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.
Motherless Children
Lucinda Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead
Wanderin' round from door to door
They don't have no place to go
Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead
Some people say your sister will do when your mother's dead
Some people say your sister will do when your mother's dead
Soon as she marries, turn her back on you
Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead
Some people say your auntie will do when your mother's dead
Some people say your auntie will do when your mother's dead
Some people say your auntie will do
Make a start, then prove untrue
Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead
Your husband may do the best he can when your mother's dead
Your husband may do the best he can when your mother's dead
Your husband may do the best he can
but your husband don't understand
Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead
Jesus will be a father to you when your mother's dead
Jesus will be a father to you when your mother's dead
Jesus will be a father to you
Pain and sorrow he'll lead you through
Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead [Repeat: x3]
Wanderin' round from door to door
They don't have no place to go
Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead
Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead
The lyrics of "Motherless Children" by Lucinda Williams speak to the difficulties that children face when their mother dies. The song begins with the repeated line "Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead," emphasizing the central theme. The children are left with no place to call home and are forced to wander from door to door in search of safety and comfort. The following verses describe the common belief that family members will step in to care for the children, but the reality is that these relationships may not be reliable or nurturing. Sisters may abandon their sibling after getting married, and aunts may make false promises. Even a husband may try his best, but he cannot fully understand the pain of losing a mother. In the end, the song reassures that Jesus will serve as a father figure to these motherless children, leading them through their pain and sorrow.
The lyrics of "Motherless Children" are a poignant commentary on the challenges that face children when their mother passes away. The song is not just about these children's physical situations but also delves into the emotional toll of losing a parent. The different family members mentioned highlight the different expectations that people place on those around them during times of hardship. However, the lyrics suggest that these expectations can easily go unfulfilled, leaving the children to suffer.
Line by Line Meaning
Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead
Children who lose their mother go through immense hardship.
Wanderin' round from door to door
These children are lost and directionless, seeking help from anyone they can find.
They don't have no place to go
They have no home, no refuge, and no support system.
Some people say your sister will do when your mother's dead
Some people suggest that siblings can fill the void left by the mother's death.
Soon as she marries, turn her back on you
However, siblings may prioritize their new family over their siblings.
Some people say your auntie will do when your mother's dead
Others suggest that extended family members can step up and provide guidance and care.
Make a start, then prove untrue
But even that support might be fleeting, as those relatives might make promises they can't keep.
Your husband may do the best he can when your mother's dead
Spouses might try to help their partner through the grieving process and be supportive.
Your husband don't understand
However, even the most well-intentioned spouse might not truly comprehend the experience of losing one's mother.
Jesus will be a father to you when your mother's dead
The only constant source of comfort might be faith, such as the belief that Jesus can provide guidance and comfort.
Pain and sorrow he'll lead you through
One might have to rely on faith to navigate the pain and sorrow that come with losing a mother.
Motherless children have a hard time when their mother's dead [Repeat: x3]
The chorus reemphasizes the main point that these children experience significant difficulties without their mother.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: TRADITIONAL, ODETTA FELIOUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Kulicke
Great for grieving the loss of ones mother!
LoriAnn Grilley-Jamroz
LOVE LUCINDA!
Springbrook Metal Fabrication Inc.
Awesome .............