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.
Alone And Forsaken
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
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The pastures were green and the meadows were gold
Our love was in flower as summer grew on
He love like the leaves now has withered and gone.
The roses have faded, there's frost at my door
The birds in the morning don't sing anymore
The grass in the valley is starting to die
And out in the darkness the whippoorwills cry.
Oh, Lord, if You hear me please hold to my hand
Oh, please understand.
Oh, where has he gone to, oh, where can he be
He may have forsaken some other like me
He promised to honor, to love and obey
Each vow was a plaything that he threw away.
The darkness is falling, the sky has turned gray
A hound in the distance is starting to "BAY"
I wonder, I wonder what he's thinking of
Forsaken, forgotten without any love.
Alone and forsaken by fate and by man
Oh, Lord, if You hear me please hold to my hand
Alone and forsaken by fate and by man
Oh, Lord, if You hear me please hold to my hand
Oh, please understand.
The lyrics of "Alone and Forsaken" by Emmylou Harris and Mark Knopfler are about lost love and the feeling of abandonment that follows. The song's verses describe the cyclical progression of a relationship - from its hopeful beginnings in the springtime to its eventual end in the winter months. The lyrics use natural imagery to describe the various stages of the relationship - the blossoming flowers and green pastures of spring represent the initial honeymoon phase, while the fading roses and dying valley grass symbolize the end of the relationship. The singer is left alone and forsaken, abandoned by her lover who has broken all of his promises and moved on to someone else. The haunting cry of the whippoorwills in the darkness emphasizes the sense of isolation and despair that the singer is experiencing.
The repeated refrain of "Alone and forsaken by fate and by man" highlights the singer's feelings of helplessness and resignation. The allusion to fate suggests that the singer believes that her misfortune is predetermined and beyond her control. She is calling out to God, asking for His help and guidance through this difficult time. The song is a poignant reminder of the fragility of love and the pain of heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
We met in the springtime when blossoms unfold
Our love began in a season of new growth and renewal.
The pastures were green and the meadows were gold
The setting was idyllic, reflecting the beauty of our love.
Our love was in flower as summer grew on
Our love bloomed and blossomed through the long, warm days of summer.
He love like the leaves now has withered and gone.
Our love has faded and died, like the leaves of autumn falling from the trees.
The roses have faded, there's frost at my door
The beauty and warmth of our love has given way to cold, bitter emptiness.
The birds in the morning don't sing anymore
Even the natural world seems to have lost its joy, reflecting the sadness and loneliness of my heart.
The grass in the valley is starting to die
The natural world is being overtaken by death and decay, much like my own feelings.
And out in the darkness the whippoorwills cry.
The call of the whippoorwills in the dark is a mournful reminder of the emptiness and loss I feel.
Alone and forsaken by fate and by man
I am completely abandoned and left to suffer, whether by the unfeeling hand of fate or the cruelty of other people.
Oh, Lord, if You hear me please hold to my hand
In my desperation and isolation, I turn to a higher power for comfort and support.
Oh, please understand.
Please hear my plea and ease my pain and suffering.
Oh, where has he gone to, oh, where can he be
I am left to wonder where my lost love has gone, and whether he too is suffering and alone like me.
He may have forsaken some other like me
Perhaps my former lover has abandoned someone else, just as he has abandoned me.
He promised to honor, to love and obey
My former lover made vows and promises of commitment and devotion.
Each vow was a plaything that he threw away.
However, he treated those vows as meaningless playthings, tossing them aside when his feelings changed.
The darkness is falling, the sky has turned gray
As my despair deepens, even the world around me seems to have grown dark and oppressive.
A hound in the distance is starting to "BAY"
The distant baying of a hound seems to indicate a growing sense of loneliness and isolation.
I wonder, I wonder what he's thinking of
Despite my pain and despair, I still find myself wondering about my former lover and what he is doing, feeling, and thinking.
Forsaken, forgotten without any love.
Ultimately, I am left feeling abandoned and unloved, left to suffer alone in the darkness of my own despair.
Alone and forsaken by fate and by man
My suffering is complete, as I am abandoned both by the universe itself and by my fellow humans.
Oh, Lord, if You hear me please hold to my hand
Once again, in my desperation, I turn to a higher power for comfort and support.
Alone and forsaken by fate and by man
My pain is overwhelming and all-consuming, leaving me with nothing but the despair of my own existence.
Oh, Lord, if You hear me please hold to my hand
In spite of everything, I still hold out hope for comfort and solace from a higher power.
Oh, please understand.
I beg for understanding and relief from my pain and suffering.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hank Williams Sr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind