One of her most widely known singles is "Passionate Kisses" (written by fellow singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams), a song with a rock flavor musically and lyrics listing simple desires such as "a comfortable bed", "food to fill me up", and "time to think". Another big hit was "Down at the Twist and Shout", which she performed in January 1997 at Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans.
A number of Mary Chapin Carpenter's songs speak to women, urging them on through hard times or troubled relationships. In "He Thinks He'll Keep Her", co-composed by Carpenter and Don Schlitz, the singer makes the case for strength and self-respect. Another common theme in her music is that of taking life at your own pace, rather than rampant goal-driven materialism, such as "The Long Way Home" from her 2001 album Time*Sex*Love, which pokes fun at a man who "retire(s) at thirty to his big-ass house next to the putting green." The album has a relatively different feel musically, incorporating elaborate orchestra melodies, but with her characteristic lyrical depth.
Her album Between Here and Gone, was released in 2004.
Carpenter's 2007 album, The Calling, on Rounder Records' rock/pop imprint Zoë, features commentary about contemporary politics, a reaction to the impact of Hurricane Katrina on a track entitled "Houston," and an incendiary track entitled "On with the Song", dedicated to the Dixie Chicks, and addressing the visceral reaction to the trio. In less than three months after its release, The Calling sold more than 100,000 copies in the US.
Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards and is the only artist to have won four consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, which she received from 1992 to 1995. On October 7, 2012, Carpenter was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Carpenter is a fifth cousin of the late singer and humanitarian Harry Chapin, along with his brothers Tom Chapin and Steve Chapin.
Halley Came To Jackson
Mary Chapin Carpenter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Daddy brought the baby to the window sill
To see a bit of heaven shoot across the sky
The one and only time daddy saw it fly
It came from the east just as bright as a torch
The neighbors had a party on their porch
Daddy rocked the baby, mother said amen
Now, back then Jackson was a real small town
And it's not every night a comet comes around
It was almost eighty years since its last time through
So I bet your mother would have said amen too
As its tail stretched out like a stardust streak
The papers wrote about it every day for a week
You wondered where it's going and where it's been
When Halley came to Jackson in 1910
Now daddy told the baby sleeping in his arms
To dream a little dream of a comet's charms
And he made a little wish as she slept so sound
In 1986 that wish came 'round
It came from the east just as bright as a torch
She saw it in the sky from her daddy's porch
As heavenly sent as it was back then
When Halley came to Jackson in 1910
And late one night when the wind was still
, a father brings his baby to the window to witness a rare celestial event where Halley's Comet crosses the sky. The event held a certain significance for the father, as it was the only time he saw the comet fly. The neighbors celebrated the event on their porch, while the father rocked his baby and mother said amen, grateful for witnessing such a rare event.
While Halley's Comet passing through the night sky was an event in itself, it held a special place for the small town of Jackson. Being a small town, it was a rare occurrence to have a comet pass through it. Halley's Comet only passed by every 76 years, and the last time it was seen was almost 80 years earlier. The papers wrote about the event for an entire week, and people were intrigued and curious about where it was coming from and where it had been. Daddy hoped that his baby would dream of the comet's charm as she slept soundly in his arms, and in 1986, her wish came true when the comet returned again.
The song is a beautiful ode to a rare event and the memories it creates for people. It highlights the moments in life that people cherish and how they pass on these memories to their children, creating a lasting legacy. The song is not just about the comet itself, but rather the emotions and experiences it evokes, making it a memorable and impactful event for those who witnessed it.
Line by Line Meaning
Late one night when the wind was still
The scene is set for something momentous to happen, as the stillness of the night lends itself to the kind of awe-inspiring spectacle that can draw people out of their homes
Daddy brought the baby to the window sill
To see a bit of heaven shoot across the sky
The one and only time daddy saw it fly
The singer's father brings her to the window to see a spectacular celestial event, something that he himself has never witnessed before and is eager to share with his daughter
It came from the east just as bright as a torch
The neighbors had a party on their porch
Daddy rocked the baby, mother said amen
When Halley came to visit in 1910
The comet was a neighborhood event that brought people together, and even the singer's mother was moved to express her joy and approval when they witnessed it
Now, back then Jackson was a real small town
And it's not every night a comet comes around
It was almost eighty years since its last time through
So I bet your mother would have said amen too
The rarity of the event is emphasized, as Jackson is described as a small town where such a phenomenon would be all the more extraordinary. The artist even imagines what her reader's mother would have thought, to give a sense of how universally moving the event was
As its tail stretched out like a stardust streak
The papers wrote about it every day for a week
You wondered where it's going and where it's been
When Halley came to Jackson in 1910
The beauty of the comet is emphasized, as it is described with a poetic phrase that captures its otherworldly glow. The local newspapers are also noted as they covered the event at length, with many people left in awe of what they had seen
Now daddy told the baby sleeping in his arms
To dream a little dream of a comet's charms
And he made a little wish as she slept so sound
In 1986 that wish came 'round
The father passes on his sense of wonder and imagination to his child, with the wish that she might one day witness such a marvel for herself. This wish comes true many years later, as the singer herself experiences the return of Halley's Comet decades after her father's passing
It came from the east just as bright as a torch
She saw it in the sky from her daddy's porch
As heavenly sent as it was back then
When Halley came to Jackson in 1910
The singer herself sees Halley's Comet many years after her father did, marveling at how bright it looks and noting how much it resembled the event from her childhood. The idea that the comet is a kind of otherworldly message or sign is hinted at with the phrase "heavenly sent"
And late one night when the wind was still
The song ends on the same note as it began, suggesting that there is always something magical and mysterious waiting to be discovered in the world around us, if we only take the time to look and listen for it
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARY CARPENTER, MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Laura Plotkin
I cry every time I hear this song--seeing this just added to the nostalgic effect. What a great song! Somehow it manages to tie family, history, love, time and the wonders of nature all together at once! Thank you, MCC, for the lovely gift!
Malissa Meadows
By far, the most important thing I got out of 8 years of college was learning about Eudora Welty, a great American short story writer from Jackson, Mississippi. She was born in 1909, just before Halley's Comet visited in 1910, and her father told her about about her seeing it with him then. Mary Chapin Carpenter wrote this song about the mention she made of that in her memoir, "A Writer's Beginnings". One great artist honoring another one. ❤
Michele M
I love this book and song. The neatest thing is that it's a true story. It is based on a short story by author Eudora Welty, she is the baby and later the old woman in the story. In the book, you see Mom and later the adult Eudora scrapbooking the newspaper articles and memorabilia from the news on the comet after it passed. You'll also notice Eudora still has a dog, the exact kind her parents had when she was a child. A Golden Retriever, methinks! :)
California6567
What a priceless song ! I heard it being played on a jukebox in a bar way back in 1997, and could not believe my ears. It has some of the finest sounding acoustic guitar in it that I have ever heard. Mary Chapin Carpenter is gifted.
Maggie Anne
here comes the nostalgia. when I was little, my mom and I always listened to this song when we would go on our "pajama rides" where we rode in the car around town during the winter in our pajamas and would look at Christmas lights.
Bob Marshall
Well, Mary Chapin Carpenter wrote the song and sang it, her band played it, Dan Andreason supplied most of the beautiful artwork, and I supplied the other images and also tied it all together to create the video.
Carole Flott
Thank you great job!
Ursula Mulder
Very, very beautifully done. Having happened upon this quite by chance, I am smiling from ear to ear. Thank you.
MCC is a gem, and so is this video.
wise1
Well you did a wonderful job Bob!
davidfrasier
My half sister was born in Jackson, Ms in 1910 and she lived to see Halley come again.