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.’”
The Long Goodbye
Miranda Lee Richards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Til songs of freedom come and take me for a little ride
Walkin' by in my lonely dreams
You say you feel forgotten well I'm sorry I haven't waken
And in these times I write about forgiveness
In the sand and I hope and pray
That it's here to stay
But I still play alone on these old heartstrings
'Cause how we tried and tried to make that perfect harmony
Wasn't it a shame, we never heard the same?
That's why in these times I
Write about forgiveness in the sand
And I hope and pray that it's here to stay
So when those birds fly south in the winter I have to go
Baby please don't cry it's the end of our long goodbye
And in these times I write about forgiveness in the sand
And I hope and pray that it's here to stay
It's alright, it's okay, it's here to stay
I give you everything
I gave you everything
The lyrics to Miranda Lee Richards's song The Long Goodbye are filled with themes of forgiveness, loneliness, and the struggle for harmony in relationships. The opening line, "I give you everything," sets the stage for a relationship that may not have worked out as planned. The singer seems to have given their all to the relationship, but the songs of freedom eventually come and take them away. This could be a metaphor for the natural progression of relationships, where individuals may need to move on and find their own paths in life.
The chorus of the song mentions the idea of forgiveness, which is likely a reflection of the singer's desire to move past any hurt or resentment they may be feeling towards their former partner. They write about forgiveness in the sand, which could be a way of letting go of the past and allowing the waves of time to wash it away. However, the idea that the singer is still playing alone on their heartstrings suggests that they are still struggling to find the harmony that they had hoped for in the relationship.
The final verse of the song is a poignant farewell as the singer heads south for the winter, leaving their former partner behind. They acknowledge the pain of separation, but also express the hope that forgiveness will be a lasting theme in their lives. Overall, The Long Goodbye is a heartrending reflection on the complexities of relationships and the search for forgiveness and harmony.
Line by Line Meaning
I give you everything
I have given you all of myself, my love and my efforts.
'Til songs of freedom come and take me for a little ride
Until I feel free from all the turmoil and trouble that surrounds me, and I can relax and let go of everything, even if only for a moment.
Walkin' by in my lonely dreams
Moving through my own mind, alone, with all of my thoughts and hopes and desires, but no one else to share them with.
You say you feel forgotten well I'm sorry I haven't waken
You tell me that you feel as though I have forgotten or abandoned you, and I feel sorry, but I don't know what to do to fix it or help you feel any better.
And in these times I write about forgiveness
During these moments of reflection and introspection, I write about letting go of anger and grudges towards others and forgiving them for what they have done.
In the sand and I hope and pray
I write it down in the hope that it will help me actually practice forgiveness in my life, and I pray for the strength to do so.
That it's here to stay
I hope that my forgiveness will be a constant presence in my life, and that it will help me move forward without holding onto grudges or negative feelings.
And there's a song I wrote for those who would like to sing
I created a song that others can sing along to if they are also searching for a sense of freedom and release from pain and heartache.
But I still play alone on these old heartstrings
Although I have made this song, I still feel the emotional pain all by myself, tugging at my heartstrings.
'Cause how we tried and tried to make that perfect harmony
You and I tried endlessly to make our relationship work, and to achieve a sense of balance and peace between us.
Wasn't it a shame, we never heard the same?
It's a pity that we could never seem to get on the same page, and understood each other in the same way, despite our joint efforts.
That's why in these times I
This is why during these moments of creative expression and reflection, I
Write about forgiveness in the sand
Put my pen to paper or carve out these feelings on a beach, as I contemplate and pour out these emotions in the form of forgiveness.
And I hope and pray that it's here to stay
I know that forgiveness is a crucial part of healing and moving on, which is why I pray that it becomes a constant presence in my life.
So when those birds fly south in the winter I have to go
When it's time to leave and move on, just like the way birds fly to a new location when winter arrives, I know that I must move on too.
Baby please don't cry it's the end of our long goodbye
I ask you not to cry or feel sad, because we are finally saying goodbye to one another after a long and emotional journey.
And in these times I write about forgiveness in the sand
Again, I contemplate and write about my desire for forgiveness and letting go of negativity, in the hopes of making it a constant practice in my life.
And I hope and pray that it's here to stay
As always, I hope that forgiveness can be a constant and lasting presence in my life, and that it will help me move forward in peace.
It's alright, it's okay, it's here to stay
Finally, I reassure myself and remind myself that forgiveness is something that is not only good to practice but will always be with me as I move forward in my life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bluenoserr
So underrated. I'm still surprised she never made it big.
Mike Diazleal
I love her voice.
skodiacs
A track that has deserves to become a classic: psychedelia, folk, a haunting melody and a great voice. Soundtrack of heaven.
Chris Pelcer
I bought The Herethere After when it was released. I've gone thru at least 4 cars since then and that CD copy has outlived all my cars :) tells me it must be an awfully great album. The last time I listened to this song was today..
MusicalOmnivore
Just gorgeous...the song AND the singer. her albums are awesome too. check out Early November if you havent already.
frixrules
Forgot how good this song was. The entire album too. Really high quality songs.
Ji-woon-hak
Such a beautiful voice ❤️
Daily Kitchen
That's a beautiful song right there! :)
edgarespinosarivera
the girl, her voice and the song = beautiful
Milk Nok
One of the best singers I've heard. Beautiful voice!!