DeMent was born in Paragould, Arkansas, the 14th and youngest child of Pat DeMent (1910–1992) and wife Flora Mae (1918–2011). Iris's mother had harbored dreams of going to Nashville and starting a singing career. Although she put those plans on hold to get married, her singing voice was an inspiration and influence for her youngest daughter Iris. DeMent was raised in a Pentecostal household. Her family moved from Arkansas to the Los Angeles area when she was three. While growing up, she was exposed to and influenced by country and gospel music. Singing at age five as one of "the little DeMent sisters", Iris had a bad experience when she forgot her words during her first performance, which caused her to avoid performing in public for some time.
DeMent was inspired to write her first song, "Our Town," by a drive through a boarded-up Midwest town at the age of 25. The song lyrics came to her "exactly as it is now," without need for re-writing, and she realized then that songwriting was her calling. "Our Town" was played during the closing scene for the final episode (July 26, 1995) of CBS's television series Northern Exposure. The song has been recorded by Kate Rusby, Kate Brislin & Jody Stecher and Trampled by Turtles.
Her first album, Infamous Angel, was released in 1992 on the Rounder-Philo label and explored such themes as religious skepticism, small-town life, and human frailty. "Let the Mystery Be" has been covered by a number of artists, including 10,000 Maniacs and Alice Stuart, and was used in the opening scenes of the film Little Buddha. In the fall of 2015, a version of "Let the Mystery Be" from the Transatlantic Sessions became the musical theme for the opening credits of the HBO series The Leftovers, replacing the original "Main Title Theme" composed by Max Richter, and it would once again serve as the opening theme for the series finale.
In her second album, My Life, released in 1994, she continued the personal and introspective approach. The record is dedicated to her father, who died two years earlier. My Life was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category.
DeMent's third album, The Way I Should, was released in 1996. Featuring the protest song "Wasteland of the Free", it is DeMent's most political work. It covers topics such as sexual abuse, religion, government policy, and Vietnam.
DeMent sang the duet "Bell Bottomed Tear" as part of The Beautiful South's Much Later with Jools live special in 1997.
In 1998, the song "Iris" by the rock band Goo Goo Dolls was named after her. Singer and songwriter John Rzeznik had already written the lyrics to the song but was having a problem naming it. He opened up the LA Weekly and noticed that DeMent was playing in town and thought her name was beautiful and then decided to name it after her.
She sang four duets with John Prine on his 1999 album In Spite of Ourselves, including the title track. She appeared in the 2000 film Songcatcher, playing the character Rose Gentry and singing on the soundtrack as well. Her duet with Ralph Stanley on "Ridin' That Midnight Train" was the opening track on his 2001 album, Clinch Mountain Sweethearts: Ralph Stanley & Friends.
In 2004 she released Lifeline, an album of gospel songs. It included 12 covers and one original composition ("He Reached Down"). It was the first album she released on Flariella Records, a label she started herself and named after her mother. A shortened version of her rendition of "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" was later used in the closing credits of the Coen brothers' film True Grit. On October 2, 2012, DeMent released her first album of original songs in 16 years, Sing the Delta.
DeMent has sung duets with Steve Earle and Emmylou Harris and is featured on the albums of many other performers. She sang the Merle Haggard song "Big City" on Tulare Dust: A Songwriters' Tribute to Merle Haggard. She has made frequent appearances on Garrison Keillor's radio show A Prairie Home Companion. DeMent contributed harmony vocals to "Pallbearer", a song from country artist Josh Turner's 2012 album Punching Bag.
In 2015, DeMent released The Trackless Woods, an album based upon and inspired by the words of Russian poet Anna Akhmatova, on her own Flariella record label. She reunited with John Prine in 2016 for his second duets album For Better, or Worse and performed on two tracks. DeMent received the Americana Trailblazer Award at the 2017 Americana Music Honors & Awards.
The Shores Of Jordan
Iris DeMent Lyrics
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I observed the constellations for a clue to my destiny
But the rhyme of life confounds me,
Things will be as things will be
So I'll just dance the shores of Jordan 'til the angels carry me
I traveled to a prison, saw my share of shattered dreams
Were the tables slightly tilted?
But I believe no tear goes wasted and so I fell there on my knees
And vowed I'd dance the shores of Jordan 'til the angels carried me
I'm gonna let my feet go dancing to my very favorite songs
Cause I know the time for leaving is bound to come before too long
And there ain't no way of me knowing how tomorrow's gonna be
So I'll just dance the shores of Jordan 'til the angels carry me
I saw a weary traveler heading down a dusty road
I said "Friend, please may I help you,
It seems you haul a heavy load"
And he said "Though my burden's heavy,
In my heart I'm traveling light
So I can cross old river Jordan when I'm called to the other side"
I'm gonna let my feet go dancing to my very favorite songs
Cause I know the time for leaving is bound to come before too long
And there ain't no way of me knowing how tomorrow's gonna be
So I'll just dance the shores of Jordan 'til the angels carry me
Iris DeMent's "The Shores of Jordan" is a reflective and introspective song that ponders the mysteries of life and the inevitability of death. The lyrics describe the singer's journey through life, searching for answers and meaning along the way. She acknowledges the unpredictability of life and the inevitability of death, but chooses to embrace life in the present moment and dance along the shores of Jordan until the end.
The first verse describes the singer's attempt to find answers in the heavens by observing the constellations, but ultimately admitting that the rhyme of life confounds her. The second verse takes the singer to a prison, where she sees shattered dreams and acknowledges the unfairness of life. But she still believes that no tear goes wasted and vows to dance along the shores of Jordan. The chorus repeats her determination to dance and enjoy life until death comes. The final verse brings a weary traveler onto the scene, who despite carrying a heavy burden, is traveling light in his heart and is ready to cross the river Jordan to the other side.
Line by Line Meaning
I looked up into heaven, I thought I'd solve life's mysteries
I searched for answers in the stars, hoping to find some meaning in life
I observed the constellations for a clue to my destiny
I studied the patterns of the stars, hoping they would reveal my fate
But the rhyme of life confounds me, things will be as things will be
Despite my efforts to understand, life doesn't always make sense, and things will happen as they will
So I'll just dance the shores of Jordan 'til the angels carry me
Instead of worrying about what I can't control, I'll focus on enjoying life and trust that fate will take care of the rest
I traveled to a prison, saw my share of shattered dreams
I visited a place where people's hopes and aspirations had been dashed by harsh realities
Were the tables slightly tilted? I could be bound, they could be free
I realized that life isn't always fair, and some people are at a disadvantage while others enjoy more privilege
But I believe no tear goes wasted and so I fell there on my knees
Despite the hardships and struggles, I trust that even sadness and pain can serve a purpose and bring meaning to life
And vowed I'd dance the shores of Jordan 'til the angels carried me
I promised to live my life to the fullest and enjoy every moment, no matter what challenges come my way
I'm gonna let my feet go dancing to my very favorite songs
I will celebrate life and find joy in simple pleasures, such as dancing to my favorite tunes
Cause I know the time for leaving is bound to come before too long
Life is short, and we never know when our time will come to an end, so it's important to make the most of every moment
And there ain't no way of me knowing how tomorrow's gonna be
The future is uncertain, and we can't predict what will happen next
So I'll just dance the shores of Jordan 'til the angels carry me
In the face of uncertainty, I will keep on celebrating life and enjoying every moment, trusting that fate will take me where I need to go
I saw a weary traveler heading down a dusty road
I met someone who looked tired and worn out, like they had been on a long and difficult journey
I said 'Friend, please may I help you, it seems you haul a heavy load'
I offered to lend a helping hand to the stranger, who looked like they could use some support
And he said 'Though my burden's heavy, in my heart I'm traveling light
Despite the challenges and difficulties in his life, the stranger remained optimistic and hopeful
So I can cross old river Jordan when I'm called to the other side'
The stranger believed that when his time came to pass on, he would be ready and at peace with what lay ahead
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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