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.
Welcome Me
Indigo Girls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Devil prophets still hold my hand
I walked your stillborn streets for hours
Ethnic echoes spitting out their trials
They tell me I'll, I'll be the first to praise the sun
The first to praise the moon
The first to hold the lone coyote
The last to set it free
Welcome me to a haven given
Oh, it's well received into my open arms
Oh, I, I ran in my sleep through shaking tremors
I had the splitting earth echoing in my ears
I feel that I'll, I'll be the first to praise the sun
The first to praise the moon
The first to hold the lone coyote
The last to set it free
Welcome me to your city of angels
See, there's a devil monkey laying on our backs
Now, tell me, where's the heart, where's the bullet for breaking
Who's gonna give me a weapon
A pacifying weapon
And I need to know, I'll be the first to praise the sun
The first to praise the moon
The first to hold the lone coyote
The last to set it free
Ha, I said I said, welcome me I'll be the first to praise the sun
The first to praise the moon
The first to hold the lone coyote
The last to set it free
I say welcome me
The Indigo Girls' song Welcome Me has some deeply introspective and thought-provoking lyrics that are open to interpretation. The song is about the city of Los Angeles and its many contradictions. The singer describes how the city is full of "devil prophets" who keep "holding their hand" despite the beauty and promise that the city holds.
The experience of walking through Los Angeles becomes a metaphor for life's struggles. The singer talks of walking through "stillborn streets" while hearing "ethnic echoes spitting out their trials." The line, "they tell me I'll be the first to praise the sun, the first to hold the lone coyote, the last to set it free" indicates the singer's willingness to appreciate everything the world has to offer, both good and bad.
The song's chorus repeats the idea of being the "first to praise the sun, the first to praise the moon, the first to hold the lone coyote, the last to set it free." This repetition seems to represent the singer's commitment to life, love, and the joy found in the mundane things, while being the last one to give up on anything.
Overall, this song explores the highs and lows of life and illustrates how one can find joy, even in the midst of hardship. The singer stands firm in the face of adversity and is determined to find and hold on to beauty and hope. This message resonates even today and is a testament to the power of perseverance.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome me to the city of angels
I am arriving in Los Angeles and looking for acceptance and belonging.
Devil prophets still hold my hand
Despite my hopes for a new, positive beginning, the past and negative influences still cling to me.
I walked your stillborn streets for hours
I wandered around the streets late at night, which gave me a sense of death and emptiness.
Ethnic echoes spitting out their trials
I heard people from different cultures expressing their struggles and hardships out loud, and realized the diversity and complexity of the city.
They tell me I'll, I'll be the first to praise the sun
The first to praise the moon
The first to hold the lone coyote
The last to set it free
I believe that I will be the first to appreciate the beauty of each day and night, and that I will be the one to provide care and protection for the unloved and unseen.
Welcome me to a haven given
Oh, it's well received into my open arms
Oh, I, I ran in my sleep through shaking tremors
I had the splitting earth echoing in my ears
I have found a sense of safety and comfort in this new place, but still carry with me the trauma of past events.
Welcome me to your city of angels
See, there's a devil monkey laying on our backs
Now, tell me, where's the heart, where's the bullet for breaking
Who's gonna give me a weapon
A pacifying weapon
And I need to know, I'll be the first to praise the sun
The first to praise the moon
The first to hold the lone coyote
The last to set it free
Even in this seemingly perfect place, there are negative forces and influences that weigh us down. I feel powerless and unable to fight back, but I am still determined to be a force for good.
Ha, I said I said, welcome me I'll be the first to praise the sun
The first to praise the moon
The first to hold the lone coyote
The last to set it free
I say welcome me
I express my desire to be accepted by this new community and to find purpose in offering kindness and care to those who are overlooked or forgotten.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AMY ELIZABETH RAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind