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.
Get Out The Map
Indigo Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna drink that sun
The saddest sight my eyes can see
Is that big ball of orange sinkin' slyly down the trees
Sittin' in a broken circle
While you rest upon my knee
This perfect moments will soon be leavin' me
Suzanne calls from Boston
The coffee's hot the corn is high
And that same sun that warms your heart
Will suck the good earth dry
With everything it's opposite enough to keep you cryin'
Or keep this old world spinnin' with a twinkle in its eye
Get out the map
Get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down
We'll leave the figurin' to those we pass on our way out of town
Don't drink the water
There seems to be somethin' ailin' everyone
I'm gonna clear my head
I'm gonna drink that sun
I'm gonna love you good and strong
While our love is good and young
Joni left for South Africa a few years ago
And then Beth took a job
All the way over on the West Coast
And me, I'm still tryin' to live half a life on the road
Seems I'm heavier by the year (heavier by the year)
And heavier by the load (heavier by the load)
Why do we hurtle ourselves
Through every inch of time and space?
I must say around some corner
I can sense a restin' place
With every lesson learned
A line upon your beautiful face
We'll amuse ourselves one day
With these memories we'll trace
Get out the map
Get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down
We'll leave the figurin' to those we pass on our way out of town
Don't drink the water
There seems to be somethin' ailin' everyone
I'm gonna clear my head (I'm gonna clear my head)
I'm gonna drink that sun (I'm gonna drink that sun)
I'm gonna love you good and strong
While our love is good and young
I'm gonna clear my head
I'm gonna drink that sun
I'm gonna love you good and strong
While our love is good and young
The Indigo Girls’ “Get Out the Map” is a song that tells the story of two lovers on the road who are searching for a place of rest, physical and emotional. The song begins with the singer's desire to "clear" her "head" and "drink that sun," which seems to mean that she wants to escape from her troubles and find clarity or clarity in her life. The sunset is a bittersweet sight, as the perfect moment won't last forever. The singer is sitting in a circle with an unnamed person resting on her knee, and they share this perfect moment together, but it is soon to be gone.
The song shifts to the mundane details of everyday life, as Suzanne from Boston calls to say that the coffee is hot and the corn is high. This backdrop of everyday life contrasts with the grander themes of the song, which address the transience of beauty and the inevitability of loss. The sun that warms their hearts will dry up the earth, and everything seems to have its opposite. The singer and her companion decide to leave their current location and use a map to guide them in their journey towards a new place to call home. They leave the figurin' to those they pass on their way out of town, meaning they don't have a plan, but will find their way as they go. The singer is weary from traveling but is determined to love her companion deeply while they are still young and in love.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm gonna clear my head
I am going to remove all the clutter and negative thoughts from my mind.
I'm gonna drink that sun
I am going to absorb all of the positive energy from the sun to help clear my mind.
The saddest sight my eyes can see
The most disheartening thing I have ever witnessed is the sunset disappearing behind the trees.
Is that big ball of orange sinkin' slyly down the trees
The sun setting behind the trees is a beautiful sight that is saddening because it signals the end of a perfect moment.
Sittin' in a broken circle
Sitting in a group with people who are not moving forward and progressing in their lives.
While you rest upon my knee
While you rely on me to take care of you and carry you through life's challenges.
This perfect moments will soon be leavin' me
These perfect moments will soon be taken away from me, and I will have to face and overcome tough challenges ahead.
Suzanne calls from Boston
The character receives a call from a friend named Suzanne who is from Boston.
The coffee's hot the corn is high
Suzanne describes the weather in Boston as hot, and the corn is reaching its full potential.
And that same sun that warms your heart
The sun that resonates with you emotionally and symbolizes happiness,
Will suck the good earth dry
Will consume all the good energy from the earth.
With everything it's opposite enough to keep you cryin'
There is enough negativity in this world to bring a being to tears.
Or keep this old world spinnin' with a twinkle in its eye
The world is capable of continuing to move forward and be inspiring despite its hardships.
Get out the map
To remove oneself from an environment or situation and start anew.
Get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down
Chose any place you prefer to move to and start your life anew - the possibilities are endless.
We'll leave the figurin' to those we pass on our way out of town
We will let those who stay figure out their own problems while we move in pursuit of new opportunities.
Don't drink the water
Do not trust the water in whatever new place you move to.
There seems to be somethin' ailin' everyone
There appears to be a problem that affects the wellbeing of everyone.
I'm gonna love you good and strong
I plan to care and support you deeply with all my strength.
While our love is good and young
While our connection is at its strongest and purest, and we are both willing to put in the effort to sustain it.
Joni left for South Africa a few years ago
Joni left in pursuit of new opportunities in South Africa several years back.
And then Beth took a job
Beth found work somewhere else shortly after Joni left.
All the way over on the West Coast
Beth found work very far away from Joni on the western side of America.
And me, I'm still tryin' to live half a life on the road
The character is still trying to find the right place or situation to call home, and is therefore always traveling.
Seems I'm heavier by the year (heavier by the year)
The character is weighed down and burdened with each passing year.
And heavier by the load (heavier by the load)
Their load of baggage and responsibility is getting heavier with each passing day.
Why do we hurtle ourselves
Why do we put ourselves through the stress of constantly pursuing new opportunities and experiences?
Through every inch of time and space?
Why do we move from place to place, seeking what we currently do not possess?
I must say around some corner
There must be a bright spot or light at the end of the tunnel.
I can sense a restin' place
I can feel that there is a place where I can stop and finally just rest.
With every lesson learned
As we learn new lessons and experiences, we unlock the potential for new and better opportunities.
A line upon your beautiful face
As we gain more experience and knowledge, we develop wrinkles and lines on our faces.
We'll amuse ourselves one day
We will someday look back on our struggles and laugh at ourselves for caring too much.
With these memories we'll trace
We will relive our past experiences through memories.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AMY ELIZABETH RAY, EMILY ANN SALIERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind