Miller formed the Buddy Miller Band, which included singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin on vocals and guitar.
In addition to releasing several solo albums over the years, Miller has toured as lead guitarist/backing vocalist for Emmylou Harris's Spyboy band, Steve Earle on his El Corazon tour, and Linda Ronstadt. He co-produced and performed on Jimmie Dale Gilmore's 2000 album Endless Night. He has also appeared on several albums by songwriter/singer Lucinda Williams.
At the 4th Annual Americana Music Association Honors & Awards, the Ryman Auditorium September 2005, Miller received the Album of the Year Award for his Universal United House of Prayer, and the opening cut of that album, Worry Too Much (penned by Mark Heard, and originally released on Second Hand), won the Song of the Year Award.
returning
Buddy Miller Lyrics
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Can be a harder journey
Escaping from the dark side
Unanswered questions burning
Some parts are hard to look at
From the other end of a telescope
Beyond where it's too sad
Returning to the living waters
Mothers and fathers
Sons and daughters
Returning to the living waters
Just a few more miles or so
While we're talking soul to soul
Now here we go
There's still some ground to cover
While rain washes spirits clean
Just starting to discover
What life is like getting free
Close to the oasis
Where manna from heaven falls
Passing sacred places
Before I could recall
"Returning" by Buddy Miller is a song that explores the internal struggles that individuals face when looking inside themselves. The lyrics suggest that the journey to self-discovery can be challenging, and sometimes it is difficult to face a darker side of oneself. The uncertainty and lack of answers to some of life's questions can burn and lead to a complicated internal conflict.
The song talks about trying to escape from a place of darkness and sadness by moving through an unknown territory towards a place of hope and light. The journey is compared to looking through a telescope from a distance, where some parts are hard to look at but necessary for growth. The lyrics convey a sense of discovering oneself and returning to the living waters of inner peace, where one can reunite with their loved ones, their mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters.
The journey also involves passing through a series of sacred places and an oasis where manna from heaven falls. The rain-washing spirits signify baptism, which is another way of cleansing oneself and starting fresh. Overall, the song is an introspective journey of self-discovery and the return to the life-giving waters that bring inner peace and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
This traveling on the inside
The journey of self-discovery within oneself
Can be a harder journey
It can be challenging and difficult
Escaping from the dark side
Finding a way out of negative thoughts and feelings
Unanswered questions burning
Having deep and lingering questions that remain unanswered
Some parts are hard to look at
Certain aspects or memories are tough to confront
From the other end of a telescope
Viewing life from a different perspective
Beyond where it's too sad
Past the point of unbearable sadness
Past to where there is no hope
Reaching a level of hopelessness
Returning to the living waters
Going back to a place of spiritual refreshment and healing
Mothers and fathers
The parental figures in our lives
Sons and daughters
The children in our lives
Just a few more miles or so
The journey is almost complete
While we're talking soul to soul
Having deep, meaningful conversations
Now here we go
Beginning the next phase of the journey
There's still some ground to cover
There is still more work to be done
While rain washes spirits clean
Cleaning and renewing the spirit
Just starting to discover
Just beginning to uncover
What life is like getting free
What it feels like to become liberated
Close to the oasis
Near a place of rest and renewal
Where manna from heaven falls
Where blessings and sustenance come from above
Passing sacred places
Going by places of religious or spiritual significance
Before I could recall
Before I can even remember
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Integrity Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BUDDY MILLER, JAMES RUSSELL LAUDERDALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind