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.
Restless
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I said gimme a ticket please
She said where to, sister?
I said, that's all right with me
I'm just restless
I need to get on out of town
Take me where the living's easy
I said honey, tell that driver
To put his big foot on that gas
Run this old grey dog
Just as long as it might last
I said honey, tell that driver
Take me farther down the road
Just take this grey dog
Any place he wants to go
I'm travelling light
Because I might be going far
Takin' nothing but the clothes on my back
And my red old guitar
Emmylou Harris's song "Restless" speaks to the desire for freedom and escape from the monotony of everyday life. The singer walks up to the window of a bus or train station and asks for a ticket, not necessarily caring where the destination is. She is simply restless and needs to leave town. The singer mentions wanting to go where the living's easy and where she can be found. This suggests that she may be searching for something easygoing and carefree, perhaps to escape the responsibilities or troubles of her current situation.
The singer then speaks to the driver, asking him to drive fast and far. She is willing to go wherever the bus takes her, eager to leave her current circumstances behind. The mention of the "grey dog" refers to the bus, which may be old and worn out, but still able to take her on this journey. The singer is traveling light, taking only the clothes on her back and her guitar. This suggests a desire for a simple life, unencumbered by possessions or obligations.
Overall, "Restless" is a song about seeking freedom from the constraints of everyday life. The singer is not sure where she is going, but she feels the need to escape and explore. The song speaks to a universal desire for adventure and escape, and it does so with Emmylou Harris's signature country sound.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I walked up to her window
The singer approached someone, possibly a ticket vendor or bus driver, with a need for transportation.
I said gimme a ticket please
The singer requests a ticket for transportation to an unknown destination.
She said where to, sister?
The vendor or driver asks where the singer would like to go.
I said, that's all right with me
The artist is indifferent to the destination and is willing to go anywhere.
I'm just restless
The artist is feeling restless or unsatisfied with their current situation.
I need to get on out of town
The singer desires to leave their current location.
Take me where the living's easy
The singer wishes to go to a place where life is simpler and less complicated.
That's where I'll be found
The artist believes they will find peace and contentment in a place where life is less stressful.
I said honey, tell that driver
The artist addresses the driver of a transportation vehicle.
To put his big foot on that gas
The artist requests the driver to accelerate the vehicle to a higher speed.
Run this old grey dog
The singer refers to the transportation vehicle they are on as an "old grey dog".
Just as long as it might last
The artist acknowledges that the ride may not last forever and wants to enjoy it while they can.
Take me farther down the road
The singer requests the driver to take them further along the road.
Just take this grey dog
The singer continues to refer to the transportation vehicle as a "grey dog".
Any place he wants to go
The singer trusts the driver to take them anywhere they want to go.
I'm travelling light
The artist is travelling with very little luggage.
Because I might be going far
The artist is aware that they may be travelling a long distance.
Takin' nothing but the clothes on my back
The singer has minimal possessions and is only carrying the clothes they are wearing.
And my red old guitar
The singer is carrying a guitar with them.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CARL PERKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind