“Coyote Grace plays with the heart of traditional country and Americana music, but tells their stories with a bold twist,” says the Indigo Girls’ Amy Ray. “They write heartwrenching melodies and make such textured harmonies that I find myself enraptured and taken by their timelessness of song.”Coyote Grace
Armed with a bevy of acoustic instruments from guitar and upright bass to banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and accordion, Coyote Grace’s Joe Stevens, Ingrid Elizabeth and Michael Connolly fill theater, club, and festival stages with a wash of sound seemingly far too expansive for three musicians, mixing bluegrass and blues, soul and Southern twang into a unique sound that hovers just beyond the edge of ‘familiar.’ The sultry trio combines virtuosic musicianship combined with a humble, warm stage presence, all stemming from a history of self-invention – and re-invention.
“Playing roots music doesn’t simply mean imitating old traditions,” says multi-instrumentalist Michael Connolly. “All of us have a strong sense of wanting to hold onto the past, to tradition – while still being unburdened enough to move forward.”
This is perhaps no more evident than in the case of guitarist and transman Joe Stevens, whose gender transition resolved a lifetime of dissonance between being raised as female while identifying as male. Not without cost, Joe’s transition closed some doors while opening many others, and significantly informs his songwriting and performance.
Meanwhile, Ingrid Elizabeth, the self-proclaimed “pink sheep” of her small Ohio hometown, and Memphis-born Michael Connolly both carry the twang and soul of their Middle America roots while maintaining decidedly Left Coast values.
Coyote Grace’s rise to national prominence comes from a decidedly humble origin – beginning as a Seattle-based duo in 2004, Ingrid Elizabeth and Joe Stevens founded the band as street performers outside of Seattle’s Pike Place Market, using their busking proceeds to fund their first studio album, Boxes and Bags, which is now in its sixth pressing, and accompanied at the merch table by three other albums: The Harvey Tour, Buck Naked, and Ear To the Ground, which in February of 2011 reached #6 on the Roots Music Report’s Folk charts -- the highest charting independent album at the time.
The radio airplay itself comes on the heels of a highly successful touring season in 2010, during which Coyote Grace performed three separate tours opening for and playing alongside the Indigo Girls. Audience response was immediate and enthusiastic, with the group breaking the Indigo Girls’ tour records for album sales by an opening band. Coyote Grace has also performed with Girlyman, Melissa Ferrick, Chris Pureka, and Lowen & Navarro.
“There's a yearning, freight-train-hopping, propulsive energy to many of [Coyote Grace]’s songs that suggests not only an indie-band road tour, but the road to one's true identity, a destination on a map still being written. These youthful travelers depend on the kindness of strangers and of lovers, and on their journey they've experienced enough joy and heartbreak to last a lifetime.”
Sylvia Sukop – Huffington Post
Girls Like Me
Coyote Grace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The locals looked me up and down
Love to watch their heads spin when we come around
Me and my sweet babe
She was a tall glass of lemonade
Always had me sweatin′ in the shade
Stole my first kiss from me in the first grade
Berries in the bucket
Baby's on a blanket
Tomatoes hanging heavy on the vine
The underwear is dancing to a Patsy Cline song
Out on the laundry line
In a field of lightening bugs
That put the country stars to shame
We′re gonna get higher than the corn tonight
'Cause boys like her
Bring me some some some of that summertime
With watermelon chins and sunscreen hands
Mosquito bites and farmer tans
She slipped a dandelion ring on my left hand
'Cause she knew I was the one
The days get hotter, we go down to the water
Past the city limit sign, leave the locals behind
Skipping stones, digging toes in the sand
We left our bathing suits on dryland
When the sun goes down, we get to rolling around
And fogging up the windows with (uh uh uh)
I left my heart in the glove compartment
Of a dusty old baby blue pick up truck
Berries in the bucket
Baby′s on a blanket
Tomatoes hanging heavy on the vine
The underwear is dancing to a Dixie Chicks song
Out on the laundry line
Well, we made fireworks
That put the city park to shame
The neighbors done thought it was the 4th of July
′Cause boys like her
Bring me some some some of that summertime
Now happiness is a front porch swing
Forever is a dandelion ring
This barefoot queen and her flatbed king
We know every song the radio sings
In perfect three-part harmony
And Thank God...
Boys like her like the girls like me
Boys like her
Like the girls like me...
In the song "Girls Like Me," Coyote Grace describes a carefree and idyllic summer romance between two young girls. The singer describes how she and her partner draw the attention of locals in their small town, with their unique and unconventional appearance. The mention of being a "watercolor girl in a tintype town" evokes a sense of standing out as bright and colorful among a community that is black and white. The couple's relationship is portrayed in lyrics like, "She was a tall glass of lemonade, always had me sweatin' in the shade, stole my first kiss from me in the first grade, Lord, I knew she was the one." The reference to the "first grade" and the use of childhood imagery often used in adolescent love, adding to the feeling of innocence in this summer romance.
The lyrics also paint a vivid picture of summertime activities like berry picking, tomato farming, and hanging laundry out in the sun. These simple, rural activities, as well as the image of fireflies, bring to mind the idea of enjoying the simple things in life in the company of a loved one. The second verse describes the singer and her partner spending time by the water, far away from city limits and local residents. They ditch their bathing suits and spend the evening rolling around in their truck. The chorus speaks about how boys like her and girls like the singer all enjoy these simple pleasures of summer.
In summary, "Girls Like Me" is a song that captures the spirit of a summer love, with its imagery of youthful experiences like berry-picking, hanging laundry, and fireflies, as well as the carefree moments of romance by the water.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a watercolor girl in a tintype town
I did not fit in with the locals in the town, and my personality was unique and colorful.
The locals looked me up and down
The local people scrutinized my appearance and actions with disapproval.
Love to watch their heads spin when we come around
We enjoyed seeing the locals' reactions when we were around because it was amusing and satisfying.
Me and my sweet babe
Refers to the singer and her partner.
She was a tall glass of lemonade
Describes how the singer saw her partner as refreshing, attractive, and quenching her thirst.
Always had me sweatin' in the shade
The singer's partner made her feel flustered and nervous, even in comfortable situations.
Stole my first kiss from me in the first grade
The singer's partner was her first love and they kissed at a young age.
Lord, I knew she was the one
The singer had a strong feeling that her partner was the one she would spend her life with and love forever.
Berries in the bucket
Refers to picking berries, which can be a fun and innocent activity.
Baby's on a blanket
A picture of a baby on a blanket is a typical representation of innocence and peace.
Tomatoes hanging heavy on the vine
Describes a garden, where the tomatoes are heavy and ripe. It represents a bountiful harvest.
The underwear is dancing to a Patsy Cline song
Underwear dancing on a laundry line is a vivid image meant to represent joy and movement. Patsy Cline's music is known for being upbeat and joyful.
Out on the laundry line
Refers to the underwear that is dancing on the laundry line.
In a field of lightning bugs
Lightning bugs are magical and represent childhood memories of catching them in jars.
That put the country stars to shame
The lightning bugs were brighter and more beautiful than the stars, and are meant to represent the beauty and wonder of nature.
We're gonna get higher than the corn tonight
The singer is going to get high with her partner in the cornfields. Getting high refers to a euphoric feeling, possibly from smoking marijuana or drinking alcohol.
'Cause boys like her
Refers to the singer's partner who is attractive to boys/men.
Bring me some some some of that summertime
The singer wants to feel the summertime vibes, the freedom and joy of that season.
With watermelon chins and sunscreen hands
Describes the carefree and relaxed attitude of summertime and the joy of eating watermelons.
Mosquito bites and farmer tans
Refers to the effects of being outside in summer: mosquito bites and farmer tans.
She slipped a dandelion ring on my left hand
Describes a romantic moment where the singer's partner gave her a ring made of dandelions.
'Cause she knew I was the one
The singer's partner knew that the singer was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, so she gave her a dandelion ring.
The days get hotter, we go down to the water
Describes how the singers go to the water to cool down as the summer days get hotter.
Past the city limit sign, leave the locals behind
The singers left the town and got away from the judgmental locals who didn't accept them.
Skipping stones, digging toes in the sand
The singers are having fun: they are skipping stones and burying their toes in the sand.
We left our bathing suits on dryland
The singers went skinny dipping and left their clothes on the dry land.
When the sun goes down, we get to rolling around
The singers get intimate with each other once it gets dark.
And fogging up the windows with (uh uh uh)
The singers are having sex in a secluded area and fogging up the windows.
I left my heart in the glove compartment
The singer hid her heart in the glove compartment so she wouldn't get hurt.
Of a dusty old baby blue pick up truck
The truck may symbolize the rural roots of the relationship. Trucks are commonly used in farming and rural areas.
The underwear is dancing to a Dixie Chicks song
Underwear dancing on a laundry line is a vivid image meant to represent joy and movement. Dixie Chicks music is known for being upbeat and joyful.
Well, we made fireworks
The singers had a passionate and exciting relationship that caught people's attention.
That put the city park to shame
The singers' fireworks were more spectacular than any city park fireworks show.
The neighbors done thought it was the 4th of July
The fireworks display was so impressive that the neighbors thought it was the 4th of July.
'Cause boys like her
Refers to the singer's partner who is attractive to boys/men.
Bring me some some some of that summertime
The singer wants to feel the summertime vibes, the freedom and joy of that season.
Now happiness is a front porch swing
Happiness is achieved by being together in a comfortable and peaceful place.
Forever is a dandelion ring
The pairing of a dandelion ring and forever symbolizes their love and commitment to each other.
This barefoot queen and her flatbed king
The singer and her partner have a relaxed and easygoing life together.
We know every song the radio sings
They have spent so much time together that they know all of the songs on the radio and may have used the radio as background music as they spent time together.
In perfect three-part harmony
They sing together in harmony perfectly.
And Thank God...
The singer is grateful to have found her partner.
Boys like her like the girls like me
Her partner is attractive to boys/men and the singer is attractive to girls. Their love is reciprocated and valid.
Boys like her
Refers to the singer's partner who is attractive to boys/men.
Like the girls like me...
The singer is attractive to girls, and the love between the singer and her partner is accepted and valid.
Writer(s): ingrid elizabeth
Contributed by Luke K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.