Their first release in 1985 was a seven-inch single named "Crazy Game", with the B-side "Everybody's Waiting (for Someone to Come Home)". That same year, the Indigo Girls released a six-track Extended play album named "Indigo Girls", and in 1987 released their first full-length album, Strange Fire, recorded at John Keane Studio in Athens, Georgia, and including "Crazy Game". With this release, they secured the services of Russell Carter, who remains their manager to the present; they had first approached him when the EP album was released, but he told them their songs were "immature" and they were not likely to get a record deal.
They were signed to Epic Records in 1989 and won the Grammy for best contemporary folk album later that year (for their self titled release) Some of their hit songs include "Galileo," "Closer to Fine," and "Shame on You."
Aside from being musicians, Ray and Saliers are activists, constantly supporting causes like gun control, women's rights, Native American rights, environmental protection, the abolition of the death penalty, and as lesbians themselves, LGBT rights. They constantly devote their time and money to such causes, often playing benefit concerts.
Ray and Saliers both have side projects. Ray owns and founded Daemon Records, an independent label based in Decatur. She also has a career as a solo artist, and has released two albums thus far. Saliers is the part owner of Watershed, a restaurant and wine bar in Decatur.
Together, the Indigo Girls are constantly touring. Their new album, Poseidon and the Bitter Bug, was released March 24, 2009.
All the Way
Indigo Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My eyes straight ahead hands ten and two
The gravity of our first connection
Veering off the road and into you
All the people drive by slowly gawking at the scene
Of the smoldering inevitable spark and gasoline
All the way I met you head on full speed
All the way I took the crash course impact
But have I learned all that I'm supposed to learn
No amount of playing safe could save me from this day
The head seeking path of my trajectory
Didn't we cooly divest of predestination
Slamming into futures we can't see
I know what can happen when there's more than meets the eye
But there's no way to avoid it just get in the car and drive
All the way I met you head on full speed
At the heart the blue flame burns
All the way I took crash course impact
But have I learned all that I'm supposed to learn
It makes me laugh, we?re talking over tea
When I can still smell the smoke on my sleeve
Steaming like gun smoke the wreckage of our past
The scene of a crime I still can't leave
Oh you and me, we should let well enough be
But each revisitation points to clues
There's the oil slick of uncertainty
And warning signs back there we didn't use
At least we laugh about it now how we escaped alive
It's remarkable the mess we make and what we can survive
(repeat chorus)
The song "All The Way" by Indigo Girls tackles the theme of love that comes out of nowhere and upends all the plans and expectations that we have for our lives. The lyrics of the song paint a picture of two people who find themselves drawn to each other despite their best intentions to stay on the straight and narrow. The singer of the song is driving along, minding their own business when they happen upon the person who will change their life. The immediate chemistry that they feel is compared to a "smoldering inevitable spark and gasoline".
The song speaks to the idea of taking risks and embracing the unknown, even when it might spell disaster. The lyrics use vivid imagery to convey the intensity of the attraction, with phrases like "heart the blue flame burns" and "Steaming like gun smoke the wreckage of our past". The relationship is depicted as a high-speed collision that the singer has no control over, but ultimately they emerge from the wreckage stronger and wiser, having "survived the mess we make".
Line by Line Meaning
I wasn't looking to shift my direction
I wasn't expecting anything to change in my life.
My eyes straight ahead hands ten and two
I was focused and prepared, doing everything I was supposed to do.
The gravity of our first connection
The immediate attraction we felt towards each other was significant.
Veering off the road and into you
Our feelings for each other caused us to take a chance and go off the familiar path.
All the people drive by slowly gawking at the scene
People are fascinated by the intensity of our relationship and the drama that it brings.
Of the smoldering inevitable spark and gasoline
Our attraction to each other was like a spark that ignited something that was bound to happen.
All the way I met you head on full speed
I didn't hold back in pursuing our relationship, jumping in with everything I had.
At the heart the blue flame burns
Our love for each other is intense and passionate.
All the way I took the crash course impact
I knew that there would be consequences and challenges in our relationship, but I was willing to face them head-on.
But have I learned all that I'm supposed to learn
I'm still trying to figure out what this relationship has taught me and what I still need to learn from it.
No amount of playing safe could save me from this day
No matter how hard I tried to avoid the risks of this relationship, I couldn't resist it.
The head seeking path of my trajectory
I was so focused on following my own path that I didn't see this relationship coming.
Didn't we cooly divest of predestination
We didn't believe in fate, but still ended up together anyway.
Slamming into futures we can't see
We knew that our future together was uncertain, but we jumped in anyway.
I know what can happen when there's more than meets the eye
I understand that there are hidden risks and complexities in our relationship that I haven't fully realized.
But there's no way to avoid it just get in the car and drive
Even though we know the risks, we can't resist the thrill and excitement of being together.
It makes me laugh, we?re talking over tea
We can look back on our relationship now with a sense of humor and perspective.
When I can still smell the smoke on my sleeve
Despite the passage of time, the intensity of our relationship still lingers and can be felt.
Steaming like gun smoke the wreckage of our past
Our past is filled with damage and hurt, but it still affects us in the present.
The scene of a crime I still can't leave
Even though our past is painful, I can't let go of it completely and move forward.
Oh you and me, we should let well enough be
Despite our history, maybe we should just move on and forget about what brought us together in the first place.
But each revisitation points to clues
Every time we revisit our past, we discover more about why we were drawn to each other.
There's the oil slick of uncertainty
Our future together is still uncertain and there are challenges and risks we can't ignore.
And warning signs back there we didn't use
Looking back, we can see the signs that warned us about the risks in our relationship but we ignored them.
At least we laugh about it now how we escaped alive
Despite everything we've been through, we can find humor in the situation and appreciate that we made it through together.
It's remarkable the mess we make and what we can survive
Even though our relationship has been tumultuous and messy, it's amazing that we are still together and moving forward.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AMY ELIZABETH RAY, EMILY ANN SALIERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind