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.
Sonny
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home,
Nights are so long, silence goes on,
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong.
Sonny lives on a farm, in a wide open space
Take off your shoes, stay out of the race
Lay down your head, on a soft river bed
Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home,
Nights are so long, silence goes on,
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong.
Sonny works on the land, though he's barely a man
There's not much to do but he does what he can
Sits by his window in his room by the stairs
Watching the waves drifting soft on the pier.
Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home,
Nights are so long, silence goes on,
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong.
Many years have rolled on, Sonny's old and alone
His Daddy the sailor, never came home
Sometimes he wonders what his life might have been
But from the grave Mamma still haunts his dreams.
Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home,
Nights are so long, silence goes on,
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong
The song "Sonny" by Emmylou Harris is a melancholic ballad that tells a story about a woman left alone for long periods because her partner, Sonny's father, is a sailor who is never around. The first verse sets the tone and introduces the emotional depth of the song: "Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone/Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home/Nights are so long, silence goes on/I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong." The woman is tired and vulnerable, and even though Sonny is physically there with her, the absence of his father seems to have a profound effect on her.
The second verse shifts the focus to Sonny, who is also living a lonely life, albeit in a different setting: "Sonny lives on a farm, in a wide-open space/Take off your shoes, stay out of the race/Lay down your head, on a soft river bed/Sonny always remembers the words Mamma says." Sonny finds solace in the natural world and in the words of his mother, who is perhaps the only parent figure he has ever known.
As the song progresses, time passes, and the absence of Sonny's father becomes a permanent void. The final verse reveals that Sonny is now old and alone, and despite the passing years, his mother's grief still haunts him: "Many years have rolled on, Sonny's old and alone/His Daddy the sailor, never came home/Sometimes he wonders what his life might have been/But from the grave Mamma still haunts his dreams." The song is a poignant and bittersweet reflection on the impact of absence and the enduring power of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Sonny don't go away, I'm here all alone
The singer pleads to Sonny not to leave because she is feeling lonely.
Your Daddy's a sailor, never comes home,
Sonny's father is a sailor who is always away on duty.
Nights are so long, silence goes on,
The nights are lonely and quiet, amplifying the singer's solitude.
I'm feeling so tired and not all that strong.
The artist is fatigued and lacks the strength to carry on.
Sonny lives on a farm, in a wide open space
Sonny lives in a farm with plenty of open spaces.
Take off your shoes, stay out of the race
The singer advises Sonny to slow down and avoid the pressures of life.
Lay down your head, on a soft river bed
The singer suggests Sonny rests on a soft, comfortable surface.
Sonny always remembers the words Mamma says.
Sonny always remembers the advice and guidance from his mother.
Sonny works on the land, though he's barely a man
Sonny works hard on the farm even though he is young.
There's not much to do but he does what he can
There aren't many options, but Sonny works to the best of his abilities.
Sits by his window in his room by the stairs
Sonny sits by his window, which overlooks the staircase.
Watching the waves drifting soft on the pier.
Sonny watches the gentle waves on the pier.
Many years have rolled on, Sonny's old and alone
Several years have passed, and Sonny is now old and lonely.
His Daddy the sailor, never came home
Sonny's father never returned home, causing him sadness and loneliness.
Sometimes he wonders what his life might have been
Sonny occasionally thinks about how different his life may have turned out.
But from the grave Mamma still haunts his dreams.
Despite her death, Sonny's mother still frequently appears in his dreams.
Contributed by Carson V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.