Michael Hedges was a conservatory composition major who applied his classically trained musical background in combination with radical innovation to “reinvent” the steel string acoustic guitar. He combined many unusual techniques on the acoustic guitar with a wide range of musical styles, and was also considered a dynamic performer in concert - in short, a “Paganini” of the guitar.
He is known for extensive use in several pieces of two handed tapping techniques (nearly a contrapuntal style of multiple voices). He used the fingers of his right (typically picking) hand to slap harmonic "chords" at the 12th, 7th or 5th fret (or elsewhere). He made use of right hand hammer-ons, particularly on bass notes, and often used the left hand for melodic or rhythmic hammer-ons and pull offs, as well as unusual strummings, that played, as mentioned, independent voices to the right hand. These techniques tended to convert the guitar into a quasi-keyboard like instrument for certain musical purposes. He also made extensive use of string dampening as employed in classical guitar, and was known to insist strongly on the precise duration of sounds and silences in his pieces. Other facets to his playing were percussive slapping on the guitar body and extensive use of artificial harmonics. He also played guitar-variants like the Harp Guitar (an instrument with additional bass strings that Hedges used to play Bach's Prelude to Cello Suite #1 in G Major in its intended key), and the Trans-Trem Guitar.
Michael Hedges was discovered by William Ackerman who heard him performing in a Palo Alto cafe (the former Varsity Theater) and immediately signed him to a recording contract (1980). For several years Hedges toured and performed in concert with Ackerman. He also appeared on several of Ackerman's albums. In turn William Ackerman produced Hedge's first two albums.
The first two records Michael Hedges made - Breakfast in the Field and Aerial Boundaries - were milestones for the acoustic guitar. He then branched out into singing and performing more popular forms of music, although he would periodically make a return to more guitar-centred music. His record Oracle won the 1998 Grammy for Best New Age Album. Hedges was in fact quite a multi-instrumentalist, playing piano, percussion, tin whistle, harmonica, and flute, among others on his albums. Bassist Michael Manring contributed to many of Michael's records.
Many acoustic guitarists claim a very broad range of influences and will not fit into any genre, but this was truer of Hedges than of any other. His musical education was largely in modern 20th century composition. He listened to Leo Kottke, Bruce Cockburn, Martin Carthy, John Martyn, John Fahey, and the Beatles, but his approach to composition owed much to Stravinsky, Varèse, Webern, and experimental composers such as Morton Feldman. He saw himself as a composer who played guitar, rather than a guitarist who composed music. He was often categorized as New Age due to his association with the Windham Hill record label. Somewhat in reaction to this, he would describe his music as "Heavy Mental", "New Edge", ""Thrash Acoustic", "Deep Tissue Gladiator Guitar" or "Savage Myth Guitar," amongst other terms.
Hedges was killed in a car accident in 1997 at the age of 43. His unfinished last recordings were brought to completion in the album Torched, with the help of his friends David Crosby and Graham Nash.
Woman of the World
Michael Hedges Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Days are drawn—seasons start to change
She finds that natural boundary
Her eyes change color—sounds begin to fade
I slowly turn away…
from the woman of the world
The woman of the world holds me
where no one really knows me
and if the anchor’s out boarders love and leave
She’s waiting on the beach…
my woman of the world
No one hears the way she whispers every changing season
Through every falling rain I listen without reason…
without reason…
’till the woman of the world shows me
the secret seed she planted in my heart
Her breath is cool to sway me
Roots shoot down
Her eyes begin to shine
My love runs leaf and vine
through the woman of the world…
The lyrics of Michael Hedges's song "Woman of the World" are rich with symbolism and meaning. The song seems to be about a woman who represents the Earth, turning slowly as the seasons change, and the singer's relationship with her. The woman of the world is described as a natural boundary, and her eyes change color as sounds fade away. The singer is drawn to her, but eventually turns away, possibly because he is overwhelmed by her power.
Later in the song, the woman of the world holds the singer to "colder courses farther out to sea," possibly representing the dangers and unknowns of life. Despite this, the singer seems to find comfort in her presence, and listens to her whispers through every changing season, without reason.
In the final verse, the woman of the world shows the singer a secret seed planted in his heart, and her cool breath and shining eyes lead to the growth of his love. The imagery of roots shooting down and love running like leaf and vine through the woman of the world suggests a deep connection or even a merging of the singer with the natural world.
Overall, the lyrics of "Woman of the World" paint a picture of a powerful, mysterious, and ultimately comforting force in the form of the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
The woman of the world turns slowly
The symbol for all women, the woman of the world, rotates gradually and continuously to symbolize the perpetual nature of womanhood.
Days are drawn—seasons start to change
Over time, seasons change, putting into perspective the fleeting nature of human existence.
She finds that natural boundary
The woman of the world stumbles across a natural boundary, representing the internal limits that serve to differentiate people from one another.
Her eyes change color—sounds begin to fade
As she approaches this boundary, the woman of the world undergoes a transformative experience, where her eyes change color and the sounds around her begin to fade.
I slowly turn away…
from the woman of the world
At this point, the artist turns away from the woman of the world, unable to witness her transformation.
The woman of the world holds me
to colder courses farther out to sea
As the woman of the world holds the singer, he is led down a colder, less-walked path that takes him farther away from his identity as he moves into the unknown future.
where no one really knows me
The singer is led to a place where he is entirely unknown to others.
and if the anchor’s out boarders love and leave
If the anchor is taken away, there is no longer any attachment left to make people stay together; instead, they willingly leave.
She’s waiting on the beach…
my woman of the world
The woman of the world remains on the beach as the artist distances himself further and further away.
No one hears the way she whispers every changing season
The woman of the world is privy to the changing seasons and whispers those changes to no one in particular.
Through every falling rain I listen without reason…
without reason…
Despite the singer's lack of interest or willingness to understand, he listens to her whispers even in the falling rain.
’till the woman of the world shows me
the secret seed she planted in my heart
Until the woman of the world reveals the secret seed planted within his heart, the artist only hears her but does not truly comprehend her words.
Her breath is cool to sway me
Roots shoot down
Her eyes begin to shine
My love runs leaf and vine
through the woman of the world…
As she reveals the secret seed and shows the singer complete understanding, the woman of the world's breath cools his heart and mind, and roots come down to anchor him. The singer falls deeply in love as he is sustained and nourished by her, and his love runs deep like leaf and vine.
Contributed by Allison G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@doublegee9997
I agree wholeheartedly the best heart felt love song ever ....
Every musician write s the song but the person who is listening. Puts that music dear to their own personal soul.
I had the great opportunity to meet Michael. Hedges several times face to face.
I remember a long time ago he was playing at Penn's landing in Philadelphia Pennsylvania ..
I followed him to his trailer on site supplied by I would have to say the festival.
I had said excuse myself. Michael can I talk with you ..
He invited me to the trailer
I asked him. Can I touch your hands
He looked at me and said why
I said that I am a fellow musician and your gifts to all of us are intense.
As I sat down for those brief moments
He told me always play music from your soul
What a great lose to the music world
He has inspired me to change my music ever since ..
It's amazing that he did so much for our world ..
And yes I have 6 sisters
I do believe that .
The woman of the world
Are awesome
Peace and many blessings
@victoriaEish
We wrote to each other. He saved my life with Aerial Boundaries. I let him know that…he wrote back. I saw him many times here in Maine and we always connected in those times. Great gift. Great loss to earth…great gift to the universe.
@markpurdin9900
Aerial boundaries was played on CBS evening news
@markpurdin9900
Background music
@EvanAgee
If for no other reason I'm glad YouTube exists for videos like this.
@beeeb7747
This is what is known as a masterful performance: instrument, lyrics, composition, vocal and performance. Stunningly quiet perfection and genius.
@valeriebecker5599
Just heard this song 🎵 and fell in love ! Closed my eyes and became Michael's Woman Of The World ! Absolutely beautiful song and I'm sure human being as well !
@francvig1570
Merci Michael. À l'instant présent tout est simplement parfais. I think of these years living in the mountain wil i discover your music. There is no permanency in this world.
Many wriends allready past away. I have so much gratitude toward you wil listening to this song.
This is full of sensuality full of life full of light.
I am in tears facing this art of perfection.
@brucejacquesStick
C'est vrai!
@stefanoventurini5900
Best song ever written, makes me cry every time, he was simply divine, unmatchable
@MrToastercake
I was fortunate enough to see him at a small cabernet in NYC called the bottom line. Before the show I saw him standing by the bar and I was got to speak to him for a few minutes.
Being a guitarist I was always mesmerized by his open tunings
I was terribly saddened when I heard of his death
This song is so beautiful it brings a tear to my eye......only 1 word for him...unique