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.
When We're Gone Long Gone
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In our struggle just to get by
Many times the burden's been heavy
Still we carried on side by side
[Chorus]
And when we're gone long gone
The only thing that will have mattered
And the way that we cared
When we're gone, long gone
And when we're walking together in glory
Hand in hand through eternity
It's the love that will be remembered
Not wealth, not poverty
[Chorus]
Emmylou Harris's song "When We're Gone Long Gone" is one that speaks to the human experience of struggling through hard times, but persevering with the warmth of love and companionship. The opening lines depict this struggle vividly, with the repeated phrase "trouble, we have known trouble" signaling the difficulty that the singer and their beloved have faced. In their striving "just to get by," the burden has been heavy, but they have always carried on together "side by side." Despite the hardships, the love between them has survived and thrived, becoming the only thing that truly matters when their journey comes to an end. The chorus emphasizes this poignant message, stating that even when they are "gone long gone," all that will remain is the love they shared and the way they cared for one another.
The second verse of the song paints a picture of the afterlife, with the singer and their beloved walking "together in glory," hand in hand for all eternity. Here, the contrast between worldly possessions and the power of love is further emphasized, as the legacy of their time on earth will not be determined by wealth or poverty, but by the love they were able to give and receive. The chorus repeats again, driving home the song's central message of the enduring power of love through life's joys and struggles.
Overall, "When We're Gone Long Gone" is a beautifully-rendered tribute to the human experience of overcoming challenges with the help of those we love. The song speaks to the way in which even the most difficult of obstacles can be faced with strength and courage when we walk through life hand in hand with our beloveds.
Line by Line Meaning
Trouble, we have known trouble
Throughout our lives, we have experienced a lot of difficulties and hardships
In our struggle just to get by
We have faced challenging circumstances and situations just to make ends meet
Many times the burden's been heavy
We have often carried a heavy load of responsibilities and challenges
Still we carried on side by side
Despite the hardships we faced, we persevered and supported each other
And when we're gone long gone
When we have passed away and are no longer present in this world
The only thing that will have mattered
The only thing that will have made an impact or mattered in the end
Is the love that we shared
The love that we had for each other and the love we gave to others
And the way that we cared
The way we took care of others and showed compassion and kindness
When we're gone, long gone
Repeated emphasis that this statement applies to when we have passed away
And when we're walking together in glory
When we are in a better place, afterlife or some sort of eternal happiness
Hand in hand through eternity
We will forever be together, as partners or allies
It's the love that will be remembered
The one thing that will last and be missed is the love we shared with others
Not wealth, not poverty
What we had materially or financially will not be remembered or crucial
[Chorus]
The repetition of the chorus that emphasizes the lasting nature of love
Lyrics © KIERAN KANE MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMIE O'HARA, KIERAN KANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind