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.
Watershed
Indigo Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like the back of my hand
The gold and the rainbow
But nothing panned out as I planned
And they say only milk and honey's
Gonna make your soul satisfied
Well I better learn how to swim
'Cause the crossing is chilly and wide
Twisted guardrails on the highway
Broken glass on the cement
A ghost of someone's tragedy
How recklessly my time has been spent
They say that it's never too late
But you don't, you don't get any younger
Well I better learn how to starve the emptiness
And feed the hunger
Up on the watershed
Standing at the fork in the road
You can stand there and agonize
'Til your agony's your heaviest load
You'll never fly as the crow flies
Get used to a country mile
When you're learning to face
The path at your pace
Every choice is worth your while
And there's always retrospect (when you're looking back)
To light a clearer path
Every five years or so I look back on my life
And I have a good laugh
You start at the top (start at the top)
Go full circle round
Catch a breeze
Take a spill
But ending up where I started again
Makes me want to stand still
Up on the watershed
Standing at the fork in the road
You can stand there and agonize
'Til your agony's your heaviest load
You'll never fly as the crow flies
Get used to a country mile
When you're learning to face
The path at your pace
Every choice is worth your while
Stepping on a crack (stepping on a crack)
Breaking up and looking back
'Til every tree limb overhead just seems to sit and wait
'Til every step you take becomes a twist of fate (twist of fate)
Up on the watershed
Standing at the fork in the road
You can stand there and agonize
'Til your agony's your heaviest load
You'll never fly as the crow flies
Get used to a country mile
When you're learning to face
The path at your pace
Every choice is worth your while
Up on the watershed
Standing at the fork in the road
You can stand there and agonize
'Til your agony's your heaviest load
You'll never fly as the crow flies
Get used to a country mile
When you're learning to face
The path at your pace
Every choice is worth your while
And when you're learning to face
The path at your pace
Every choice is worth your while
The lyrics of Indigo Girls’ “Watershed” reflect a person’s self-discovery and realization that life doesn’t always pan out as planned. The first verse shows the singer’s journey from feeling confident about knowing their mind to being uncertain about the future. The line “Well, I better learn how to swim, ‘Cause the crossing is chilly and wide” invokes a sense of fear in the singer about facing the unknown waters. The second verse uses imagery of twisted guardrails and broken glass to symbolize how recklessly and directionless the singer’s life has been until now. The lyrics also suggest a need to fill an emptiness within oneself, indicated by the line “Well, I better learn how to starve the emptiness And feed the hunger”. It’s a realization that one has to face the path ahead, and every choice is worth taking, even if it doesn’t lead to the desired destination. The chorus embodies this idea - “Every choice is worth your while”.
“Watershed” talks about standing at a fork in the road, where one can “agonize ‘til your agony’s your heaviest load.” It’s a reminder that we are not always going to fly in a straight line like the crow lives. Instead, we need to get used to every path's length and learn to face the path at our own pace. Stepping on a crack and looking back until every tree limb overhead just seems to sit and wait illustrates the fear of being vulnerable and hesitant to face unknown challenges. Ultimately, the song motivates people to take choices that are worth their while and embrace the journey's unpredictability.
Line by Line Meaning
Thought I knew my mind
I believed I had complete understanding of my thoughts and feelings.
Like the back of my hand
As well as I know my physical self.
The gold and the rainbow
The things I thought would bring me happiness.
But nothing panned out as I planned
None of those things actually brought me happiness.
And they say only milk and honey's
According to conventional wisdom, true satisfaction can only be achieved through abundance.
Gonna make your soul satisfied
Will bring you true fulfillment and contentment.
Well I better learn how to swim
I need to learn how to adapt in order to navigate the difficult and uncertain journey to true happiness.
'Cause the crossing is chilly and wide
The way to true happiness is long, difficult, and fraught with obstacles.
Twisted guardrails on the highway
A metaphor for the unexpected and dangerous road of life.
Broken glass on the cement
A symbol of the painful experiences that litter our paths.
A ghost of someone's tragedy
The residual pain and emotion left behind by those who have suffered before us.
How recklessly my time has been spent
Regret at how haphazardly I have lived my life so far, without thought to the consequences of my actions.
They say that it's never too late
A message of hope that we can always change our lives for the better.
But you don't, you don't get any younger
A reminder that time is precious and we should not waste it.
Well I better learn how to starve the emptiness
I need to find a way to address the lingering sense of unfulfillment and unhappiness in my life.
And feed the hunger
Find a way to fulfill my desires and pursue my passions.
Up on the watershed
At a turning point in my life.
Standing at the fork in the road
Faced with an important decision.
You can stand there and agonize
Engage in endless rumination and indecision.
'Til your agony's your heaviest load
Until the stress of indecision becomes overwhelming.
You'll never fly as the crow flies
You cannot always take the straightest or easiest path to success and happiness.
Get used to a country mile
Be prepared to travel a long and difficult path.
When you're learning to face
When you are learning to confront your problems.
The path at your pace
At your own pace and in your own way.
Every choice is worth your while
Every decision you make is important and can contribute to your overall success or failure.
And there's always retrospect (when you're looking back)
When you look back on your life.
To light a clearer path
To clarify your understanding of your past and the choices you have made.
Every five years or so I look back on my life
Reflecting on my past on a regular basis.
And I have a good laugh
A sense of humor about past failures and missed opportunities.
You start at the top (start at the top)
Beginning your journey toward success and happiness.
Go full circle round
Experiencing ups and downs or a winding path.
Catch a breeze
Taking advantage of opportunities when they arise.
Take a spill
Encountering failures or setbacks.
But ending up where I started again
Coming full circle or feeling unfulfilled despite past efforts.
Makes me want to stand still
Feeling discouraged and unsure of how to proceed.
Stepping on a crack (stepping on a crack)
Superstition or a sense of danger in everyday situations.
Breaking up and looking back
Consciously reviewing your past in order to move forward.
'Til every tree limb overhead just seems to sit and wait
Feeling as though the obstacles in your path are insurmountable.
'Til every step you take becomes a twist of fate (twist of fate)
Feeling as though you have no control over the direction of your life.
And when you're learning to face
When you are striving to better yourself or face your problems.
The path at your pace
Taking your time and being patient with yourself as you work toward your goals.
Every choice is worth your while
Every decision you make is important and contributes to your overall success or failure.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMILY ANN SALIERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vagrarian
I always liked this song, but a number of years ago, I was in therapy, dealing with a major depression and a messed-up life, and once at random I played this album, and the song had a billion times more meaningful. Suddenly it was all about where I was in my therapy, how I had so many choices ahead and it was worth testing them all to see how things worked, and it wouldn't work to rush things. For me, this song was all about optimism and healing.
uvp5000
Watershed is the first song I heard by the Indigo Girls. Emily (who wrote this) and Amy being a few months younger than I am lends a humbling quality to my perspective of them: they're phenomenal. Songs like this tend to be written by people further into their lives than their later 20s (at the time). That the song lyrics capture so much of what I cope with to be me just floors me and, with the melody, the harmonies and the musicianship, this song remains my all-time favorite of all artists.
Kelly Adams
I always loved this song! I was an Indigo Girls fan when they first came out. It was when I was in a "bad time of my life" that this song really meant something to me. Now "Watershed" is my song of "deliverance" so to speak.
Janine Prowse
This song has been singing to me now for at least 27 years. It will always be one of my favourites, musically and lyrically.
Liz Duncan
This is my FAVORITE Indigo Girls song. I saw them in concert last night with 11 girlfriends and they didn't do this song :( so I told my friends I'd post this song today on my fb page so they could hear it. Yours was first version I found and Jenni, you did an AMAZING job editing with these phenomenal pictures! I just love the forests in Washington (especially around the Wenatchee River). THANK YOU for posting this beautiful "labor of love" & sharing it with the world so I could share it with my friends :D
Jenni Stevens
Liz, thank you for the compliments. it's a shame that they didn't play this song at your recent concert. I would have been so disappointed because it's one of my favorite Indigo Girls songs too. xoxox Jen
Gail G
When you are looking for which direction to go , always come back to the watershed, start at the top take a spill catch a breeze. Don't stand still....I can fly as the crow flies and always get used to a country mile. Every choice is worth my while..... No looking back. Awesome video, thanks for the beautiful pics/slideshow. :) Blessings to all!
Christina Bueti
This song holds so much meaning to me. A song about reaching a crossroads and how powerful that can be. You have taken two of my favorite soul reaching things, Indigo Girls and photographs of nature and put them together and added my trademark, the word peace! Thank you Well done...you rock!
Jeff Hayes
Thank you for combining these pictures and this song, Jenni. The ending and the synchronicity of your video with a liminal moment in my life suggests that you are serving something higher. Namaste
Amy Hinton
My favorite Indigo Girls songs!! They were a great group, love their sound!! Brings back some many great memories! ❤❤😁🎶🎶