Southland in the Springtime
Indigo Girls Lyrics


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Maybe we'll make Texas by the morning
Light the bayou with our taillights in the night
Eight hundread miles to El Paso from the state line
And we never have the money for the flight

I'm in the back seat sleepy from the travel
Played our hearts out all night long in New Orleans
I'm dirty from the diesel fumes, drinking coffee black
When the first breath of Texas comes in clean

And there's something bout the Southland in the springtime
Where the waters flow with confidence and reason
Though I miss her when I'm gone it won't ever be too long
'Til I'm home again to spend my favorite season

When God made me born a Yankee He was teasin'
There's no place like home and none more pleasin'
Than the Southland in the springtime

In Georgia nights are softer than a whisper
Beneath a quilt somebody's mother made by hand
With the farmland like a tapestry passed down through generations
And the peach trees stitched across the land

There'll be cider up near Helen off the roadside
And boiled peanuts in a bag to warm your fingers




And the smoke from the chimney meets its maker in the sky
With a song that winter wrote whose melody lingers.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Indigo Girls' song Southland In The Springtime is a celebration of the Southern states in the United States during springtime. The lyrics describe the journey of two people traveling from New Orleans to Texas. Although they don't have enough money for a flight, they embark on an eight hundred-mile journey that will take them through several Southern states. The first verse of the song sets the scene for the long journey, and it is evident that the travelers are tired and dirty from the journey. Despite these challenges, they are excited about the adventure that lay ahead.


The chorus of the song celebrates the Southland in the springtime. The lyrics describe the beauty of the Southern states, where the water flows with confidence and reason. The singer misses the Southland when she is gone, but she knows that she will soon return to her favorite season. The second and last verse of the song features Georgia, where the nights are softer than a whisper. The farmland is like a tapestry that has been passed down through generations, and the peach trees are a symbol of the land. The lyrics describe the delicious cider and boiled peanuts that one can find along the roadside, and the smoke from the chimney meets its maker in the sky with a song that winter wrote.


Overall, Southland In The Springtime is a song that celebrates the beauty and uniqueness of the Southern United States during springtime, and the lyrics beautifully describe the journey and atmosphere of the region.


Line by Line Meaning

Maybe we'll make Texas by the morning
We might be able to reach Texas early morning.


Light the bayou with our taillights in the night
The car's taillights brighten up the bayou during the night.


Eight hundred miles to El Paso from the state line
The distance from the state line to El Paso is eight hundred miles.


And we never have the money for the flight
We don't have enough money to fly.


I'm in the back seat sleepy from the travel
I'm in the back seat, exhausted from the journey.


Played our hearts out all night long in New Orleans
We played music passionately all night in New Orleans


I'm dirty from the diesel fumes, drinking coffee black
I'm covered in dirt from the diesel fumes, drinking black coffee.


When the first breath of Texas comes in clean
The first fresh air of Texas feels refreshing.


And there's something bout the Southland in the springtime
There is a certain quality about the Southland in the springtime.


Where the waters flow with confidence and reason
The water flows reflectively and with intent.


Though I miss her when I'm gone it won't ever be too long
I feel homesick when I leave but the absence won't last long.


'Til I'm home again to spend my favorite season
I can't wait to return home and spend my favorite season there.


When God made me born a Yankee He was teasin'
God must have been joking when He made me a Yankee.


There's no place like home and none more pleasin'
There's no other place like home and nowhere more delightful.


Than the Southland in the springtime
Especially when it is the Southland in the springtime.


In Georgia nights are softer than a whisper
The nights in Georgia are as quiet as whispers.


Beneath a quilt somebody's mother made by hand
We sleep under a handmade quilt made by someone's mother.


With the farmland like a tapestry passed down through generations
The farmland that looks like a tapestry has been passed down through generations.


And the peach trees stitched across the land
The peach trees are planted in neat rows on the land.


There'll be cider up near Helen off the roadside
We can find cider for sale near Helen along the side of the road.


And boiled peanuts in a bag to warm your fingers
We can buy boiled peanuts in a bag that warms our fingers.


And the smoke from the chimney meets its maker in the sky
The smoke from the chimney rises until it meets the sky.


With a song that winter wrote whose melody lingers.
The melody of a song written by winter still lingers in the air.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMILY ANN SALIERS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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