She is best-remembered for From a Distance, by Julie Gold, although the version that achieved greater commercial success was not Griffith's but Bette Midler's (From a Distance). Similarly, other artists have occasionally achieved greater success with Griffith's songs than did Griffith herself: for example, Kathy Mattea, who had a country music top five hit with a 1986 cover (Love at the Five and Dime) of Love at the Five and Dime.
ADDITIONALLY
In 1994, Griffith teamed up with Jimmy Webb to contribute the song "If These Old Walls Could Speak" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Country produced by the Red Hot Organization. Griffith is a survivor of breast cancer which was diagnosed in 1996, and thyroid cancer in 1998.[2]
Singer-songwriter Christine Lavin remembers the first time she saw Griffith perform:
I was struck by how perfect everything was about her singing, her playing, her talking. I realized from the get-go that this was someone who was a complete professional. Obviously she had worked a long time to get to be that good.
During her career, Griffith toured with many artists, including Buddy Holly's band, The Crickets; John Prine; Iris DeMent; Suzy Bogguss; and Judy Collins. Griffith has recorded duets with many artists, among them Emmylou Harris, Mary Black, John Prine, Don McLean, Jimmy Buffett, Dolores Keane, Willie Nelson, Adam Duritz (singer of Counting Crows), The Chieftains, and Darius Rucker (lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish). She also contributed background vocals on many other recordings.
Griffith suffered from severe 'writers block' for a number of years after 2004, lasting until the 2009 release of her The Loving Kind album, which contained nine selections that she had written and composed either entirely by herself or as collaborations.
After several months of limited touring in 2011, Griffith's bandmates The Kennedys (Pete & Maura Kennedy) packed up their professional Manhattan recording studio and relocated it to Nashville, where they installed it in Griffith's home. There, Griffith and her backing team, including Pete & Maura Kennedy and Pat McInerney, co-produced her album, Intersections over the course of the summer. The album includes several new original songs and was released in April 2012.
In addition to her own songs, Griffith is well known for her versions of other people's material, usually by contemporary singer-songwriters.
Awards
Griffith won the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for Other Voices, Other Rooms. In 2008, the Americana Music Association awarded her its Americana Trailblazer Award; Lyle Lovett, who contributed backing vocals to some of "The Blue Moon Orchestra's" recordings,[which?] had won it before her.
Band (The Blue Moon Orchestra)
Griffith refers to her backing band as "The Blue Moon Orchestra." This reference is believed to have been drawn from both the title of one of her earliest albums, Once in a Very Blue Moon, and its title selection, which reached #85 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1986.
Lone Star State Of Mind
Nanci Griffith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gee, it's been a long, long time
Since those hot and humid Texas nights
When we went swimm'n in the tide
Corpus Christi seems so far away
And I'm not talk'n 'bout the miles
And there ain't much I wouldn't give today
[Chorus:]
But here I sit alone in Denver
Sipp'n the California wine
And I've got all night to remember you
I'm in a lone star state of mind
I just saw John Wayne on the Late, Late Show
Save the girl and ride away
And I was hoping as the credits rolled
He'd make it back to her someday
[Chorus]
It's a thousand miles or more
From here to your front door
I'd be there tomorrow if I left today
And I'd just pack up my guitar
You know it's really not that far
When you called you said I'd have a place to stay
The lyrics of Nanci Griffith's "Lone Star State of Mind" tell the story of a person who receives a phone call from someone from their past that they haven't spoken to in a long time. The nostalgia for the past is emphasized as they reminisce about the times they spent together in Texas during hot and humid nights going swimming in the tide. Although they are in a different state now, their minds are still in Texas. The person then mentions Corpus Christi, which seems far away not just in terms of miles but also emotionally. They express a strong desire to see the person they once knew again and to see them smile. The chorus tells us that they are alone in Denver, drinking California wine, but all they can think about is the person they miss and how they are in a "lone star state of mind".
The second verse of the song draws the listener's attention to John Wayne's film that the person watched on TV, hoping that he would save the day and get the girl in the end. The third verse emphasizes the physical and emotional distance between the person and the one they miss, stating that it is "a thousand miles or more from here to your front door". Despite this, the person says that they would be there tomorrow if they could, packing up their guitar and expressing gratitude for the offer of a place to stay.
The song ends with the chorus once again, emphasizing the power of memories and the mind's ability to transport us to a different place and time, even if we are physically far away from it.
Line by Line Meaning
Your phone call took me by surprise
I was caught off guard by your phone call
Gee, it's been a long, long time
It has been quite a while since we last spoke
Since those hot and humid Texas nights
Since the times we spent together in Texas
When we went swimm'n in the tide
When we swam in the ocean
Corpus Christi seems so far away
Corpus Christi feels distant
And I'm not talk'n 'bout the miles
I'm not referring to the physical distance
And there ain't much I wouldn't give today
I would do almost anything right now
Just to see one of your smiles
Just to see you smile
But here I sit alone in Denver
But I am currently in Denver by myself
Sipp'n the California wine
Drinking wine from California
And I've got all night to remember you
And I have the entire night to think about you
I'm in a lone star state of mind
I am feeling nostalgic for Texas
I just saw John Wayne on the Late, Late Show
I recently watched John Wayne on TV
Save the girl and ride away
He rescued the girl and rode off into the sunset
And I was hoping as the credits rolled
I was wishing as the credits ended
He'd make it back to her someday
That he would eventually return to his love interest
It's a thousand miles or more
The distance between us is great
From here to your front door
Traveling from here to your house
I'd be there tomorrow if I left today
If I left now, I could arrive tomorrow
And I'd just pack up my guitar
I would only need to bring my guitar
You know it's really not that far
The distance isn't actually that great
When you called you said I'd have a place to stay
When you called, you mentioned that I could stay with you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EUGENE ALBERT LEVINE, FRED KOLLER, PATRICK ALGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luis B
Such a beautiful voice and song.. RIP Nancy.
Ian Rhodes
I finished work on Friday, and listened to this track. An hour later, the news broke. Now this song will always remind me of that awful moment. RIP Nanci. Thank you for the soundtrack.
dave demarco
i've loved this song from the minute I first heard her sing it. her voice and talent will be dearly missed.
Taph Hedrof
Saw Nanci in Cork in Ireland 2010. She was fantastic. RIP Nanci. Your music will never die.
Music from Some Guy
She was incredible. Most people don't even know who she is. It's very sad.
Thomas Smith
But millions do 😉
Robert Cottam
@Thomas Smith
Including us, friend.
popguynyc
Thanks for adding to the Nanci tributes. As your notes point out, so many great players loved playing with her. She was such a guiding light. Legendary.
Mrs S
I heard her voice in an HMV store in Manchester England very early 90's and that was it, I was hooked. Saw her 3 times in concert, loved Nanci x
Lazy L farms and off Road
Every time I hear this song it takes me back to the 80s and growing up in a small town! Wandering how did I get so far away!!!