The Trinity Session is perhaps their best known record, recorded live in a single day on a single microphone in a church in Toronto. This album also included a unique cover version of Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane". Reed reportedly liked the Junkies' version of the song better than his own, and began performing their version in concert.
None of the band's subsequent albums have been hits outside of Canada, although the band has maintained a dedicated following and have continued to have chart hits in their native country. Following their 1998 album Miles from Our Home, Cowboy Junkies were dropped from their major label contract. They have continued to release albums on their own independent label, Latent Records.
Southern Rain
Cowboy Junkies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even Bear has stopped his barking
They all sense something brewing
Up the James and headed this way
Bobby sips his morning coffee
Says 'Have you finished with the funnies?
Looks like a storm's coming honey
I've heard that into every life
A little of it must fall
If there's any truth to the saying,
Lord, let it be a southern rain
Marie was born in Macon, Georgia
She met a west coast lawyer
He plucked that sweet magnolia
And carried her to the hills of West L.A.
She says 'I never thought I'd tire of a dollar
But this life has grown so hollow
Every night there's lipstick on his collar
And every morning I wash it away'
She heard that into every life
A little of it must fall
So she spends her evenings praying
For a little of that southern rain
Cars alive on city streets
Of sparkling black water
Like waves beneath my window
Never break just roll away
Tonight, this rain will be my lullaby
These cars, my dreams
To carry me home to stay
The wipers beat a rhythm
Truck spray obscures my vision
But I'm closing in on my destination
Two more hours and I'll be at your door
And it will never cease to amaze me
How a little rain can drive folks crazy
When I'd trade all my blue skies gladly
For your blue eyes, crooked smile
And a steady downpour
I've heard that into every life
A little of it must fall,
But you'll never catch me complaining
About too much of that southern rain
The Cowboy Junkies' song "Southern Rain" is a beautiful ballad that tells the story of three characters who all have a connection to the South. The first verse speaks of impending rain and how it affects animals, with Bear’s barking and the buzzing of the flies stopping. Bobby sips coffee and reads the paper, noting that they may be stuck indoors for the day. The second verse introduces Marie, who was born in Macon, Georgia, but has since been carried away to the hills of West L.A by her lawyer husband. She is tired of his infidelity and yearns for the rain of her homeland to wash away her tears. The final verse describes the singer driving through the rain towards a loved one, high on the anticipation of their reunion and the joy the southern rain brings.
The song speaks of how rain can be a force for good, washing away worries and bringing people together. The southern rain represents more than just a natural event for the characters; it is a symbol of home, healing, and a chance for new beginnings. The song also emphasizes the cultural differences between people from different parts of the country, with the south being portrayed as a place where people know how to appreciate the simple things in life, like rain, and find comfort in it.
Line by Line Meaning
The flies have quit their buzzing
The insects no longer make noise
Even Bear has stopped his barking
Even the dog no longer makes noise
They all sense something brewing
They all feel that something is about to change
Up the James and headed this way
A storm is coming from the direction of the James River
Bobby sips his morning coffee
Bobby drinks his coffee in the morning
Says 'Have you finished with the funnies?
Asks if the person reading the newspaper has finished with the comic section
Looks like a storm's coming honey
There are signs that a storm is approaching
Guess we'll have to stay in bed today'
They will probably not leave the house due to the storm
I've heard that into every life
There is a saying that suggests that
A little of it must fall
Everyone will have some trouble or difficulty in their lives
If there's any truth to the saying,
If the saying is correct,
Lord, let it be a southern rain
May the difficulty be as beautiful and peaceful as a southern rain
Marie was born in Macon, Georgia
Marie was born in the city of Macon in the state of Georgia
She met a west coast lawyer
She met a lawyer who lived on the West Coast of the United States
He plucked that sweet magnolia
He took her away from the South
And carried her to the hills of West L.A.
And moved with her to the hills of West Los Angeles
She says 'I never thought I'd tire of a dollar
Marie says that she did not think she would ever get tired of money
But this life has grown so hollow
But her life has become empty and meaningless
Every night there's lipstick on his collar
Every night she finds evidence of infidelity
And every morning I wash it away'
And she washes it off every morning
So she spends her evenings praying
Marie spends her evenings praying
For a little of that southern rain
She prays for the peace and beauty of the South
Cars alive on city streets
The cars are moving quickly on the city streets
Of sparkling black water
The water that is being splashed is black and shiny from the rain
Like waves beneath my window
The sound of the cars and the rain is like the sound of waves
Never break just roll away
The sound never stops, but instead keeps going
Tonight, this rain will be my lullaby
The sound of the rain will lull the singer to sleep
These cars, my dreams
The sound of the cars is like a dream
To carry me home to stay
The sound of the cars will bring the singer back to where they want to be
The wipers beat a rhythm
The windshield wipers are moving in time with the music
Truck spray obscures my vision
The water sprayed by trucks makes it difficult to see
But I'm closing in on my destination
The singer is getting closer to where they need to be
Two more hours and I'll be at your door
The singer will arrive at their destination in two hours
And it will never cease to amaze me
The singer is always amazed by
How a little rain can drive folks crazy
How much people can be affected by a small amount of rain
When I'd trade all my blue skies gladly
The singer would happily give up their sunny skies
For your blue eyes, crooked smile
For the person's blue eyes and crooked smile
And a steady downpour
And a constant rain
But you'll never catch me complaining
The singer will never complain
About too much of that southern rain
About having too much beauty and peace in their life
Lyrics © PAZ JUNK MUSIC INC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Michael Edward Timmins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@steverok67
One of the greatest song endings ever. She just opens her mouth and a beautiful sound comes out. All the band has to do is let it happen.
@MemphiStig
i love this band. i love everything about them.
and Margo is my biggest musical crush all-time.
@jstohler
I saw this live in 1991 and believe me the finale was one of the most powerful musical experiences I've ever experienced.
@rayavery8093
Such a beautiful voice !!! So smooth !!!!
@aaronbeauchamp3312
Great song......"like sparkling black waters, like waves beneath my window, never break just roll away."
Beautiful.
@CliveGulch
One of first CD’s I never bought, during an epic road trip from Peterborough to points east. Even Montreal in Feb is a joyous time if you have the right companions.
@jenniferarnold727
This is one of my favourites!
@AndyTanguay
My signed copy of 'Black Eyed Man' is one of my most prized possessions. I've never 'waited outside' for a band, but I did 20 years ago in Ann Arbor and acted like a total weirdo, all nervous and shit. But Margo and Michael were really gracious. Got rid of most of my 'media', but my BEM is still on my shelf. Hopefully everyone has that piece of music that just speaks to them and makes them feel the feels. For me, it's this album.
@lincolnmaceachern2410
An acquaintance of mine asked which Junkies album he should start with. I expected he'd had people steering him toward Trinity Sessions ( which I find a little too subdued ). This album , and especially this track, do it for me; I think he likes it.
@AndyTanguay
Lincoln MacEachern I would agree with that. I think it’s nice and varied and solid all the way through.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Trinity Sessions, but it’s...shall we say ‘dark’.