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.
Spanish Johnny
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those other years, the dusty years
We drove the big hers through
I tried to forget the miles we rode
And Spanish Johnny too
He'd sit beside a water ditch when all this herd was in
And he'd never harm a child but sing to his mandolin
The old talk, the old ways, and the dealin' of our game
But Spanish Johnny never spoke, but sing a song of Spain
And his talk with men was vicious talk
When he was drunk on gin
Ah, but those were golden things he said to his mandolin
We had to stand, we tried to judge, we had to stop him then
For the hand so gentle to a child had killed so many men
He died a hard death long ago before the road come in
And the night before he swung he sung to his mandolin
Well, we carried him out in the mornin' sun
A man that done no good
And we lowered him down in the cold clay
Stuck in a cross of wood
And a letter we wrote to his kinfolk
To tell them where he'd been
And we shipped it out to Mexico, along with his mandolin
The song "Spanish Johnny" by Emmylou Harris tells the story of a group of cowboys who rode together and had a companion named Spanish Johnny. Spanish Johnny was a quiet man who would sit by the water ditch and play his mandolin. Despite his gentle nature, Spanish Johnny had a reputation for being able to hold his own when it came to drinking and dealing with other men. The cowboys tried to judge him, but they could never really understand him. To them, he was just a mysterious figure who had a way with his music.
Years passed, and one night, Spanish Johnny was caught for killing a man. He was sentenced to death, and the night before his execution, he sang to his mandolin. This was a golden moment, a final testament to his music and his spirit. In the end, Spanish Johnny was buried in the cold clay with his mandolin, and a letter was sent to his kinfolk in Mexico to let them know where he had been.
The lyrics of "Spanish Johnny" capture the essence of a mythical American West, where cowboys rode the range and met their fate with grace and determination. It also highlights the power of music to bring people together and help them cope with life's many struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Those other years, the dusty years
Looking back on past times, particularly the difficult ones where they had to drive cattle through arduous terrain.
We drove the big hers through
The singer and their group drove a large herd of cattle through challenging conditions.
I tried to forget the miles we rode
In the midst of the journey, the singer attempted to forget about the physical distance they covered.
And Spanish Johnny too
During the cattle drive, the artist encountered Spanish Johnny.
He'd sit beside a water ditch when all this herd was in
Spanish Johnny would take a break from the cattle drive by sitting next to a water ditch.
And he'd never harm a child but sing to his mandolin
Despite his rough exterior, Spanish Johnny was kind to children and would play his mandolin for them.
The old talk, the old ways, and the dealin' of our game
The singer reflects on the traditional cowboy culture and way of life they were a part of.
But Spanish Johnny never spoke, but sing a song of Spain
In contrast, Spanish Johnny did not conform to these cowboy customs and always sang songs from his native Spain.
And his talk with men was vicious talk
However, when Spanish Johnny was drunk on gin, he could be cruel in his conversations with other men.
When he was drunk on gin
The cruelty of Spanish Johnny's words only occurred when he had been drinking gin.
Ah, but those were golden things he said to his mandolin
Despite his aggressive behavior at times, Spanish Johnny's interactions with his mandolin were gentle and beautiful.
We had to stand, we tried to judge, we had to stop him then
At some point, the artist and their group had to intervene and stop Spanish Johnny's harmful actions.
For the hand so gentle to a child had killed so many men
Although Spanish Johnny was kind to children, he had taken the lives of many men through violent means.
He died a hard death long ago before the road come in
Spanish Johnny had died a difficult death years ago, before the construction of a major road in the area.
And the night before he swung he sung to his mandolin
The night before his execution, Spanish Johnny spent time with his mandolin, singing a song.
Well, we carried him out in the mornin' sun
The next day, the artist and their group buried Spanish Johnny in the sunlight.
A man that done no good
Although Spanish Johnny was not entirely bad, he had still caused harm to others during his life.
And we lowered him down in the cold clay
The group buried him in the ground on a cold day.
Stuck in a cross of wood
They marked his grave with a wooden cross.
And a letter we wrote to his kinfolk
The group wrote a letter to Spanish Johnny's relatives.
To tell them where he'd been
The letter informed the relatives of Spanish Johnny's final resting place and what had happened to him.
And we shipped it out to Mexico, along with his mandolin
The letter and Spanish Johnny's mandolin were sent to his relatives in Mexico.
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