would . . If I could , I surely would Hm ~ hmI ' d rather be a hammer than a nail . Yes I would . If I only could . I surely would Hm ~ hm A - way , I ' d rather sail a - way Like a swan that ' s here and gone . A man get ' s tide up to thr ground , He gives the world . It ' s saddest sound , it ' s saddist sound . Hm hm ~ hm hmI ' d rather be a forest than a street . Yes I would . . If I could , I surely would . I ' d rather feel the earth beneath my feet . Yes I would . If I only could . I surely would