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.
Land Of Canaan
Indigo Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your inner hemisphere
You say we're under the same sky, babe
Don't you realize, honey, it's not that clear
I'm not your promised land, honey, you know that I'm not
I'm not your promised one
I'm not the land of Canaan, oh sweetheart
Waitin' for you under the sun
I'm lonely tonight
I'm missin' you now
I'm wantin' your love
And you're givin' it out
I'm lonely tonight
I'm lonely tonight
I'm lonely tonight, ooh hoo, yeah
Well, the meaning's changed
For what it's worth
It's just a senseless game (oh yeah)
Well, I should think of love
But it's fear every time I hear
Honey, your heartbeat strain
It's not the fallen man
Honey, you know that it's not
It's not the call of time
It's just the London skyline, sweetheart
Tellin' me you're not mine
I'm lonely tonight
I'm missin' you now
I'm wantin' your love
And you're givin' it out
I'm lonely tonight
I'm lonely tonight
I'm lonely tonight, ooh hoo
Yeah
My blood is runnin' dry
My skin is, my skin is growin' thin
Oh, yeah, for every time you find yourself
You lose a little of me, honey, from within
It's just a ragin' cycle
Why can't we bring it all to the end of the line?
Shout it, baby
From inside this existence, no sweetheart
Time is not on my side
I'm lonely tonight
I'm missin' you now
I'm wantin' your love
And you're givin' it out
I'm lonely tonight
I'm lonely tonight
I'm lonely tonight, hoo hoo
I'm not your promised land (I'm lonely tonight)
I'm not your promised one (honey I'm tryin' to tell you that I'm lonely tonight)
I'm not your promised land
I'm not your promised one
I'm not the land of Canaan (I'm lonely tonight)
I'm not your land of Canaan (I'm lonely tonight) oh sweetheart
I'm not the land of Canaan, sweetheart
Waitin' for you under the sun
I'm lonely tonight
The lyrics of Indigo Girls' song "Land of Canaan" depicts a love that is unrequited and one-sided. The singer is expressing their sadness and loneliness, as they long for the love of someone who doesn't feel the same way about them. The lyrics reflect the singer's acceptance of the reality that they are not the "promised land" or the "promised one" for their beloved. The singer acknowledges that the person they desire is not fully committed to them and that they are waiting in vain for something that will never come. The song's lyrics also touch on themes of longing, rejection, and unfulfilled desires.
The singer's internal conflict is highlighted in the lyrics - on one side, they miss their lover and want to be loved by them, while on the other side, the singer knows that there is no reciprocation. The lyrics use metaphors and similes to describe the singer's emotions, comparing their feeling of being alone to dry blood and thinning skin.
Overall, "Land of Canaan" is a melancholic love song that articulates how the singer feels emptiness in their love life due to unreciprocated love. The lyrics convey the singer's desire for finding love and their acceptance of their state of loneliness.
Line by Line Meaning
You can go to the East to find your
You may travel to the Eastern Hemisphere to search for your inner self
Your inner hemisphere
The part of your mind that deals with emotions and senses
You say we're under the same sky, babe
You claim that we share the same experiences
Don't you realize, honey, it's not that clear
You are mistaken, my dear, it is not as simple as you believe
I'm not your promised land, honey, you know that I'm not
I'm not the solution to your problems, my love, you already know that
I'm not your promised one
I am not the one who will fulfill all of your desires
I'm not the land of Canaan, oh sweetheart
I am not the promised land of milk and honey, my dear
Waitin' for you under the sun
I am not waiting for you to save me
I'm lonely tonight
I am feeling alone and forsaken tonight
I'm missin' you now
I am yearning for your presence right now
I'm wantin' your love
I desire your affection
And you're givin' it out
You are sharing your love with others
Well, the meaning's changed
The significance of the situation has altered
For what it's worth
Regardless of its value, despite its importance
It's just a senseless game (oh yeah)
It's an absurd and pointless game we play
Well, I should think of love
I should consider the concept of love
But it's fear every time I hear
But I feel afraid every time I hear
Honey, your heartbeat strain
Sweetheart, your anxious heartbeat
It's not the fallen man
It's not the sin of Adam
Honey, you know that it's not
You know it is not the case, my darling
It's not the call of time
It's not the sound of the clock ticking
It's just the London skyline, sweetheart
It's merely the view of London's cityscape, my love
Tellin' me you're not mine
Reminding me that you do not belong to me
My blood is runnin' dry
I feel depleted and exhausted inside
My skin is, my skin is growin' thin
My skin is becoming fragile and weak
Oh, yeah, for every time you find yourself
Every time you discover yourself
You lose a little of me, honey, from within
You lose a part of me, my dear, from deep inside
It's just a ragin' cycle
It's an endless and tumultuous cycle
Why can't we bring it all to the end of the line?
Why can't we put an end to this situation?
Shout it, baby
Scream it out, my love
From inside this existence, no sweetheart
From within this world, my dear
Time is not on my side
I do not have much time left
I'm not your land of Canaan
I am not the destination of your dreams or the solution to your problems
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: AMY ELIZABETH RAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rogermetzger7335
In the 1940s and ‘50s, I heard several songs about the land of Canaan. This morning I was trying without success to think of the titles of some of those songs. So I did a search on YouTube and found several titles (see below), none of which I recognize from my childhood.
I do think I remember some geography, however. If memory serves, Judea is mentioned in the Bible and it was part of a larger land area that had once been known as the land of the Canaanites.
So why would there be more than a dozen songs about Canaan and none (to my knowledge) about Judea?
There has been controversy about land in the Middle East for as long as I can remember. There doesn’t seem to be much question about whether the area in northeastern Africa drained by the Nile River is Egypt - and has been called that for thousands of years but, in the area described in popular media (in the United States) as Israel and Gaza, it seems that to use any of the popular names for the land of the Cannanites is to imply an opinion about who is “right” and who is “wrong” in the current phase of the conflict.
I don’t think any of the antagonists in the current phase of the conflict are entirely in the right. So what name or names for the contested land area can be used without being understood as favoring one nation or ethnic group over another?
To Canaan's Land I'm On My Way
I’ve Been to Canaan
Those Canaan Days
Land of Canaan
On My Way To Canaan's Land
Been to Canaan
Camping in Canaan’s Land
How Far Am I From Canaan?
Living in Canaan
Canaanland Is Just in Sight
To Canaan's Land
Canaan Land
The Language of Canaan
I'm Bound for the Land of Canaan
@malenpiegaro5823
can go to the east to find your
your inner hemisphere
you say we're under the same sky babe
your bound to realize honey it's not that clear
i'm not your promised land oh no
i'm not your promised one
i'm not the land of canaan sweetheart
waiting for you under the sun
i'm lonely tonight
i'm missing you now
i'm wanting your love
and you're giving it out
i'm lonely tonight
i'm lonely tonight
i'm lonely tonight
well, the meanings changed
for what it's worth
it's just a senseless game
well i should think of love
but it's fear every time i hear
honey your heartbeat strain
it's not the fallen man
it's not the call of time
it's just the london skyline sweetheart
telling me you're not mine
i'm lonely tonight
i'm missing you now
i'm wanting your love
and you're giving it out
i'm lonely tonight
i'm lonely tonight
i'm lonely tonight
my blood is running dry
my skin is, my skin is growing thin
for every time you find yourself
you loose a little bit of me honey from within
it's just a raging cycle
why can't we bring it all to the end of the line
from inside this existence, sweetheart
time is not on my side
i'm lonely tonight
i'm missing you now
i'm wanting your love
and you're giving it out
i'm lonely tonight
i'm lonely tonight
i'm lonely tonight
i'm not your promised land
(i'm lonely tonight)
i'm not your promised one
(honey i'm trying to tell you that i'm lonely tonight)
i'm not your promised land
i'm not your promised one
i'm not the land of canaan
(i'm lonely tonight)
i'm not your land of canaan
(i'm lonely tonight)
i'm not the land of canaan sweetheart
waiting for you under the sun
i'm lonely tonight
@carriecoy2714
It's just amazing they found each other in elementary school and developed into such talented, compatible and complex musicians, and are still performing today.
@troyclayton
When one has loved a song for 30+ years and it still take the breath away, what can one do but say thank you? Thank you for all you've done, Amy and Emily. I have few heroes, you're among them. I play your songs every time I pick up my guitar. Thank you so much. I had but 10 seconds to tell Amy what your music meant to me when I saw her as I went for a beer a few years ago at Fresh Grass. I pushed my sunglasses over my eyes before I addressed her. I'm sure I blended into a sea of fans invading her space, so I tried to be brief -as shocked/thrilled as I was to see her.
@blackbird1320
30+ years of incredible songwriting and sing-a-long concerts. Their music is relevant, heart felt, deeply fierce. Thank you for re-inventing yourselves & bringing the world the gift of your musical talent.
@asterickanderson3343
Indigo Girls - Indigo Girls (1989) is still on of my top favorite albums of all time! Thank you Amy Ray and Emily Saliers for the muse!
@harmony430
I was there. I was amazed by their beautiful voices and harmonies!
@johnhollows2374
That is brag worthy for sure 👍👍😉😉
@4allseekpeace
Love the passion and fierceness, incredible guitar playing. Thank you for gifting us with “ Land of Canaan”
@deborahmeyer9834
This is one of the most incredible live performances I have seen. Freakin' pure talent!
@timothyburke6949
Ain't it though, just perfect.
@neferneferuaten2243
Just the best acoustic guitar solo I've ever heard.