Williams has garnered considerable critical acclaim but her commercial success has been moderate. She has a reputation as a perfectionist and as a slow worker when it comes to recording; six years passed between the release of her second and third albums. However, she frequently makes guest appearances on other artists' albums and contributes to compilations and soundtracks. She has recorded with Elvis Costello, Nanci Griffith, John Prine, Leftover Salmon, and Steve Earle, among others. She has also opened concerts for artists such as Neil Young.
Early life
Williams was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, the daughter of poet and literature professor Miller Williams. Her father worked as a visiting professor in Mexico and Chile as well as different parts of the American South, before settling at the University of Arkansas. His daughter showed an affinity for music at an early age, and was playing guitar at 12.
Career
By her early 20s, Williams was playing publicly in Austin, Texas and Houston, Texas, concentrating on a folk-rock-country blend. She moved to Jackson, Mississippi, in 1978 to record her first album, for Smithsonian/Folkways Records. Titled Ramblin', it was a collection of country and blues covers. She followed it up in 1980 with Happy Woman Blues, which consisted of her own material. Neither album received much attention.
In the 1980s Williams moved to Los Angeles, California (before finally settling in Nashville, TN), where -- performing both backed by a rock band and in acoustic settings -- she developed a following and a critical reputation. Nevertheless, it was not until 1988 that Rough Trade Records released the self-titled Lucinda Williams. The single "Changed the Locks", about a broken relationship, received radio play around the country and gained fans among music insiders, including Tom Petty, who would later cover the song.
Its follow-up, Sweet Old World (Chameleon, 1992), was a melancholy album dealing with themes of suicide and death. Williams's biggest success during the early '90s was as a songwriter. Mary Chapin Carpenter recorded a cover of "Passionate Kisses" (from Lucinda Williams) in 1992, and the song became a smash country hit for which Williams received the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1994.
Williams had garnered considerable critical acclaim, but her commercial success was moderate. Emmylou Harris said of Williams, "She is an example of the best of what country at least says it is. But, for some reason, she's completely out of the loop. And I feel strongly that that's country music's loss."
Williams also gained a reputation as a perfectionist and slow worker when it came to recording; six years would pass before her next album release, though she appeared as a guest on other artists' albums and contributed to several tribute compilations during this period.
The long-awaited release, 1998's Car Wheels on a Gravel Road was Williams' breakthrough to the mainstream. Containing the single "Still I Long for Your Kiss" from the Robert Redford film The Horse Whisperer, the album received wide critical notice and soon went gold. It received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. She toured with Bob Dylan and on her own in support of the album.
Williams followed up the success of Car Wheels with Essence (2001). This release featured a less produced, more stripped-down approach both musically and lyrically, and moved Williams further from the country music establishment while winning fans in the alternative music world. She won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Female Rock performance for the single "Get Right With God", an atypically uptempo gospel-rock tune from the otherwise rather low-key release. The title track was co-written and co-recorded with alternative country musician Ryan Adams.
Her seventh album, World Without Tears, was released in 2003. A musically adventurous though lyrically downbeat album, this release found Williams experimenting with talking blues stylings and electric blues.
In 2006, Lucinda recorded a version of the John Hartford classic "Gentle On My Mind," which played over the closing credits of the Will Ferrell filmTalladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
Williams was a guest vocalist on the song "Factory Girls" from Irish punk-folk band Flogging Molly's 2004 album, "Within a Mile of Home", and appeared on Elvis Costello's The Delivery Man. She duetted with Steve Earle on the song "You're Still Standin' There" from his album I Feel Alright from 1996.
Williams released the album "West" on February 13, 2007, to mostly good reviews. The material is highly personal, chronicling the death of her mother and the breakup of a turbulent relationship.
Lucinda released her ninth studio album, "Little Honey", on October 14th.
AWAKENING
Lucinda Williams Lyrics
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I will shoulder my troubles and harness my ride
In the awakening, in the awakening
I'll roll nothin' but doubles, sevens and nines
In the awakening, in the awakening
I will lick my wounds, I will kiss the sky
In the awakening, in the awakening
In the awakening, in the awakening
I will pray for nothing,
I will stay up 'til the end
In the awakening, in the awakening
I will say what I want to,
I will not make amends
In the awakening, in the awakening
I will honor the mistaken,
I will honor the truth
In the awakening, in the awakening
I will honor the forsaken,
I will not mourn my youth
In the awakening, in the awakening
I will not mourn my losses,
I will not mourn the dead
In the awakening, in the awakening
I will have no bosses,
I will not bow my head
In the awakening, in the awakening
I will want for nothing, I will give you a gift
In the awakening, in the awakening
I will always love you,
I will give you my kiss
The song 'Awakening' by Lucinda Williams is a deeply introspective and empowering ballad that speaks to the inevitability of change and transformation in life. The lyrics are centered around the concept of awakening, which seems to symbolize a pivotal moment of realization and self-discovery. As a result of this awakening, the singer in the song vows to take control of her life, let go of regrets and expectations, and embrace a newfound sense of freedom and authenticity.
The chorus serves as a refrain that echoes throughout the song, with slightly different lyrics each time. The opening lines emphasize the hopefulness of the awakening, suggesting that through this process, the singer will be able to face her troubles and take control of her journey. The repetition of the line "I'll roll nothing but doubles, sevens, and nines" seems to imply a sense of confidence and empowerment, as if the singer is now able to make her own luck.
The second verse focuses on letting go of regrets and societal expectations. The use of "shoulds" suggests the singer has been living her life according to what she thinks is expected of her, and now she's ready to break free from this mindset. The lines "I will lick my wounds, I will kiss the sky" seem to suggest that the singer is prepared to embrace life's highs and lows and find joy in both. The final lines of the verse "I will not ask why" emphasize a sense of acceptance and peace that comes with letting go of the need to understand everything.
Overall, the song serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of self-discovery and acceptance. The lyrics encourage listeners to embrace change, and trust in their own strength and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
In the awakening, in the awakening
The singer is emphasizing the importance of the awakening.
I will shoulder my troubles and harness my ride
I will face and deal with my problems and control my actions.
I'll roll nothin' but doubles, sevens and nines
I will experience good fortune or favorable outcomes.
I will lick my wounds, I will kiss the sky
I will heal my emotional wounds and celebrate life.
I will kick the shoulds, I will not ask why
I will reject others' expectations and not question my choices.
I will pray for nothing,
I will stay up 'til the end
I will not seek divine intervention and persevere until the end.
I will say what I want to,
I will not make amends
I will speak my mind without regrets or apologies.
I will honor the mistaken,
I will honor the truth
I will respect both those who are wrong and those who are right.
I will honor the forsaken,
I will not mourn my youth
I will appreciate those who are neglected and move on from my past.
I will not mourn my losses,
I will not mourn the dead
I will accept loss and death and not grieve excessively.
I will have no bosses,
I will not bow my head
I will be independent and not submit to authority.
I will want for nothing, I will give you a gift
I will have all that I need and give generously to others.
I will always love you,
I will give you my kiss
I will express my enduring love and affection towards you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LUCINDA WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind