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.
Ashes By Now
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This morning is Monday where are you now
Teasin' my memory teaching me how to lay low
When I don't want to
Well love is elusive this I know now
It's making me crazy leaving me out
In the open when I don't want to
The moments of pleasures Never do last
Are gone like a suitcase full of your past
Long gone and in a hurry
Baby, I can't go through this again
I don't need to go down more then I've already been
Just like a wild fire you're running all over town
As much as you burn me baby I should be ashes by now
The second street beggars alone in their life
Drunk on a sidewalk to hide from the night
Like I am They're just like I am
Baby, I can't go through this again
I don't need to go down more then I've already been
Just like a wild fire you're running all over town
As much as you burn me baby I should be ashes by now
Just like a wild fire You're running all over town
As much as you burn me, baby I should be ashes by now
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah I should be ashes by now
In Emmylou Harris's song Ashes by Now, the singer reflects on the consequences of love and the emotional turmoil that it brings. The lyrics convey a sense of despair and emotional exhaustion, as the singer is left reeling from the aftermath of a tumultuous relationship. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics, as the singer asks where their lover is now, and how they are constantly reminded of their presence through memories that continue to haunt them. The use of the phrase "teaching me how to lay low" suggests that the singer is attempting to retreat from their emotions, but is unable to escape the pain of their past.
The chorus of the song, "Baby, I can’t go through this again, I don’t need to go down more than I’ve already been, just like a wildfire you’re running all over town", highlights the destructive nature of the relationship and the toll it has taken on the singer. The comparison to a wildfire is a powerful metaphor, suggesting that their lover's actions are causing destruction and chaos wherever they go. The final line of the chorus, "As much as you burn me baby, I should be ashes by now", reinforces the idea that the singer is barely holding on, and could be consumed by their emotions at any moment.
Overall, Ashes by Now is a poignant reflection on the highs and lows of love, and the lasting impact that it can have on a person's life.
Line by Line Meaning
This morning is Monday where are you now
The day has started but you are not here with me, forcing me to reminisce about our memories
Teasin' my memory teaching me how to lay low
Your absence is causing my mind to wander and making me feel low
When I don't want to
I don't want to feel this way, but your absence is making me feel low and laid back
Well love is elusive this I know now
I have come to realize that love is hard to find and maintain
It's making me crazy leaving me out
This lack of love is driving me insane and making me feel excluded
In the open when I don't want to
This loneliness and exclusion is making me feel vulnerable and exposed
The moments of pleasures never do last
The moments of happiness and pleasure are fleeting and short-lived
Are gone like a suitcase full of your past
These moments are gone and forgotten, just like your past memories that you carry with you everywhere
Long gone and in a hurry
These memories have faded away quickly and are now a distant memory
Baby, I can't go through this again
I cannot bear to experience this pain and heartbreak again
I don't need to go down more then I've already been
I do not want to experience more pain and suffering than I already have
Just like a wildfire you're running all over town
You're moving around quickly and spreading your desire and love around, just like a wildfire
As much as you burn me, baby I should be ashes by now
Your actions are hurting me so much that I should be nothing but ashes by now
The second street beggars alone in their life
People who beg on the street are often alone in life, just like me
Drunk on a sidewalk to hide from the night
These beggars often retreat to alcohol and drugs to escape the harsh reality of life
Like I am They're just like I am
I relate to these beggars and their struggles because I am also alone and hurting
Just like a wildfire You're running all over town
You're moving around quickly and spreading your desire and love around, just like a wildfire
As much as you burn me, baby I should be ashes by now
Your actions are hurting me so much that I should be nothing but ashes by now
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah I should be ashes by now
The pain is unbearable and I should have been consumed by it by now
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, TRAVELLERS HOLLOW MUSIC
Written by: RODNEY CROWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind