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.
Bang the Drum Slowly
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I always meant to ask you about the war
And what you saw across a bridge too far
Did it leave a scar
Or how you navigated wings of fire and steel
Up where heaven had no more secrets to conceal
And still you found the ground beneath your wheels
Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
To dust be returning from dust we begin
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Above and below me world without end
I meant to ask you how when everything seemed lost
And your fate was in a game of dice they tossed
There was still that line that you would never cross
At any cost
I meant to ask you how you lived what you believed
With nothing but your heart up your sleeve
And if you ever really were deceived
By the likes of me
Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
To dust be returning from dust we begin
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Above and below me world without end
Gone now is the day and gone the sun
There is peace tonight all over Arlington
But the songs of my life will still be sung
By the light of the moon you hung
I meant to ask you how to plow that field
I meant to bring you water from the well
And be the one beside you when you fell
Could you tell
Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
To dust be returning from dust we begin
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Above and below me world without end
In Emmylou Harris's song, "Bang the Drum Slowly," she reminisces about all the moments in her life that she wished she could have spent with someone special. She regrets never having the chance to ask the questions that she wanted to, to learn the experiences that shaped them, and to know the person underneath. The lyrics explore themes of longing, regret, and the fleeting nature of life. In the first verse, she mentions a car and a war, two things that directly relate to the person she is addressing. The second verse discusses the risks they took in life, flying in war, and how they reacted when all seemed lost. In the third verse, she acknowledges that the person is now gone, and she missed her chances to experience life with them. She notes that even though they are gone, their legacy remains.
The chorus of the song, "Bang the drum slowly, play the pipe, lowly, to dust be returning from dust we begin, bang the drum slowly, I'll speak of things holy, above and below me, world without end," touches on the fleeting nature of life. The lyrics suggest that we all have a limited amount of time on this earth and that death is an inevitability. The phrase "to dust, we begin" suggests that we all come from the same place and eventually return to it. The overall message of the song is that we should cherish the moments we have, spend time with the people who matter, and try to learn everything we can from them while they are still alive.
Line by Line Meaning
I meant to ask you how to fix that car
I wish I had asked you how to fix that car.
I always meant to ask you about the war
I always wanted to ask you about your experience in the war.
And what you saw across a bridge too far
I wanted to know more about what you experienced when you were across a bridge too far.
Did it leave a scar
Did it leave a lasting impression on you?
Or how you navigated wings of fire and steel
I wanted to know how you managed to control aircraft and deal with the extreme conditions it brings.
Up where heaven had no more secrets to conceal
I was curious to learn about your experiences up in the sky at such great heights.
And still you found the ground beneath your wheels
I was surprised at how well you managed to land the plane every time.
How did it feel
How did it feel to be so skilled and in control of something so powerful?
Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
Play the music slowly and solemnly.
To dust be returning from dust we begin
We all came from dust and will eventually return to dust.
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Play the drum slowly while I talk about sacred things.
Above and below me world without end
Everything that exists above and below me is never-ending, eternal.
I meant to ask you how when everything seemed lost
I wanted to know how you managed to survive when everything seemed hopeless.
And your fate was in a game of dice they tossed
And your life seemed to be determined by the roll of a dice.
There was still that line that you would never cross
You had your principles and never compromised them no matter what.
At any cost
No matter what the cost, you remained true to yourself and your beliefs.
I meant to ask you how you lived what you believed
I wanted to know how you managed to live your life according to your beliefs.
With nothing but your heart up your sleeve
With nothing to protect you, but your purest emotions and truest intentions.
And if you ever really were deceived
And if you were ever tricked or fooled into thinking differently.
By the likes of me
By someone like me who could have twisted your thoughts in the wrong direction.
Gone now is the day and gone the sun
The day is over and the sun has set.
There is peace tonight all over Arlington
There is peace and calmness in Arlington, maybe from the veterans resting in their graves.
But the songs of my life will still be sung
The experiences and lessons I've learned throughout my life will always be remembered and talked about.
By the light of the moon you hung
As if you hung the moon yourself, your influence carried me through life's obstacles.
I meant to ask you how to plow that field
I was curious to learn how to plow a field from you.
I meant to bring you water from the well
I wanted to help you out by bringing some water from the well.
And be the one beside you when you fell
And stand beside you when you needed help the most.
Could you tell
Could you tell that I wanted to be there for you? Did you know how much you meant to me?
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GUY CLARK, EMMYLOU HARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind