During the 1980s, his reputation was established through frequent touring and recurring performances on A Prairie Home Companion. Subsequently, his work has been nominated for Grammy awards. He also founded his own record label and named it Red House Records after a home he lived in in Iowa. Red House Records is an independent record label specializing in folk music, based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Well known folk artists have signed with Red House Records over the years include Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Tom Paxton and Loudin Wainwright III. A Red House Records compilation, A Nod to Bob, was said to be a tribute from a Minnesota label to a favorite native son - guess who?
On November 21, 2002 he married the singer-songwriter Iris DeMent. His daughters (from a previous marriage) are also musicians.
From: Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Brown_%28folk_musician%29
Night
Greg Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sun descending in the West,
The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest,
And I must seek for mine.
The moon, like a flower
In heaven's high bower,
Sits and smiles on the night.
Farewell, green fields and happy groves,
Where flocks have took delight,
Where lambs have nibbled, silent moves
The feet of angels bright;
Unseen, they pour blessing,
And joy without ceasing,
On each bud and blossom,
And each sleeping bosom.
They look in every thoughtless nest
Where birds are covered warm;
They visit caves of every beast,
To keep them all from harm:
If they see any weeping
That should have been sleeping,
They pour sleep on their head,
And sit down by their bed.
When wolves and tigers howl for prey,
They pitying stand and weep;
Seeking to drive their thirst away,
And keep them from the sheep.
But, if they rush dreadful,
The angels, most heedful,
Receive each mild spirit,
New worlds to inherit.
And there the lion's ruddy eyes
Shall flow with tears of gold:
And pitying the tender cries,
And walking round the fold:
Saying: 'Wrath by His meekness,
And, by His health, sickness,
Is driven away
From our immortal day.
'And now beside thee, bleating lamb,
I can lie down and sleep,
Or think on Him who bore thy name,
Graze after thee, and weep.
For, washed in life's river,
My bright mane for ever
Shall shine like the gold,
As I guard o'er the fold
In Greg Brown's song Night, he sets to music the poem The Divine Image by William Blake. The first verse of the song describes the end of day, with the sun descending and the evening star shining. The scene is peaceful, with the birds already settled in their nests. The singer acknowledges that it is also time for him to seek his own rest. The second verse goes on to describe the presence of angels, unseen but ever-present, blessing everything around them. They visit animal caves and watch over them, they pour sleep on the heads of those in need, and they even feel pity for wolves and tigers that must kill to feed themselves.
The last verse of the song brings the focus to the lamb, lying beside the singer. The lamb is the representation of innocence and purity which Blake wrote about in his poem. The final line echoes the golden tears from the first verse and speaks of how those who strive for righteousness will shine as brightly as gold. The song Night incorporates elements of spirituality, nature, and sympathy for all living beings.
Line by Line Meaning
The sun descending in the West,
As the sun sets in the west, it signifies the end of the day and the arrival of the night.
The evening star does shine;
The star that appears at sunset is a symbol of hope and a reminder of the beauty of the universe.
The birds are silent in their nest,
The birds, like other creatures, have found refuge for the night and are resting silently.
And I must seek for mine.
Similarly, I too must seek a place for myself to rest and be with myself after a long day.
The moon, like a flower
The moon, as a flower, depicts a beauty that, though it seems delicate, is still powerful in showing its light in the dark.
In heaven's high bower,
In the high heavens, the moon sits and brightens the nighttime sky.
With silent delight,
The moon has a serene, peaceful quality that brings joy to those who behold it.
Sits and smiles on the night.
At night, the moon is a beacon, a source of light to guide our path in the darkness.
Farewell, green fields and happy groves,
The verdant spaces and happy trees bid me adieu as the night approaches.
Where flocks have took delight,
These fields and groves are where animals have grazed and found their own evening rest.
Where lambs have nibbled, silent moves
Lambs are feeding and are quietly making their way, demonstrating the calmness of the night.
The feet of angels bright;
Angels represent the serenity of the night and inspire grace on everything to be at its peaceful state.
Unseen, they pour blessing,
These unseen angels move about, bringing goodwill and positivity to all things as they rest.
And joy without ceasing,
They bring joy without pause, assuring creatures that they are taken care of and are safe to rest.
On each bud and blossom,
Flowers, too, are finding rest with the help of these angels, who bless everything in nature.
And each sleeping bosom.
Every living being's tranquility is ensured, with their deepest dreams and breathing constituting the night.
They look in every thoughtless nest
The angels also watch over birds and animals who are unaware of their presence, reassuring people that they are protected by supernatural beings.
Where birds are covered warm;
They watch over the birds as they rest and sleep, keeping them warm through the night.
They visit caves of every beast,
The angels also extend their blessings to even the farthest and most secluded corners of the world where animals rest.
To keep them all from harm:
The angels' purpose is to protect all animals from any harm that may come their way.
If they see any weeping
If any animal is upset or worried, the angels watch over their well-being and help them through their sorrow.
That should have been sleeping,
Animals who should be sleeping are watched over to ensure that they are at rest.
They pour sleep on their head,
The angels bless the animals with sound, peaceful sleep to make sure they have a successful night of rest.
And sit down by their bed.
To provide company and safety, the angels sit near the creatures as they sleep, making sure to keep a watchful eye on them.
When wolves and tigers howl for prey,
Despite facing the danger that comes with the night, the angels, instead of being fearful, are empathetic and understanding of the nature of wild animals that need to hunt during this time.
They pitying stand and weep;
Feeling compassion towards the beasts, the angels comfort and shed tears when these animals struggle to find food or a safe space.
Seeking to drive their thirst away,
The angels seek to quench the thirst and drive the hunger of the wolves and tigers away in order to limit their hunting.
And keep them from the sheep.
To protect the other animals in the fields from being hunted and ultimately dying.
But, if they rush dreadful,
The angels remain calm but alert, even when faced with dangerous situations.
The angels, most heedful,
They will do what it takes to ensure the safety of each creature, as they are vigilant and watchful.
Receive each mild spirit,
Every creation has a spirit, and the angels welcome each one, even the wild beasts.
New worlds to inherit.
Welcoming the spirits, the angels provide a path for them to inherit a new world - a life full of peace and happiness.
And there the lion's ruddy eyes
Even the wildest of beasts are given special consideration, providing everyone with a new world, full of eye-opening possibilities.
Shall flow with tears of gold:
When creatures find their new path with the legion of angels, the possibility of bringing out the unreal becomes a reality.
And pitying the tender cries,
The angels become empathetic towards the animals, but also towards the cries of humans who face struggles affecting their daily lives
And walking round the fold:
Fully aware of every being's needs, the angels aim to walk around with the community, providing guidance and watchful care.
Saying: 'Wrath by His meekness,
The angels emphasize that the right path involves maintaining composure even in tough times.
And, by His health, sickness,
Everything, even sickness, is necessary for one's health, through which we learn and grow.
Is driven away
To evoke harmony and peace, all negativity must be driven away.
From our immortal day.
Humans may die, but reaching for peace can help to create and maintain a sense of immortality around joyful aspects of life.
'And now beside thee, bleating lamb,
The angels inhabit alongside everyone, whether human or not, and provide a sense of comfort during sleep.
I can lie down and sleep,
For those like the lamb, the angels cater to their innocence and offer them solidarity as they sleep.
Or think on Him who bore thy name,
The angels grant people a chance to contemplate their connection to our saviour and creator.
Graze after thee, and weep.
The angels are still with us when we wake, through grazing after everyone to suggest that we remain watchful for evil, and weeping for those who suffer.
For, washed in life's river,
Although we all face hardships and pain, after experiencing many trials in life and extensive reflection, one can find a peaceful existence and regain one's innocence.
My bright mane for ever
After finding peace and serenity, one can begin to shine and radiate happiness like the bright mane of a lion.
Shall shine like the gold,
Becoming dazzling and rich like the metal gold, shining bright in the eyes of people.
As I guard o'er the fold
Finally, everything is coming to a full circle, providing aid and standing guard over all animals, which can be both members of the fold and everything else.
Contributed by Noah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.