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.
Girl With the Weight of the World in Her Hands
Indigo Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's not chosen this path, but she watches who it crosses
Maybe move to the right, maybe move to the left
So we can all see her pain she wears like a banner on her chest
And we all say it's sad, and we think it's a shame
And she's called to our attention, but we do not call her name,
The girl with the weight of the world in her hands.
I wonder if alone she wants it taken from her hands
But if things didn't get any harder
She might miss her sacred chance to go a consecrated martyr,
The girl with the weight of the world in her hands.
I wonder which saint that lives inside a bead
will grant her consolation when she counts upon her need
It makes us all angry though we feign to care
But who will be the scale to weigh the cross she has to bear,
The girl with the weight of the world in her hands.
"Is the glass half-full or empty?" I ask her as I fill it
She said it doesn't really matter, pretty soon you're bound to spill it.
With the half logic language of the sermon she delivers
And the way she smiles so knowingly at me gives me the shivers
I pull the blanket higher when I'm finally safe at home
And she'll take a hundred with her, but she always sleeps alone,
The girl with the weight of the world in her hands.
The Girl With The Weight Of The World In Her Hands by Indigo Girls is a song that speaks to the struggles of a woman who carries burdens that she did not choose. The lyrics paint a picture of a woman who is suffering and struggling, but is largely ignored and unseen by those around her. The song explores the idea of empathy and the ways in which people can choose to ignore the pain of others, even when it is evidenced in their very presence.
The repeated refrain, "the girl with the weight of the world in her hands," emphasizes the overwhelming nature of her challenges and the extent to which they consume her. The lyrics also suggest that there may be a certain degree of nobility in her suffering, as she is compared to a "consecrated martyr." This raises questions about the nature of suffering and whether or not there can be any meaning or purpose to it.
The song also touches on the idea of individual responsibility and the ways in which people may try to absolve themselves of it. The singer wonders if they and others would be willing to take the weight of the world from the woman's shoulders if they could, but ultimately it seems that they are more concerned with their own happiness and plans. This raises questions about what it means to be responsible to others and how we can balance that with our own needs and desires.
Line by Line Meaning
She won't recover from her losses,
This girl has experienced devastating losses that have taken a toll on her and she may never fully recover.
She's not chosen this path, but she watches who it crosses
This girl didn't choose the struggles she's been given, but she sees how it affects others and tries to bear it with grace.
Maybe move to the right, maybe move to the left
We should try and move in her direction so we can better understand and support her.
So we can all see her pain she wears like a banner on her chest
She openly displays her pain even though it may make others uncomfortable because she wants people to understand and empathize.
And we all say it's sad, and we think it's a shame
We often acknowledge her struggles but don't take enough action to truly help her.
And she's called to our attention, but we do not call her name,
We may be aware of her struggles but don't take the time to really see her and acknowledge her in a meaningful way.
The girl with the weight of the world in her hands.
This girl is carrying an immense burden that no one else seems to fully comprehend or appreciate.
We're busy with our happiness, busy with our plans
While we go about our own lives and concerns, this girl is struggling and hurting in a way that we often overlook.
I wonder if alone she wants it taken from her hands
This girl may wish that her hardships could be lifted from her, but also recognizes the value of her struggles.
But if things didn't get any harder
The weight this girl is carrying is already immense, and it's difficult to imagine how it could get any heavier.
She might miss her sacred chance to go a consecrated martyr,
In some ways, this girl sees her burden as a sacred mission and doesn't want it to be taken away before she's had a chance to fully live out that purpose.
I wonder which saint that lives inside a bead
The girl may be seeking some kind of divine intervention or guidance to help her cope and find peace.
will grant her consolation when she counts upon her need
She's hoping to find some solace and comfort in her faith.
It makes us all angry though we feign to care
Despite our supposed concern for this girl, we also feel frustrated and impatient with her struggles.
But who will be the scale to weigh the cross she has to bear,
No one else can fully understand the burden this girl is carrying, and it's unfair to judge her or her struggles without truly understanding.
"Is the glass half-full or empty?" I ask her as I fill it
The artist tries to engage with the girl but may not fully grasp the scope of what she's going through.
She said it doesn't really matter, pretty soon you're bound to spill it.
The girl doesn't see life as a simple glass that is either full or empty, and knows that everything in life is fleeting.
With the half logic language of the sermon she delivers
The girl speaks in a seemingly paradoxical way that may be hard to understand or reconcile.
And the way she smiles so knowingly at me gives me the shivers
The singer senses that there's a lot more to this girl and her struggles than he initially realized, and it makes him uncomfortable.
I pull the blanket higher when I'm finally safe at home
The artist is grateful to retreat to his own safe space, but also recognizes the privilege and comfort he has that the girl does not.
And she'll take a hundred with her, but she always sleeps alone,
The girl may bring all of her struggles and hardships to bed with her, but ultimately she has to face them alone.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMILY ANN SALIERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind