Richards grew up in San Francisco, the daughter of Ted and Teresa Richards, stars of the underground comics revolution. Her father created The 40 Year Old Hippie; her mother was one of the founding editors and contributors of Wimmin’s Comix in the 1970’s. “Growing up, I got the message that if you do what you love to do, money will follow, just not a lot of it.” It was a very Bohemian upbringing to put it lightly.
Richards played in school bands, but never considered music as a profession until her senior year of high school, when fate offered a unique hand. Her best friend began dating Kirk Hammett of Metallica, and Hammett taught Richards a few songs on guitar. “As soon as I knew how to play, I started writing and everything just clicked. Eventually I got a piano to expand my musical repertoire.”
Richards recorded her first demo in Hammett’s basement studio. Dave Deresinski, the then manager of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, passed the recording along to singer Anton Newcombe, who asked Richards to sing with the group. Shortly thereafter, Ondi Timoner began filming the BJM for her seminal documentary DIG! (2004). In one scene, a hiker observed the all white-clad members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and friends gathered on a mountain top location. “Excuse me,” he asked, “is this a cult or a photo shoot?” Miranda ------then candidly replied, “Honestly sir, I don’t know the answer to that question.”
Richards had since moved down the coast to LA to further pursue a music career. “I played clubs and open mics while I worked odd jobs and made demos. A mutual friend introduced me to Rick Parker (producer/musician who went on to work with BRMC and The Von Bondies), and we’ve been working together ever since.” After recording a few sets of demos, she signed with Virgin, and began tracking her debut, The Herethereafter.
The Herethereafter (credits include Jon Brion and David Campbell) enjoyed critical acclaim, and over 40 film and TV licenses that allowed her to continue playing music full time. Since it’s release, Miranda has collaborated in the studio with Tricky, Tim Burgess (Charlatans), Neil Halstead (Mojave Three), Joe Firstman, and The Shore. She joined The Jesus and Mary Chain for the West Coast leg of their 2007 tour, singing duets with Jim Reid on “Sometimes Always” and “Just like Honey.” In the fall of 2007, she toured the UK in support of a vinyl single called “Life Boat” on Sonic Cathedral; in early 2008, she supported Tim Finn (Crowded House), and in late August she supported Neil Halstead, both on solo acoustic tours. The Early November EP was released digitally November 4, 2008 on Nettwerk Records; the full-length sophomore effort, Light of X, is due for worldwide release February 10, 2009.
Light of X is moody and introspective, the kind of music to play while you’re getting dressed up at night, sitting by the phone, and waiting for it to ring. The album fairly shimmers with folk, country, psychedelic, and even classical influences. Richards and Parker assembled a top-notch group of players including Eva Gardner (Mars Volta, Tim Burgess) on bass; main drummer Keith Mitchell (Mazzy Star); Ben Peeler (Wallflowers, Shelby Lynne) on pedal steel, and Josh Schwartz (Beachwood Sparks) on guitar. Rick Parker produced, engineered, mixed the record, and played guitar; Richards composed the material including string arrangements, and played acoustic guitar, piano, and organ.
As a songwriter, Richards has an uncanny knack of finding the diamonds in the dust of every day life and the relationships within. She’s able to look at an average moment and describe it in a way that transforms it into something much more powerful, a talent evident on every tack of Light of X. The album balances Richards’ beautiful, close to the heart vocals, with music that has the wide open, spacious feel of a desert sky or an empty church. Call it Ambient Americana, or Richards’ self coined term ‘Psychedelic Chamber Folk Rock’ if you like, Light of X is an album full of love and loss, desolation and salvation, both moody and comforting.
“Courtney Taylor from the Dandy Warhols calls my genre ‘Pixie Fairy Dust Chick Music,’” Miranda Lee Richards laughs, from her home in Los Angeles. “But I think another fitting description for Light of X might be ‘Psychedelic Chamber Folk Rock.’”
Folkin' Hell
Miranda Lee Richards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They watch me dance
My blues away
Delicate as a rose
With my raven hair
And fiery eyes
And when I sigh
Black Stallions run with the light of the moon
There is a wild wind calling
I'm leavin' you too soon
And when I smile
This magic will comfort your worried mind
They say gypsies can't be trusted
They'll fool you every time
I'll fool you every time
Find me here 'most everyday
These walls are stained with years of shame
Drink your troubles away
And put your money on the table if you're gonna' play
I don't worry, 'cause I'm a gypsy
And when I sigh
Black Stallions run with the light of the moon
There is a wild wind calling
I'm leavin' you too soon
And when I smile
Knowin' these bridges will burn in time
Happiness can't be trusted
She'll fool you every time
I'll fool you every time
The lyrics to Miranda Lee Richards's song "Folkin' Hell," explore the life of a gypsy woman who makes a living by dancing and entertaining the "working boys." She describes herself as "delicate as a rose," but also wild and free with raven hair and fiery eyes. She claims "I don't worry, 'cause I'm a gypsy," indicating that her nomadic lifestyle provides her with a sense of freedom and independence.
In the chorus, the singer describes herself as a force of nature, invoking the image of "black Stallions run[ning] with the light of the moon," and a "wild wind calling." She acknowledges that she won't be around for long, as she's always on the move, but suggests that her brief presence in people's lives will bring them comfort and magic. Even though gypsies are often perceived as unreliable and untrustworthy, she asserts that she will "fool you every time" with her charms and grace.
The verses reference a seedy bar where the singer can be found "most everyday," amidst the stains of "years of shame." She describes the patrons as "working boys," indicating that they're likely manual laborers seeking a release from the pressures of their lives. The singer's presence provides some temporary relief from their troubles, but she also recognizes that the happiness she brings can't be trusted or relied upon. In the end, she reminds the listener that she's always on the move, leaving destruction in her wake, as metaphorical bridges burn in time.
Line by Line Meaning
Workin' boys like a show
Men who work for a living enjoy being entertained by me.
They watch me dance
They observe as I express myself through movement.
My blues away
They see me dancing away the sadness in my heart.
Delicate as a rose
I am just as fragile and beautiful as a flower.
With my raven hair
My hair is as dark as a raven's feathers.
And fiery eyes
They notice the passion and intensity in my gaze.
I don't worry, 'cause I'm a gypsy
I don't have to be concerned because I have a wanderer's spirit.
And when I sigh
Whenever I let out a deep breath...
Black Stallions run with the light of the moon
...It's as if powerful horses are galloping under the glowing night sky.
There is a wild wind calling
I can hear the untamed wind beckoning me to roam.
I'm leavin' you too soon
I know I won't be able to stay for much longer, I have to keep moving.
And when I smile
When I curve my lips upward...
This magic will comfort your worried mind
...You'll feel at ease with the enchantment I bring into your life.
They say gypsies can't be trusted
People believe that wanderers can't be relied upon.
They'll fool you every time
They claim that gypsies trick others continually.
Find me here 'most everyday
You can see me in this place almost every day.
These walls are stained with years of shame
The walls of this establishment are tarnished by the poor decisions made within them for years.
Drink your troubles away
People come here to drown their problems in alcohol.
And put your money on the table if you're gonna' play
If you want to indulge in gambling, you need to place your wager on the table.
Knowin' these bridges will burn in time
I am aware that there will come a point at which my relationships will be irreparably damaged.
Happiness can't be trusted
Joy is a fleeting emotion and cannot be relied upon to last.
She'll fool you every time
Again and again, the feeling of contentment will be deceitful.
I'll fool you every time
I, too, will be capable of deceiving others, just like anyone else.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS, RICK PARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind