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.
Mama's Hungry Eyes
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stand out in this memory I revived;
Cause my daddy raised a family there, with two hard working hands
And tried to feed my mama's hungry eyes.
He dreamed of something better, and my mama's faith was strong
And us kids were just to young to realize
That another class of people put us somewhere just below;
One more reason for my mama's hungry eyes.
But it wasn't cause my daddy didn't try.
She only wanted things she really needed;
One more reason for my mama's hungry eyes.
I remember daddy praying for a better way of life
But I don't recall a change of any size;
Just a little loss of courage, as their age began to show
And more sadness in my mama's hungry eyes.
Mama never had the luxuries she wanted
But it wasn't cause my daddy didn't try.
She only wanted things she really needed;
One more reason for my mama's hungry eyes.
Oh, I still recall my mama's hungry eyes.
In Emmylou Harris's song "Mama's Hungry Eyes," the singer reminisces about her childhood and the struggles that her parents faced to make ends meet. She describes a "canvas-covered cabin in a crowded labour camp" where her family lived, and where her father worked hard to provide for them. However, despite his efforts, the family never had enough to meet her mother's needs.
The lyrics suggest that Mama's hunger was not just for food, but also for the luxuries that she could not afford, despite her husband's best efforts. The song also speaks to the larger social issues of class and inequality, as the singer notes that her family was "put...just below" another class of people. Mama's hunger is therefore not just a personal struggle, but a reflection of the broader injustices that her family faced.
Line by Line Meaning
A canvas covered cabin in a crowded labour camp
The memory is about a cabin made of canvas in a labor camp filled with people
Stand out in this memory I revived;
The canvas cabin stands out in the revived memory
Cause my daddy raised a family there, with two hard working hands
The singer's father worked hard to raise their family in that canvas cabin
And tried to feed my mama's hungry eyes.
The father tried to provide everything the mother wanted, but it was not enough
He dreamed of something better, and my mama's faith was strong
The father had dreams of a better life, while the mother had strong faith but still desired more
And us kids were just too young to realize
The children were too young to understand their family's struggles and desires
That another class of people put us somewhere just below;
The family were in a lower class compared to others
One more reason for my mama's hungry eyes.
This was one of many reasons why the mother always wanted more
She only wanted things she really needed;
The mother only wanted things that were really necessary
Mama never had the luxuries she wanted
The mother never had the things she desired for luxury purposes
But it wasn't cause my daddy didn't try.
The father tried to provide those luxuries but was unable to do so
I remember daddy praying for a better way of life
The artist recalls the father praying for a better life
But I don't recall a change of any size;
The singer cannot remember any significant changes taking place
Just a little loss of courage, as their age began to show
The parents started losing hope as they grew older
And more sadness in my mama's hungry eyes.
The mother became even sadder as time went by
Oh, I still recall my mama's hungry eyes.
The memory of the mother's longing and sadness still stays with the artist
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Merle Haggard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind