Raitt began playing guitar at an early age, something not a lot of her high school girlfriends did. "I had played a little at school and at camp," she later recalled in a July 2002 interview. "My parents would drag me out to perform for my family, like all parents do, but it was a hobby—nothing more...I think people must wonder how a white girl like me became a blues guitarist. The truth is, I never intended to do this for a living. I grew up...in a Quaker family, and for me being Quaker was a political calling rather than a religious one."
In 1967 Raitt continued her pursuit in that path when she entered Harvard's Radcliffe College as a freshman, majoring in African Studies. "My plan was to travel to Tanzania, where President Julius Nyerere was creating a government based on democracy and socialism," Raitt recalled. "I wanted to help undo the damage that Western colonialism had done to native cultures around the world. Cambridge was a hotbed of this kind of thinking, and I was thrilled."
One day, Raitt was notified by a friend that blues promoter Dick Waterman was giving an interview at WHRB, Harvard's college radio station. An important figure in the blues revival of the 1960s, Waterman was also a resident of Cambridge. Raitt went to see Waterman, and the two soon became friends, "much to the chagrin of my parents, who didn't expect their freshman daughter to be running around with 65-year-old bluesmen," recalled Raitt. "I was amazed by his passion for the music and the integrity with which he managed the musicians."
During Raitt's sophomore year, Waterman relocated to Philadelphia, and a number of local musicians he counted among his friends went with him. Raitt had become a strong part of that community, recalling that "these people had become my friends, my mentors, and though I had every intention of graduating, I decided to take the semester off and move to Philadelphia...It was an opportunity that young white girls just don't get, and as it turns out, an opportunity that changed everything."
Raitt eventually went back to school, but her time performing in Philadelphia had encouraged her to pursue music as a career. When Waterman contacted her and invited her to tour with The Rolling Stones, she made a second trip to the admissions office at Radcliffe and told them, "I'm going to take a leave of absence, but this is only going to last a year." As Raitt would later recall, "Imagine being 20 in 1970—wouldn't you have gone on tour with the Rolling Stones?"
By now, Raitt was also playing both folk as well as rhythm and blues clubs in the Boston area, performing alongside established blues legends like Howlin' Wolf, Sippie Wallace, and Mississippi Fred McDowell, all of whom she met through Waterman. In the fall of 1970, while opening for Fred McDowell at the Gaslight Cafe in New York, a reporter from Newsweek Magazine saw her and began to spread word of her performance. Scouts from major record companies were soon attending her shows to watch her play. She eventually accepted an offer with Warner Bros. who soon released her eponymously titled debut in 1971. The album was warmly received by the music press, many of which praised her skills as an interpreter and as a bottleneck guitarist; at the time, very few women in popular music had strong reputations as guitarists.
While admired by those who saw her perform, and respected by her peers, Raitt gained little public acclaim for her work. Her critical stature continued to grow but record sales remained modest. Her second album, Give It Up, was released in 1972 to universal acclaim, and though many critics still regard it as her best work, it did not change her commercial fortunes. 1973's Takin' My Time was also met with critical acclaim, but these notices were not matched by the sales.
Raitt was beginning to receive greater press coverage, including a 1975 cover story for Rolling Stone Magazine, but with 1974's Streetlights, reviews for her work were becoming increasingly mixed. By now, Raitt was already experimenting with different producers and different styles, and she began to adopt a more mainstream sound that continued through 1975's Home Plate.
In 1976, Raitt made a notable appearance on Warren Zevon's self-titled album with Warren Zevon's friend Jackson Browne and Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
1977's Sweet Forgiveness gave Raitt her first commercial breakthrough when it yielded a hit single in her cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway." Recast as a heavy r&b recording based on a rhythmic groove inspired by Al Green, Raitt's version of "Runaway" was disparaged by many critics, but its commercial success prompted a bidding war between Warner Bros. and Columbia Records. "There was this big Columbia – Warner war going on at the time," recalled Raitt in a 1990 interview. "James Taylor had just left Warner Bros. and made a big album for Columbia...And then, Warners signed Paul Simon away from Columbia, and they didn't want me to have a hit record for Columbia — no matter what! So, I renegotiated my contract, and they basically matched Columbia's offer. Frankly the deal was a really big deal."
Warner Bros. held higher expectations for Raitt's next album, 1979's The Glow, but it was released to poor reviews as well as modest sales. Raitt would have one commercial success in 1979 when she helped organize the five MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy) concerts at Madison Square Garden. The shows spawned a three-record gold album as well as a Warner Bros. feature film, No Nukes. The shows featured co-founders Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, John Hall, and Raitt as well as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Gil Scott-Heron, and numerous others.
For her next record, 1982's Green Light, Raitt made a conscious attempt to revisit the sound of her earlier records, but to her surprise, many of her peers and members of the press would compare her new sound to the burgeoning New Wave movement. The album received her strongest reviews in years, but her sales did not improve and this would have a severe impact on her relationship with Warner Bros.
In 1983, as Raitt was finishing work on her follow-up album, titled Tongue & Groove, Warner Bros. cleaned house, dropping a number of major artists from their roster. Van Morrison and Arlo Guthrie were two of the most high-profile cases, and the day after mastering was completed on Tongue & Groove, Raitt was notified that she was to be dropped too. The album was shelved indefinitely, and Raitt was left without a label. By now, Raitt was also struggling with alcohol and drug abuse.
Despite her personal and professional problems, Raitt continued to tour and participate in political activism. In 1985, she sang and appeared in the video of "Sun City," the anti-apartheid record written a produced by Steven Van Zandt. Along with her participation in Farm Aid and Amnesty International concerts, Raitt would later travel to Moscow in 1987 as part of the first joint Soviet/American Peace Concert later shown on Showtime television. Also in 1987, Raitt would organize a benefit in Los Angeles, for Countdown '87 to Stop Contra Aid, featuring herself, Don Henley, Herbie Hancock, Holly Near and others.
Two years after dropping her from their label, Warner Bros. notified Raitt of their plans to release Tongue & Groove. "I said it wasn't really fair," recalled Raitt. "I think at this point they felt kind of bad. I mean, I was out there touring on my savings to keep my name up, and my ablility to draw was less and less. So they agreed to let me go in and recut half of it, and that's when it came out as Nine Lives." A critical and commercial disappointment, 1986's Nine Lives would be Raitt's last new recording for Warner Bros.
In late 1987 she joined k.d. lang and Jennifer Warnes as female background vocals for Roy Orbison's television special, Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night. By now, Raitt was clean and sober, having broken her substance abuse — for which she would credit Stevie Ray Vaughan in a Minnesota State Fair concert[1] the night after Vaughan's 1990 death. Following this highly acclaimed broadcast, she began working on new material. During this time, Raitt considered signing with Prince's own label, Paisley Park, but negotiations would ultimately fall through. Instead she began recording a bluesy mix of pop and rock under the production guidance of Don Was at Capitol Records.
Raitt had met Was through Hal Wilner, who was putting together Stay Awake, a tribute album to Disney music for A&M. Was and Wilner both wanted Raitt to sing lead on an adult-contemporary arrangement created by Was for "Baby Mine," the lullaby from Dumbo. Raitt was very pleased with the sessions, and she asked Don to produce her next album.
After more than twenty years of singing and recording popular music, Bonnie Raitt achieved immense success with her 10th album. Released in 1989, Nick of Time went to the top of the U.S. charts and won three Grammy Awards. At the same time, she walked away with a fourth Grammy Award for her duet "In the Mood" with John Lee Hooker on his album "The Healer".
She followed up this success with three more Grammy Awards for her 1991 album, Luck of the Draw, then, in 1994 she added two more Grammy's with her album Longing in Their Hearts. Both of these albums were multiplatinum successes. Raitt's collaboration with Was would amicably come to an end with 1995's live release, Road Tested. Released to solid reviews, it sold well enough to be certified gold.
For her next studio album, Raitt hired Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake as her producers. "I loved working with Don Was but I wanted to give myself and my fans a stretch and do something different," Raitt said. Her work with Froom and Blake was released on Fundamental in 1998.
In March of 2000, Raitt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Silver Lining was released in 2002 while Souls Alike was released in September of 2005.
Cool Clear Water
Bonnie Raitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In this hardened winter ground
Feel my earth turn over, darlin'
Until' I'm rootless and unbound
I want to feel my body tremble
When there's no one else around
Just this cool, clear water runnin'
Hey, baby
See how it can be
Every time you reveal yourself to me
I'll come runnin'
I want to feel myself go under, baby
Where the deepest river bleeds
I want to feel it pull me under, darlin'
Until it drops me to my knees
I want to know that I could find you
When there's no more eyes to see
In this cool, clear water runnin'
You'll come runnin' to me
Hey, baby
All my life I have known there's something more
Love to blind me like the sun
Deep in dreams, I will wash upon your shore
Now I know that you're the one
And when I feel my baby callin'
It's like a whisper in a sand
When the softest rain is fallin', darlin'
I will crumble in your hand
And when all that's left is wonder
And no need to understand
Well, this cool, clear water runnin'
Will be all that I am
Hey, baby
Will be all that I am
All that I am
The lyrics of Bonnie Raitt's song "Cool Clear Water" are about feeling liberated and experiencing a spiritual and emotional awakening. The singer wants to feel their earth turn over, indicating a desire for change and growth. They want to be rootless and unbound, indicating a need to break free from their current state and move towards something new.
The second stanza is about wanting to feel the passion of life, even when they are alone. The cool clear water is a metaphor for the love that they have found. They say that they will come running every time their partner reveals themselves to them.
In the third stanza, the singer wants to feel themselves go under, indicating that they are ready to face their deepest fears and desires. They want to be pulled under until they are dropped to their knees, indicating that they are willing to go to great lengths to feel alive.
The final stanza is about being open to mystery and wonder. The singer states that they will be all that they are, indicating a newfound acceptance of themselves and their place in the world. They are willing to crumble in their partner's hand, indicating a deep level of trust and vulnerability.
Overall, "Cool Clear Water" is a song about self-discovery and taking risks in order to live a fulfilling life.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to feel my earth turn over, baby
I want to feel a deep transformation within myself, a renewal of my being.
In this hardened winter ground
In the harsh and difficult circumstances that I currently face.
Feel my earth turn over, darlin'
Experience a profound rebirth and transformation, my love.
Until' I'm rootless and unbound
Until I am completely free from my past, my fears and insecurities.
I want to feel my body tremble
I want to experience an intense physical sensation,
When there's no one else around
When I am alone and free from the expectations of others.
Just this cool, clear water runnin'
Just the pure and refreshing love that we share.
In this love that I've found
In the deep and meaningful connection that we have discovered.
Hey, baby
Addressing my beloved, with whom I share this love.
See how it can be
Recognizing the beauty and potential in our relationship.
Every time you reveal yourself to me
Every time you express yourself honestly and openly to me.
I'll come runnin'
I will be there to support you and share in your experiences.
I want to feel myself go under, baby
I want to surrender myself completely to the depths of our love.
Where the deepest river bleeds
Where the most profound emotion and passion can be found.
I want to feel it pull me under, darlin'
I want to be overcome by the intensity of our love.
Until it drops me to my knees
Until I am humbled and weakened by the strength of my emotions.
I want to know that I could find you
I want to be assured of your presence and support.
When there's no more eyes to see
When no one else is there to witness us or judge us.
In this cool, clear water runnin'
In the pure and cleansing power of our love.
You'll come runnin' to me
You will always be there for me.
All my life I have known there's something more
I have always felt a sense of longing for something deeper and more meaningful.
Love to blind me like the sun
A love so intense that it is blinding in its brilliance.
Deep in dreams, I will wash upon your shore
In my deepest subconscious, I find rest and peace in your love.
Now I know that you're the one
I have finally found the love that I have always been searching for.
And when I feel my baby callin'
When I sense your presence and your call to be near you.
It's like a whisper in a sand
A subtle and gentle communication that speaks deeply to my soul.
When the softest rain is fallin', darlin'
In the quiet and peaceful moments, when the world is still.
I will crumble in your hand
I will surrender myself completely to your love and your care.
And when all that's left is wonder
When all of my questions and doubts have been resolved.
And no need to understand
And there is no need for explanation or reason.
Well, this cool, clear water runnin'
In the power and the beauty of the love that we share.
Will be all that I am
Will be the defining and central force of my being.
Hey, baby
Addressing my beloved once more.
Will be all that I am
Our love will be the defining and central force of my being.
All that I am
Our love will be everything to me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BONNIE RAITT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind