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.
Temporary Nature
Lucinda Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just because I've [?] my [?]
But love could never, never leave
Without the pain, the pain of love
Loves never fail and it can be rof
And it could play cruel tricks some times
Just when we think we had nothing
There's always one, one in the crowds
Temporary nature of any path
And I just pay too much
Just make too much pressure
Not easier, not easier to lose
Don't lose somebody as precious as you
We don't have n answer, God only knows
Why we all made,
But God knows I love you
You've always be precious
Since the day, the day you were born
And it's always a true love
[?] frozen
To kiss and [?]
And it's always the deepest saddest joy
That prove to be the reaches one
Temporary nature of any path
And I just pay too much
Just make too much pressure
Not easier, not easier to lose
To lose somebody, somebody like you
To lose somebody as precious as you
Don't lose somebody as precious as you
In the song "Temporary Nature" by Lucinda Williams, she explores the complexities of love and the transitory nature of life. The verses speak of fighting for love, even when it brings pain, and how love can be both rewarding and difficult. The chorus focuses on the idea that everything in life is temporary and that we must cherish the people we love while we have them. Williams describes how she puts too much pressure on herself in relationships and fears losing someone as precious as the person she loves.
The lyrics are beautifully poetic and evoke a sense of vulnerability in the listener. The idea of loving fully, despite the possibility of heartbreak, is a prevalent theme throughout the song. Williams seems to be speaking from personal experience, drawing from her own relationships and the challenges that come with them. She reminds the listener that life is fleeting and that we must cherish the moments we have with those we love.
Overall, "Temporary Nature" is a raw and honest depiction of love and the impermanence of life. It is a poignant reminder to live in the moment, appreciate the people we have in our lives, and love fearlessly.
Line by Line Meaning
Fight for love and I fight to give
I put up a fight for love and I also fight to give love
Just because I've [?] my [?]
Even though there are times when it seems like there's nothing left of me
But love could never, never leave
Despite everything, love can never truly leave
Without the pain, the pain of love
But with love comes pain
Loves never fail and it can be rof
Love never fails, but it can be tough
And it could play cruel tricks some times
Love can play some cruel tricks at times
Just when we think we had nothing
Just when we think we have nothing left
There's always one, one in the crowds
There's always someone who stands out in the crowd
Temporary nature of any path
Every path in life is temporary
And I just pay too much
I pay a heavy price
Just make too much pressure
I put too much pressure on myself
Not easier, not easier to lose
It's not easy to lose
Don't lose somebody as precious as you
Don't lose someone as precious as you
We don't have n answer, God only knows
We don't have an answer, only God knows why things happen
Why we all made,
Why we were all created
But God knows I love you
But God knows that I love you
You've always be precious
You have always been precious
Since the day, the day you were born
Since the day you were born
And it's always a true love
True love is always present
[?] frozen
It never freezes or fades away
To kiss and [?]
It's there to celebrate the joys and comfort in grief
And it's always the deepest saddest joy
The deepest, saddest joy of all
That prove to be the reaches one
Is the one that proves to be the most worthy
Temporary nature of any path
Life's paths are all temporary
And I just pay too much
I pay a heavy price
Just make too much pressure
I put too much pressure on myself
Not easier, not easier to lose
It's not easy to lose
To lose somebody, somebody like you
To lose someone as precious as you
To lose somebody as precious as you
To lose someone as precious as you
Don't lose somebody as precious as you
Don't lose someone as precious as you
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: LUCINDA GAYL WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind