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.
Stones In The Road
Mary Chapin Carpenter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every morning of our lives
The classroom rang with children's voices
Under teacher's watchful eye
We learned about the world around us
At our desks and at dinner time
Reminded of the starving children
We cleaned our plates with guilty minds
And the stones in the road
Shone like diamonds in the dust
And then a voice called to us
To make our way back home
When I was ten my father held me
On his shoulders above the crowd
To see a train draped in mourning
Pass slowly through our town
His widow kneeled with all their children
At the sacred burial ground
And the TV glowed that long hot summer
With all the cities burning down
And the stones in the road
Flew out beneath our bicycle tires
Worlds removed from all those fires
As we raced each other home
And now we drink our coffee on the run
We climb that ladder rung by rung
We are the daughters and the sons
And here's the line that's missing
The starving children have been replaced
By souls out on the street
We give a dollar when we pass
And hope our eyes don't meet
We pencil in we cancel out
We crave the corner suite
We kiss your ass, we make you hold
We doctor the receipt
And the stones in the road
They fly out from beneath our wheels
Another day, another deal
Before we get back home
Stones in the road
Leave a mark whence they came
A thousands points of light or shame
Baby, I don't know
The lyrics of Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Stones In The Road" talk about how our lives have changed over time. The song is divided into three parts, each with a distinct story that conveys a deep emotional message. The first verse talks about how we are taught to be good citizens and think about others in our youth. We are reminded about starving children and to be grateful for what we have. However, as we grow up, we become less empathetic, less concerned about the world around us, and more competitive. We seek success instead of thinking about the greater good. In the second verse, the lyrics describe a tragic train accident that reflects the harsh realities of life. Despite this, the singer has fond memories of riding bikes with friends, ignorant of the world's problems, and being a child.
Finally, the third verse is the most critical commentary on the way our society has evolved. It pictures a world where we race to climb the corporate ladder, where we try to avoid acknowledging the homeless, and where we prioritize material possessions over caring for others. The singer is dejected by the way we have changed, wishing we could reclaim the purity of our youth. The line that's missing seems to represent the feeling of something incomplete, of not truly understanding the new world we have built, where a sense of community has been replaced by personal ambition.
Overall, "Stones In The Road" by Mary Chapin Carpenter is a song that laments how our society has lost touch with its more empathetic and communal roots. It highlights the ongoing danger of materialism, inequality, and apathy, issues that are still relevant today.
Line by Line Meaning
When we were young we pledged allegiance
In our younger days, we would make a promise to be loyal to our country.
Every morning of our lives
We would say this pledge every day in our lives.
The classroom rang with children's voices
The sounds of children talking were heard in the classroom.
Under teacher's watchful eye
The teacher was keeping an eye on us.
We learned about the world around us
We gained an understanding of the world around us.
At our desks and at dinner time
We learned at school and at home.
Reminded of the starving children
We were told about the children who were hungry.
We cleaned our plates with guilty minds
We would finish our food knowing that there were children elsewhere who didn't have enough to eat.
And the stones in the road
The obstacles in life that we face.
Shone like diamonds in the dust
These obstacles were like precious stones, even though they were surrounded by dirt.
And then a voice called to us
We heard someone telling us to go back home.
To make our way back home
We were meant to return to our roots and find our way home.
When I was ten my father held me
When I was ten, my father held me close.
On his shoulders above the crowd
He lifted me up high so that I could see over the crowd.
To see a train draped in mourning
We saw a train that was covered in black mourning garb.
Pass slowly through our town
The train made its way slowly through our village.
His widow kneeled with all their children
His wife and children all knelt in mourning.
At the sacred burial ground
They were at the cemetery where their loved one was being laid to rest.
And the TV glowed that long hot summer
That summer was long and hot, and the TV provided a light.
With all the cities burning down
Many cities were being burned down during that time, as shown on TV.
Flew out beneath our bicycle tires
The obstacles in life were surmountable, and we could ride our bicycles over them.
Worlds removed from all those fires
We were far away and removed from the fires that were burning in cities.
As we raced each other home
We would race each other to get home.
And now we drink our coffee on the run
These days, we drink coffee quickly on the go.
We climb that ladder rung by rung
We work our way up, one step at a time.
We are the daughters and the sons
We are the children of our parents.
And here's the line that's missing
There is something missing that we need to address.
The starving children have been replaced
Nowadays, the hungry kids of previous generations have been substituted.
By souls out on the street
Now it is people on the streets who are in need.
We give a dollar when we pass
We give a small amount of money as we walk by.
And hope our eyes don't meet
We hope to avoid making eye contact with them.
We pencil in we cancel out
We add and remove things from our plans.
We crave the corner suite
We long for the top positions in our jobs.
We kiss your ass, we make you hold
We flatter those in power and make them beholden to us.
We doctor the receipt
We alter the records to our advantage.
They fly out from beneath our wheels
Obstacles come up quickly and unexpectedly in our lives.
Another day, another deal
Every day, we work on new business deals.
Before we get back home
Before we finally make it back to where we started.
Stones in the road
Problems in life.
Leave a mark whence they came
These problems leave a lasting impact.
A thousands points of light or shame
These obstacles can either be the shining moments of our lives, or bring us down into shame.
Baby, I don't know
But ultimately, the real impact of these obstacles is unknown to me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARY CARPENTER, MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind