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.
Sidewalks of the City
Lucinda Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You see a man with hunger in his face
And all around you crumbling buildings and graffiti
As you bend down to tie your shoelace
Sirens scream but you don't listen
You have to reach home before night
But now the sun beats down it makes the sidewalks glisten
Hold me, baby, give me some faith
Let me know you're there let me touch your face
Give me love give me grace
Tell me good things tell me that my world is safe
You pass by bars with empty stages
Three o'clock drinkers fall by
Chairs are placed on top of tables
As you brush the hair out of your eyes
A woman stops you with a question
So you drop some money in her hand
She sleeps in doorways and bus stations
And you'll never understand
Hold me, baby, give me some faith
Give me love give me grace
Tell me good things tell me that my world is safe
In Lucinda Williams's song "Sidewalks of the City," the listener is transported to the gritty streets of an urban environment. The lyrics describe a scene of poverty, despair, and loneliness. The first verse sets the scene with images of hunger and decay, as the singer crosses paths with a man who wears his need on his face. The second verse mentions the blare of sirens and the oppressive heat of the sun, which exacerbate the feeling of unease. The chorus is a plea for comfort and reassurance in a world that can feel overwhelming and hostile. The singer encounters other characters, like the 3 am drinkers and a homeless woman, who serve as reminders of the struggles that exist beyond their own. The final chorus brings home the theme of loneliness and isolation, as the singer wonders if anyone will be there to hold them in their time of need.
Line by Line Meaning
As you walk along the sidewalks of the city
While walking down the busy city streets
You see a man with hunger on his face
You come across a person who appears desperate and malnourished
And all around you crumbling buildings and graffiti
The town is filled with old, decrepit buildings and vandalized walls
As you bend down to tie your shoelace
As you stop to tie your shoelaces
Sirens scream but you don't listen
Despite the sound of warning sirens, you choose to ignore them
You have to reach home before night
You aim to arrive at your residence before nightfall
But now the sun beats down it makes the sidewalks glisten
The sun shines brightly and makes the city pathways appear shiny
And somehow you just don't feel right
You suddenly feel uneasy or uncomfortable for no apparent reason
Hold me, baby, give me some faith
An expression of need for emotional or physical support
Let me know you're there let me touch your face
Desire for physical contact as reassurance
Give me love give me grace
Request for emotional support and kindness
Tell me good things tell me that my world is safe
Asking for assurance and positivity
You pass by bars with empty stages
You walk past pubs with unoccupied performance areas
Three o'clock drinkers fall by
People who have indulged in alcoholic beverages are sprawled on the street
Chairs are placed on top of tables
Furniture has been set up and placed haphazardly
As you brush the hair out of your eyes
When you use your hands to remove hair from your face
A woman stops you with a question
A lady halts you to ask for something
So you drop some money in her hand
You contribute some cash to her to assist with her needs
She sleeps in doorways and bus stations
The woman is homeless and sleeps in entryways and public transport stations
And you'll never understand
You won't comprehend her hardships and experiences
Hold me, baby, give me some faith
The chorus repeats, requesting comfort and assurance
Give me love give me grace
Tell me good things tell me that my world is safe
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LUCINDA WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind