Harris is truly an innovator. For over 30 years, Emmylou has flowed effortlessly between genres achieving popularity in pop, folk, country and now alternative. The common bridge is an exquisite vocal style and a gift for discovering the heart of a song.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama on April 2, 1947, the daughter of Walter and Eugenia Harris grew up near Washington, D.C. As a college student in the late 60s, she sang with a local folk duo and eventually moved to Greenwich Village. She played the clubs on the local folk scene occasionally sharing the stage with Jerry Jeff Walker and David Bromberg.
Discovered in 1971 by Chris Hillman, Hillman brought Gram Parsons to hear her sing in a small club in the Washington D.C. area. In 1972, she answered the call from Gram to join him in Los Angeles to work on his first solo album, "GP." According to Songfacts, Parsons tragic early death in 1973 left Harris at an emotional and musical crossroads. Her earliest signature song, Boulder To Birmingham was written shortly after Gram's death, and it showed the depth of her shock and pain at losing her friend and mentor.
After the loss of Gram, Emmylou went back to the D.C. area and formed a country band, playing with them until her 1975 major label debut, Pieces of the Sky, when she formed the first version of the legendary Hot Band. Over the years the Hot Band included world class players such as Albert Lee, Rodney Crowell and Hank DeVito.
Emmylou has been called by Billboard Magazine a "truly venturesome, genre-transcending pathfinder." Throughout her career, she has been admired for her talent as an artist and song connoisseur, but it was with her 2000 album, Red Dirt Girl, for which Ms. Harris was awarded her tenth (out of eleven total to date) Grammy, that she revealed she is also a gifted songwriter. Continuing the trend with her September 2003 album, Stumble Into Grace, Emmylou wrote ten of the album's eleven tracks. Though Emmylou is the most admired and influential woman in contemporary country music, her scope extends far beyond it. She has recorded with such diverse artists as Ryan Adams, Beck, Elvis Costello, Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Tammy Wynette, Neil Young, The Chieftains, Lyle Lovett, Roy Orbison, The Band, Willie Nelson and George Jones.
She sings with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt on the incomparable albums Trio and Trio II, making all three artists living American legends.
A longtime social activist, Harris has lent her voice to many causes. She is active in cultural preservation issues, notably the Country Music Foundation and the Grand Ole Opry. As an animal rights activist and the owner of several dogs and cats, Emmylou also supports PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the Humane Society. Since 1997 she has been the most visible spokesperson for the Campaign for a Landmine Free World, drawing public attention and notable musical artists to the cause.
All My Tears
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In my fathers arms I'll be
The wounds this world left on my soul
Will all be healed and I'll be whole
Sun and moon will be replaced
With the light of Jesus' face
And I will not be ashamed
It don't matter where you bury me
I'll be home and I'll be free
It don't matter where I lay
All my tears be washed away
Gold and silver blind the eye
Temporary riches lie
Come and eat from heaven's store
Come and drink and thirst no more
So weep not for me my friend
When my time below does end
For my life belongs to him
Who will raise the dead again
It don't matter where you bury me
I'll be home and I'll be free
It don't matter where I lay
All my tears be washed away
The lyrics of Emmylou Harris's "All My Tears" speak of the hope and comfort that can be found in death for those who have faith in Jesus. The opening lines suggest that the singer would prefer not to be mourned after death, but rather celebrated because she will be in her father's arms - a reference to being reunited with God in heaven. The next lines speak of a healing process that will take place upon death, where the pain and wounds of the earthly existence will be erased, and the singer's soul will be made whole.
The second verse suggests a profound change will take place in the afterlife, where the worldly sun and moon will be replaced with the light of Jesus. The singer confidently asserts that she will not be ashamed at this time because her savior knows her name. The refrain, "It don't matter where you bury me, I'll be home and I'll be free," emphasizes the idea that death is not the end, but rather a transition to an eternal and perfect home.
The third and final verse emphasizes the temporary nature of wealth and material possessions and encourages people to focus on spiritual sustenance instead. The singer invites her listeners to "come and eat from heaven's store, come and drink and thirst no more." The song concludes with a final reassurance to not weep for the singer when death comes, for her life belongs to the one who will raise the dead again.
Line by Line Meaning
When I go don't cry for me
When I die, don't mourn for me
In my father's arms I'll be
I believe that after my death, I will reunite with my father in heaven
The wounds this world left on my soul
The hurts and pains that life has caused me
Will all be healed and I'll be whole
In death, I will find peace and be complete again
Sun and moon will be replaced
In heaven, the natural world will be transformed
With the light of Jesus' face
Jesus will be the source of light in heaven
And I will not be ashamed
I will be unafraid to face Judgment Day because of my faith
For my savior knows my name
God has a personal relationship with me and is aware of my existence
It don't matter where you bury me
My physical location in death is insignificant
I'll be home and I'll be free
I will finally be in my true home in heaven and free from earthly struggles
Gold and silver blind the eye
Material possessions can deceive and distract us
Temporary riches lie
Earthly wealth is fleeting and ephemeral
Come and eat from heaven's store
Satisfy your spiritual hunger with what God provides in heaven
Come and drink and thirst no more
God's offering in heaven will fill us completely and we won't long for anything else
So weep not for me my friend
Don't grieve for me when I die
When my time below does end
When I pass away from this earthly life
For my life belongs to him
I devoted my life to God
Who will raise the dead again
I believe in the resurrection of the dead through Jesus Christ
All my tears be washed away
In heaven, there will be no more sorrow or pain
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Julie Miller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind