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.
Before Believing
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like new fallen snow
I told you summer stories but outside is getting mighty cold
I told you everything I could about me
Told you everything I could
How would you feel if the world was falling apart around you
Pieces of the sky were falling in your neighbors yard But not on you
Wouldn't you feel just a little bit funny
Think maybe there`s something you oughta do
Solutions that never lay down before you the answers are all around
Believing is all the friend you need to talk to
Believing in you
I told you everything I could about me
Told you everything I could
I told you everything I could about me
Told you everything I could
The song "Before Believing" by Emmylou Harris tells the story of someone who has opened up and shared everything they could about themselves. They have even shared summer stories with their loved one, but as the seasons transition to winter, things have changed. It's as if the world around them is falling apart, with pieces of the sky falling in their neighbor's yard, but not on them. Despite this, the person feels that something is not right, and there is something they ought to do.
The lyrics suggest that solutions are all around them, but they need to believe in themselves to find them. The song emphasizes the importance of having someone to talk to, and in this case, that someone is themselves. By believing in themselves and talking to their inner voice, they can find the answers they need.
Overall, the message of the song is encouraging and empowering, reminding listeners that they have the power to shape their lives and overcome adversity, as long as they believe in themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Winter Summer seasons is taken over it`s quiet
The change of seasons has resulted in a quieter atmosphere.
Like new fallen snow
The quietness is similar to that of fresh snowfall.
I told you summer stories but outside is getting mighty cold
I shared happy memories with you, but now it's getting colder and things are changing.
I told you everything I could about me
I revealed all that I could about myself to you, holding nothing back.
How would you feel if the world was falling apart around you
Imagine if everything you knew was falling apart and changing.
Pieces of the sky were falling in your neighbors yard
Destructive things happening around us can feel unpredictable and uncontrollable.
But not on you
It's a strange feeling to remain unaffected when everything around you is shifting.
Wouldn't you feel just a little bit funny
It can be uncomfortable to not know how to react when things are changing around us.
Think maybe there`s something you oughta do
Reflect on whether there is something you should be doing in response to these changes.
Solutions that never lay down before you the answers are all around
There may be answers to these changes that were previously unnoticed or hidden.
Believing is all the friend you need to talk to
One source of support during times of change and uncertainty can be believing in oneself.
Believing in you
Having faith in oneself is important.
I told you everything I could about me
I shared all that I could about myself with you.
Told you everything I could
I was open and honest in my communication with you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: FLOWERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind