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.
Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go to sleep you little babe (Go to sleep you little babe)
Your mama's gone away and your daddy's gonna stay
Didn't leave nobody but the baby
Go to sleep you little babe (Go to sleep you little babe)
Go to sleep you little babe (Go to sleep you little babe)
Everybody's gone in the cotton and the corn
You're sweet, little babe (You're sweet, little babe)
You're sweet, little babe (You're sweet, little babe)
Honey in the rock and the sugar don't stop
Gonna' bring a bottle to the baby
Don't you, weep pretty babe (Don't you, weep pretty babe)
Don't you, weep pretty babe (Don't you, weep pretty babe)
She's long gone with her red shoes on
Gonna' need another lovin' baby
Go to sleep you little babe (Go to sleep you little babe)
Go to sleep you little babe (Go to sleep you little babe)
You and me and the Devil makes three
Don't need no other lovin' baby
Go to sleep you little babe (Go to sleep you little babe)
Go to sleep you little babe (Go to sleep you little babe)
Come and lay your bones on the alabaster stones
And be my ever-lovin' baby
The lyrics of Emmylou Harris's "Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby" tell the story of a baby left behind by its parents. The song is a lullaby sung by a caretaker trying to put the baby to sleep. The opening lines "Go to sleep you little babe, your mama's gone away and your daddy's gonna stay" establish the premise of the song. The baby's parents have left, and the caregiver is left to care for and soothe the baby.
The refrain "Didn't leave nobody but the baby" is repeated throughout the song and serves as a reminder of the precarious situation the baby finds itself in. The following verses describe how everyone has gone to work in the fields, leaving the baby alone. The line "Honey in the rock and the sugar don't stop, gonna' bring a bottle to the baby" could be interpreted as a promise to take care of the baby and keep it fed and happy.
In the final verse, the song takes on a slightly ominous tone with the mention of the Devil. However, the caregiver reassures the baby that they don't need anyone else, and they can be each other's companions.
Overall, the lyrics of "Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby" tell a simple but poignant story of a baby left behind in difficult circumstances. The caregiver's gentle voice and calming words provide comfort to the baby, as well as a reminder that it is not entirely alone in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Go to sleep you little babe
The baby is being put to bed and told to sleep.
Your mama's gone away and your daddy's gonna stay
The baby's mother has left, but the father is still present.
Didn't leave nobody but the baby
The baby is the only one left in the house.
Everybody's gone in the cotton and the corn
Everyone is out working in the fields.
You're sweet, little babe
The baby is addressed affectionately.
Honey in the rock and the sugar don't stop
The baby will be given a sweet treat.
Don't you, weep pretty babe
The baby is being comforted and told not to cry.
She's long gone with her red shoes on
The mother has left wearing red shoes.
Gonna' need another lovin' baby
The father may need someone else to love.
You and me and the Devil makes three
The father and baby are together, joined by a third entity or force that is perceived as sinister (the Devil).
Don't need no other lovin' baby
The father only needs the baby's love.
Come and lay your bones on the alabaster stones
The father wants the baby to lie down next to him on a white stone surface.
And be my ever-lovin' baby
The father wants the baby to be his forever and always be loved.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALAN LOMAX, GILLIAN HOWARD WELCH, SIDNEY CARTER, T-BONE BURNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind