Raised on George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Emmylou Harris, she sang harmonies as a toddler, eventually thinking she'd make a career of it. Following the murder-suicide of her parents (perpetrated by her father) in 1986, she moved into her aunt and uncle's home.
Not long afterwards, sister Shelby Lynne moved to Nashville for a career in music, and after her high school graduation, Moorer followed. She sang harmonies with her sister for a while but returned to Alabama to earn a degree in public relations. She skipped the graduation ceremony to move back to Nashville.
Her song "A Soft Place to Fall" was tapped for Robert Redford's The Horse Whisperer in 1998, and she also appeared in the movie. Because the ballad earned her an Academy Award nomination, she performed it on the 1999 Oscars ceremony. However, none of her singles from her debut "Alabama Song" or its follow-up "The Hardest Part" received much radio airplay, nor achieving chart success though both projects were highly praised by critics.
When Brown moved from MCA to sister label Universal South, Moorer followed. Her 2002 album "Miss Fortune" earned more raves, but didn't meet sales expectations. She almost got another big break by recording the duet "Picture" with Kid Rock after Sheryl Crow had bowed out. However, Crow changed her mind, and the Rock/Crow-version became a huge radio hit. Yet, the song was credited on the charts to both Crow and Moorer. In addition, the CD single featuring Moorer sold 500,000 copies and is certified Gold by the RIAA. Her ballad "Tumbling Down" (from Miss Fortune) was featured on the soundtrack of the popular 2002 film The Rookie.
Her live album album "Show"(2003) was recorded in one night (two performances) at the 12th and Porter in Nashville and despite popular belief, it features the first recorded collaboration by both Moorer sisters.
After releasing Show and a DVD on Universal South, Moorer moved to independent label Sugar Hill Records. With a slightly rougher edge than past efforts, The Duel was released in April 2004.
After a divorce between Moorer and Primm, she eventually married Steve Earle, after serving as his opening act on a European tour. Earle produced her 2006 album, "Getting Somewhere". Moorer wrote all the songs, with the exception of one co-written with Earle. She and Earle were nominated for a Grammy award in the category Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, for the song "Days Aren't Long Enough" from Earle's "Washington Square Serenade".
Moorer released the Buddy Miller-produced "Mockingbird" in February 2008; an album mainly of covers of songs by female singer/songwriters including her sister, Shelby Lynne.
Her latest studio album "Crows" (2010), features her first departure from the Contemporary Country style of her earlier albums, instead changing to a Pop and Contemporary Singer/Songwriter style.
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Crows
Allison Moorer Lyrics
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And try to get out of the way
But when I look out the window
I see his face
Is it him that I hear laughing
Taunting me making me blush
Acting like he knows my secrets
Why won't he hush
The crow in the yard is trying to tell me something
I see him out there trying to catch my eye
He's not the magnificent raven
He caws a much creepier caw
So comfortable there in his murder
Don't he know it all
So why won't he just give me the message
What's the worst news he could bring
And I make a mess when I'm guessing
About anything
The crow in the yard is trying to tell me something
I see him out there trying to catch my eye
Black as the night he shines like a light on nothing
Ain't no use in trying to hide
Oh child
Oh child
Oh child
I guess a crow in the yard
Is better than bats in the belfry
"Crows" is a song by Allison Moorer that delves into the fears and anxieties of its speaker. The song opens with her shutting her eyes and attempting to concentrate her thoughts, only to find her senses overwhelmed by an old memory that haunts her. When she looks out the window to comprehend her current surroundings, she sees the face of the person in the memory. Despite her attempts to ignore him, she hears him laughing and knows that he is aware of her secrets. The song then shifts focus to a crow in the yard that seeks to convey a message to her. The singer initially acknowledges that crows are not as majestic as ravens but then questions why the bird will not just deliver the message if it knows what the worst news could be. The singer admits that she becomes a mess when guessing, but hopes that the crow's message brings good news.
The song creates a feeling of foreboding and unease since the singer is looking for meaning in the world around her. The listener understands that the singer is searching for understanding and wishes for the crow to reveal its message. The crow, being a symbol of death, also adds to this sense of unease. The song suggests that the singer is grappling with the familiarity of her external and internal worlds.
Line by Line Meaning
I close my eyes and I listen
I try to clear my mind to hear something important
And try to get out of the way
I try to remove any distractions or obstacles to hear better
But when I look out the window
But when I look outside to observe my surroundings
I see his face
I see the person who's presence I sense around me
Is it him that I hear laughing
Is he the one I hear laughing and taunting me
Taunting me making me blush
His taunting embarrasses me and makes me self-conscious
Acting like he knows my secrets
He acts like he has knowledge of my private information
Why won't he hush
Why won't he stop talking and leave me alone
The crow in the yard is trying to tell me something
The crow is attempting to communicate a message to me
I see him out there trying to catch my eye
I notice the crow's efforts to grab my attention
He's not the magnificent raven
The crow is not as impressive as a majestic raven
He caws a much creepier caw
The crow's call is eerie and unsettling
So comfortable there in his murder
The crow is at ease with his group of fellow crows
Don't he know it all
The crow appears to have a know-it-all attitude
So why won't he just give me the message
Why won't he simply tell me what he needs to say
What's the worst news he could bring
I wonder what terrible message he could possibly have for me
And I make a mess when I'm guessing
I tend to create chaos when I speculate about things
About anything
In any situation
Black as the night he shines like a light on nothing
The dark-colored crow stands out and draws attention to himself, yet has no clear purpose
Ain't no use in trying to hide
There's no point in attempting to conceal one's presence from the crow
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALLISON MOORER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind