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.
Oh Carolina
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Another day is born
The hills take on a golden glow
A Carolina morn
I used to see you in her eyes
Now I just got to know
Oh Carolina, how could you let her go
[Chorus]
Oh Carolina, if I'd only known
Oh Carolina, I would have never gone
I thought the beauty of your hills
Would hold her here for me
I never dreamed while I was gone
You'd ever set her free
I trusted you with all my heart
And the only love I've known
Oh Carolina, how could you let her go
[Chorus: x2]
I would have never gone
The lyrics to Emmylou Harris's song, "Oh Carolina," express regret and longing for a lost love. The song begins by describing a beautiful Carolina morning, with the golden glow of the hills visible as the sun rises through evergreen trees. However, the singer's thoughts quickly turn to an old flame, who she used to see in another's eyes but has now lost touch with. The lyrics express a sense of betrayal, questioning how Carolina could let this love slip away.
The chorus underscores the singer's feelings of regret, highlighting the pain of lost opportunity. She wishes she had known better, regretting her decision to leave and longing for a chance to turn back time. The second verse speaks to the singer's trust in Carolina, assuming that her love would remain steady in her absence. However, that trust was misplaced, and her heart has been broken as a result.
Overall, the song paints a picture of a beautiful landscape that serves as a backdrop to a painful personal journey. The scenery is a reminder of what has been lost, serving as both a comfort and a source of pain. The lyrics reveal a deep sense of sorrow and regret, as the singer looks back on what could have been.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunrise through the evergreens
The sun is rising behind the trees and illuminating the tranquil atmosphere.
Another day is born
A new day has begun.
The hills take on a golden glow
The hills are basking in the warm colors of the sunrise.
A Carolina morn
It is a beautiful morning in Carolina.
I used to see you in her eyes
I used to see the love I felt for Carolina reflected in her eyes.
Now I just got to know
Now I've realized that I need to ask why she left.
Oh Carolina, how could you let her go
Carolina, how could you let the one I love leave?
[Chorus] Oh Carolina, if I'd only known
If I had known you would let her go, I would never have left.
Oh Carolina, I would have never gone
I regret leaving Carolina, and wish I had never done so.
I thought the beauty of your hills
I believed the beauty of Carolina's hills would keep her with me.
Would hold her here for me
I thought the allure of Carolina's natural scenery would make her stay.
I never dreamed while I was gone
While I was away, I never imagined that she would be let go.
You'd ever set her free
I never thought that Carolina would free her from my love.
I trusted you with all my heart
I placed my trust in Carolina with all my being.
And the only love I've known
The love that I had for her was the only love I had ever known.
Oh Carolina, how could you let her go
Carolina, how could you let the one I love leave?
[Chorus: x2]
The chorus repeats that if the artist had known his love would leave, he would have never left Carolina.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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