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.
Pushing The Needle Too Far
Indigo Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Grey dawn
With a prayer on my breath
See I lost something precious
And God'll save me
From losing myself
I said I think I know what's wrong
I think I know what's wrong
Now I met the queen and I understand why
Why she closed the door
I'm not making excuses
But you know I've been there a few times
You know I was
I was knocking on the door
I said I think I know what's wrong
I think I know what's wrong
Wrong wrong
There's a man
He lived in a house
Had a family of five
Well he blew up the windows and the doors
He said "I just couldn't
I just couldn't survive"
We've all been removed
In one way or another
We don't know our families
We don't need our brothers
We're pushing the needle too far
Pushing the needle too far
Well if you wake up in the morning
Grey dawn
There's a prayer on your breath
See maybe you lost something precious
God'll save you
From losing yourself
I said I think I know what's wrong
Let me hear you
I think I know what's wrong
There's queen who closed the door
The family that lies
People who turn
The cat that has died
A boy that odds
A girl with a gun
The world on its knees
And a band on the run
You know you'd help me more
(The queen who closed the door)
By not giving in
(The family that lies)
You know you'd help me more
(People who turn)
By not giving in
(And the cat that has died)
You know you'd help me more
(A boy that odds)
By not giving in
(And a girl with a gun)
I said you'd help me more
(The world on it's knees)
Now don't you give in
(And a band on the run)
Ah now you'd help me more
By not giving
I said don't you dare
(Not giving in no)
Don't you dare
(Not giving in no)
Don't you dare
You'd help me more
By not giving in
I said you'd help me more
By not giving in
I said I
I think I know what's wrong
I think I know what's wrong
We're pushing the needle too far
The Indigo Girls' song "Pushing The Needle Too Far" begins with the singer stating that they woke up on a grey dawn with a prayer on their breath, having lost something precious. They hope that God will save them from losing themselves, admitting that they know what's wrong. The singer then speaks of meeting the Queen and understanding why she closed the door, acknowledging that they have been in a similar situation a few times. The song then moves on to tell the story of a man who blew up his house after being unable to cope with life, and highlights how everyone has been removed in one way or another. The song concludes with the singer urging the listener to not give in, as pushing the needle too far is causing harm to oneself and others.
The song's lyrics speak to the feeling of being at a breaking point, and the struggles that come with dealing with personal loss and hardship. The use of imagery, like the grey dawn and blowing up the house, convey a sense of hopelessness and despair. The chorus, "we're pushing the needle too far," serves as a warning of the consequences of not addressing one's troubles.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I woke up this morning
I woke up this morning
Grey dawn
It was dawn outside, but overcast
With a prayer on my breath
I felt like saying a prayer, like I always did when I woke up
See I lost something precious
I lost something very valuable to me
And God'll save me
Hopefully God will help me through this
From losing myself
So that I don't lose myself completely
I said I think I know what's wrong
I have some idea of what's causing this feeling
Now I met the queen and I understand why
After meeting the queen, I realize why she acted the way she did
Why she closed the door
She shut me out and didn't let me in
I'm not making excuses
I'm not trying to justify my behavior
But you know I've been there a few times
I've done things like that before
You know I was
I was
I was knocking on the door
I was trying to get into the place where she was
Wrong wrong
Very wrong
There's a man
There's a man
He lived in a house
He had a house
Had a family of five
He had five people in his family
Well he blew up the windows and the doors
He destroyed the windows and doors of his own house
He said "I just couldn't
He said that he couldn't do it anymore
I just couldn't survive"
He felt like he couldn't live anymore
We've all been removed
We're all disconnected
In one way or another
In some form or another
We don't know our families
We don't really know our own families
We don't need our brothers
We don't need our siblings
We're pushing the needle too far
We're taking things too far
There's queen who closed the door
There's a queen who shut me out
The family that lies
A family that is dishonest
People who turn
People who betray others
The cat that has died
A cat that has passed away
A boy that odds
A boy who takes risks
A girl with a gun
A girl who is armed
The world on its knees
The world is in a bad state
And a band on the run
A band on the run from something
You know you'd help me more
You would be more helpful to me
(The queen who closed the door)
(By not shutting me out)
(The family that lies)
(By being honest)
You know you'd help me more
You would be more helpful to me
(People who turn)
(By not betraying me)
(And the cat that has died)
(By not causing any more harm)
You know you'd help me more
You would be more helpful to me
(A boy that odds)
(By not taking unnecessary risks)
(And a girl with a gun)
(By not being violent)
I said you'd help me more
I told you already
(The world on it's knees)
(By not giving up)
Now don't you give in
Don't give up
(And a band on the run)
(By facing our problems head-on)
Ah now you'd help me more
You really would be more helpful to me
By not giving
By not giving up
I said don't you dare
I'm warning you
(Not giving in no)
(Don't you dare give up)
(Not giving in no)
(Don't you dare give in)
Don't you dare
I'm serious
You'd help me more
You really would be more helpful to me
By not giving in
By not giving up
I said you'd help me more
I told you this before
By not giving in
By not giving up
I said I
I said
I think I know what's wrong
I believe I know what the problem is
I think I know what's wrong
I believe I know what the problem is
We're pushing the needle too far
We're taking things too far
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AMY ELIZABETH RAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sarah Homrighausen
one of my favourite songs EVER
Lisa Butler
Ty:) for all your indigo girl song postings.