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.
Birthday Song
Indigo Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On your birthday card
Considered the poets
But they didn't know what
Lay quite inside my heart
I thought of Atlanta
I thought of Toronto
And all of the places we've been
And still came up empty again
So I guess the next time you see me
In a world of partial truths
You will fully believe me
I have nothing to give except but to live
Like the person you know me to be
I can clean up the kitchen
And fold up your clothes
Neatly as I am able
Wrap a box up with ties for a surprise
And order you flowers for the table
I could book us a trip
On a plane or ship
I know how much you love the sun
You could gamble on me
Like the lottery
And I'll make you feel like you've won
And I'll bet the next time you see me
In a world of partial truths
You will fully believe me
I have nothing to give except but to live
Like the person you know me to be
Life is short and so on
I'd like to give you something to go on
Grow on
They recently paved the walk on our street
We looked at the shiny cement
We stopped the car ready to carve
Our names into permanence
For a moment we're kids
Intent on a whim
There is no shadowy past
But even so the urge is to go
And put something down
That will last
So here goes
The next time I show up for you
You will know
And believe
I am ready to give
Ready to live
Like the person you know me to be
The Indigo Girls' "Birthday Song" is a heartfelt tribute to a loved one on their special day. The song opens with the singer admitting that she couldn't come up with anything to write in the birthday card of her loved one. She considered poets, but their words did not capture what lay deep inside her heart. Even thinking about special moments in Atlanta and Toronto and all of the places that they have been to together couldn't produce the right words. Nonetheless, she assures the loved one that the next time they meet, she is ready to give and live like the person that they know her to be.
The singer lists different ways in which she would like to express her love to the person. She would clean up the kitchen and fold their clothes neatly, wrap a box with ties for a surprise and order flowers for the table. She would book them a trip on a plane or ship and make them feel like they have won a lottery. She finally acknowledges that life is short and she would like to give something to go on or grow on. The song ends on a nostalgic note with the singer reminiscing a moment when they stopped the car to carve their names into permanence on the recently paved street.
The song is a testament to the power and beauty of love, which is simple yet profound. Love is an action, a quality that is shown through deeds rather than words. The singer doesn't have anything to give, maybe not in the material sense, but she has everything to offer in terms of living, loving, and cherishing the person.
Line by Line Meaning
I couldn't think of a thing to write
I was at a loss for words and couldn't think of what to write on your birthday card
On your birthday card
The occasion of your birthday, where I'm supposed to write a message for you
Considered the poets
I thought of turning to the experts - the poets - for inspiration
But they didn't know what
But their words didn't capture exactly what I wanted to say
Lay quite inside my heart
Which was the deep, heartfelt message that I wanted to convey to you
I thought of Atlanta
I thought of the places we've been together, including Atlanta and Toronto
And all of the places we've been
All the cities and countries we've visited as a couple
I filled up my tea and looked into the trees
I took a break and made myself some tea while looking out into nature
And still came up empty again
But I still couldn't come up with the right words to say on your birthday card
So I guess the next time you see me
So I'm saying that the next time I see you or interact with you
In a world of partial truths
In a world where many people are not truthful or authentic
You will fully believe me
You will believe that I am being honest and genuine
I have nothing to give except but to live
At this moment, I don't have much material possessions or extravagant gifts to offer you
Like the person you know me to be
But I can promise to be true to my character and values that you know and love about me
I can clean up the kitchen
Instead of material offerings, I list other things I can give you, like cleaning the kitchen and doing laundry
And fold up your clothes
Simple tasks that are often overlooked but show care and attention to detail
Neatly as I am able
To the best of my abilities and with care and diligence
Wrap a box up with ties for a surprise
I can put together a small, thoughtful gift for you and wrap it up in a special way
And order you flowers for the table
I can order flowers, a classic gift that shows affection and appreciation, to decorate our home
I could book us a trip
I can plan and book a vacation, something we can enjoy together
On a plane or ship
A travel experience, either by plane or ship, that can allow us to see new sights and make memories
I know how much you love the sun
I know what you enjoy and can use that to plan something special for you
You could gamble on me
I'm saying you can trust me to plan something special for you, something that may feel like a gamble but will end up being worth it
Like the lottery
Like playing the lottery, where there's always a chance you'll win big
And I'll make you feel like you've won
I'll plan something that will make you feel special, like a winner or a champion
And I'll bet the next time you see me
I'm saying that I'm confident that the next time we interact or see each other
In a world of partial truths
In this world where people are not always honest or genuine
You will fully believe me
You'll know that I'm being truthful and genuine in my words and actions
Life is short and so on
Life is fleeting and constantly moving forward, so it's important to seize the moment and make the most of it
I'd like to give you something to go on
I want to be able to give you something that you can carry with you and cherish
Grow on
Something that can help you grow and develop as a person
They recently paved the walk on our street
I recount a personal anecdote about how they paved the road in our neighborhood
We looked at the shiny cement
We took notice of the fresh, new cement and appreciated its appearance
We stopped the car ready to carve
We were so taken by the new pavement that we considered carving our names into it
Our names into permanence
To make our names permanent and leave a lasting impression
For a moment we're kids
We reminisce about a time in our past where we acted more carefree and youthful
Intent on a whim
We acted impulsively, without thinking things through all the way
There is no shadowy past
In the context of this song, this line seems to suggest that the act of carving our names doesn't carry any negative connotations of the past
But even so the urge is to go
But even though we know better, we still want to act on this impulse to carve our names
And put something down
To leave our mark and have something tangible to show for our existence
That will last
Something that will stand the test of time and not be easily forgotten
So here goes
And this is where I take that idea of leaving a permanent mark and apply it to our relationship going forward
The next time I show up for you
The next time we see each other, but with a more connected and meaningful bond
You will know
You'll understand and believe that I'm there for you in a deeper way
And believe
That I'm not just saying words without meaning, but that my actions align as well
I am ready to give
I'm saying that I'm in a place where I'm ready to give of myself to you
Ready to live
To really live life, and not just go through the motions. To cherish moments and make memories
Like the person you know me to be
And finally, to live in a way that is consistent and true to the person that you know me to be
Contributed by Lillian T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.