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.
Troublesome Waters
Iris DeMent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
are hiding from view the harbor's bright light
Tossed on the turmoil of life's troubled sea
I cried to my Savior, "Have mercy on me".
Then gently I'm feeling the touch of his hand
guiding my boat in safely to land
Leading the way to heaven's bright shore
Troublesome waters around me do roll
They're rocking my boat and wrecking my soul
Loved ones are drifting and living in sin
the treacherous whirlpools are pulling them in
Then gently I'm feeling the touch of his hand
guiding my boat in safely to land
Leading the way to heaven's bright shore
where troublesome waters I'm fearing no more
When troublesome waters are rolling so high
I lift up my voice and to heaven and cry
Lord, I am trusting, give guidance to me
and steady my boat on life's troubled sea
Then gently I'm feeling the touch of his hand
guiding my boat in safely to land
Leading the way to heaven's bright shore
where troublesome waters I'm fearing no more
The lyrics of Iris DeMent's song Troublesome Waters describe a metaphorical journey through life's struggles, which often feel like tumultuous waters. The singer is seeking guidance and mercy from her Savior, who gently guides her boat to safety and leads her to the "heaven's bright shore," where she will no longer fear the troublesome waters. She acknowledges the loved ones who are drifting and living in sin, who are being pulled in by treacherous whirlpools. Still, she trusts and cries out to the Lord for steadiness on life's troubled sea.
These lyrics offer solace to those who are facing difficult times and feel lost at sea. The imagery of the sea can represent the uncertainties and challenges of life, where one must navigate through storms and waves to reach a place of peace. The song also carries a religious tone, where the singer finds comfort and guidance in her faith.
Line by Line Meaning
Troublesome waters, much blacker than night, are hiding from view the harbor's bright light
Life can be tumultuous and dark, making it hard to see the path ahead that leads to a brighter future.
Tossed on the turmoil of life's troubled sea, I cried to my Savior, 'Have mercy on me'.
Living in this turbulent world can leave a person feeling helpless, and reaching out to a higher power for guidance and support is often necessary.
Then gently I'm feeling the touch of his hand guiding my boat in safely to land.
Faith and prayer can provide comfort and a sense of being guided towards a peaceful and secure existence.
Leading the way to heaven's bright shore, where troublesome waters I'm fearing no more.
By following a righteous path, one can reach a place of solace and relief from the stresses and hardships of life.
Troublesome waters around me do roll, they're rocking my boat and wrecking my soul.
The challenges of life can be overwhelming, and the emotional toll can be significant.
Loved ones are drifting and living in sin, the treacherous whirlpools are pulling them in.
People close to us can struggle with their own issues, and the negative influence of others can be hard to resist.
When troublesome waters are rolling so high, I lift up my voice and to heaven and cry.
During moments of distress and despair, turning to a benevolent force can provide comfort and hope.
Lord, I am trusting, give guidance to me, and steady my boat on life's troubled sea.
Through prayer and faith, one can seek direction and strength to persevere through the trials of life.
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