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.
Pendulum
Indigo Girls Lyrics
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We get together periodically and
I got a bad case I can't shake off of me
The fevered wanderin round wondering how it ought to be
You work in the system
You see possibilities and you're glistening
Eyes show the hell you're gonna give 'em
When they back off the mic for once and give it to a woman
I dream like a mad one
Brutal fantasies I catch as catch can
I'm a psychic and a laywoman
I see love and I like to make it happen
What we get from your war walk
The ticker of the nation breaking down like a bad clock
I want the pendulum to swing again
So that all your mighty mandate was just spitting in the wind
It doesn't come by the bullwhip
It's not persuaded with your hands on your hips
It's not the company of gunslingers
The epicenter love is the pendulum swinger
She is she is she is
It's fine about the old scroll Sanskrit
Gnostic gospels the da vinci code a smash hit
Aren't we dying just to read it and relate it
Too hard just to go by a blind faith
But they left out the sisters
I've been praying to a father god so long I really missed her
The goddess of benevolence
You should listen to your mama if you have a lick of sense left
Pushed under by the main press, buried under a code of dress
Relegated by the Vatican
But you can't keep a spirit down that wants to get up again
If we're a drop in the bucket
With just enough science to keep from saying fuck it
Until the last drop of sun burns its sweet light
Plenty revolutions left until we get this thing right
2006 words and music: Emily Saliers
The lyrics of Indigo Girls's song Pendulum are insightful and powerful, expressing a yearning for change and equality amidst societal and institutional oppression. The song starts with the singer meeting someone for coffee and revealing a bad case that they cannot shake off. The fevered wanderings portray a sense of confusion and anxiety about how things should be. The person they meet works within the system and seemingly sees possibilities but also recognizes the patriarchal structure where women are not given equal opportunities. The singer then speaks of their dreams, which are brutal fantasies, and how they are a psychic and a laywoman. They see love and want to make it happen.
The lyrics then delve into societal and institutional issues, where the ticker of the nation is breaking down like a bad clock due to the constant war and lack of change. The singer wants the pendulum to swing again, signifying a shift towards social and political equilibrium where the mighty mandate was only spitting in the wind. The lyrics emphasize that change does not come by force or violence, but through love and understanding. The pendulum swinger, who is referred to as 'she', represents the epicenter of love, where change and equality can be achieved.
The lyrics then address the religious and spiritual issues, where ancient texts and teachings are often used for manipulation and control, and how the role of women is so often overlooked. The singer acknowledges the goddess of benevolence, and suggests that one should listen to their mother, symbolizing the significance of listening to and respecting women. The lyrics also address the societal issues where women are oppressed and disregarded, hidden away by the main press or relegated by the Vatican. However, the singer emphasizes that the spirit cannot be kept down, and pushes for the need for social and political revolutions until things are set right.
Overall, the lyrics of the song Pendulum emphasize the need for change and equality within societal and institutional structures, away from patriarchal and oppressive structures towards a more compassionate, understanding, and equitable society.
Line by Line Meaning
I meet you for coffee
We occasionally get together in a casual way to catch up.
We get together periodically and
We meet occasionally and have no set schedule.
I got a bad case I can't shake off of me
I am feeling down and unwell, and cannot get out of this negative state.
The fevered wanderin round wondering how it ought to be
I am feeling restless and unsure of what to do, just wandering aimlessly.
You work in the system
You are a part of the establishment or bureaucracy.
You see possibilities and you're glistening
You are optimistic and can see the potential for good things to happen.
Eyes show the hell you're gonna give 'em
Your eyes reveal the intensity and determination with which you will confront any obstacles.
When they back off the mic for once and give it to a woman
When they finally give a woman a chance to speak and be heard.
I dream like a mad one
I have wild, sometimes disturbing dreams.
Brutal fantasies I catch as catch can
I dream of violent or upsetting things unexpectedly.
I'm a psychic and a laywoman
I have a sixth sense or intuition, but I am not an expert in any field.
I see love and I like to make it happen
I want to help create loving relationships and connections between people.
What we get from your war walk
The results or consequences of your militaristic actions.
The ticker of the nation breaking down like a bad clock
The country is falling apart and is not functioning properly.
I want the pendulum to swing again
I want things to change back to the way they used to be.
So that all your mighty mandate was just spitting in the wind
So that all the powerful rules and orders were meaningless and did not accomplish anything.
It doesn't come by the bullwhip
You can't force change with violence or aggression.
It's not persuaded with your hands on your hips
Being pushy or insistent will not necessarily convince anyone of your ideas or beliefs.
It's not the company of gunslingers
Violent or aggressive people will not bring about positive change.
The epicenter love is the pendulum swinger
The key to making positive change is through love and compassion.
She is she is she is
This is a repeated refrain affirming the goddess or divine feminine energy.
It's fine about the old scroll Sanskrit
There is value in ancient texts and traditions, including those written in Sanskrit.
Gnostic gospels the da vinci code a smash hit
Even modern popular culture is fascinated by these old texts and mysteries.
Aren't we dying just to read it and relate it
We are so eager to learn and understand these ancient texts that we are willing to go to great lengths or even risk our lives.
Too hard just to go by a blind faith
It is difficult to believe in something without any proof or evidence to support it.
But they left out the sisters
The contributions and perspectives of women have often been ignored and excluded from religious or spiritual traditions.
I've been praying to a father god so long I really missed her
I have been focused on a masculine, patriarchal idea of God for so long that I have forgotten or overlooked the feminine divine energy.
The goddess of benevolence
A representation of the loving and compassionate feminine divine energy.
You should listen to your mama if you have a lick of sense left
You should listen to the wise and nurturing energy of the feminine divine, if you have any sense left.
Pushed under by the main press, buried under a code of dress
Women's voices and experiences are often silenced or overlooked by mainstream media and societal expectations.
Relegated by the Vatican
The Catholic Church has historically excluded women from positions of power or influence.
But you can't keep a spirit down that wants to get up again
The resilient and determined spirit of women will not be kept down or silenced for long.
If we're a drop in the bucket
If we are small and seemingly insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
With just enough science to keep from saying fuck it
With just enough knowledge or understanding to keep from giving up or losing hope.
Until the last drop of sun burns its sweet light
Until the end of time or the eventual destruction of the world.
Plenty revolutions left until we get this thing right
There will be many opportunities for social and political change in the future, until we finally get things right.
2006 words and music: Emily Saliers
This song was written and composed by Emily Saliers in 2006.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AMY ELIZABETH RAY, EMILY ANN SALIERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind