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.
Simple Life
Nanci Griffith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want a simple life
Like my mother
One true love for my older years
I don't want your wars
To take my children
I want a simple life... while I'm here
Trading places shining on the truth
The moon moves the bottoms of the oceans
So, the sun can bring a farmer's hands to you
[Chorus:]
We all seek comfort in the light of day
And our tears can wash off in the rain
Everything we need is all around us
In simple time and simple ways
Mother nature talks
Whispering her thoughts
So the paths we choose to cross
Walk one more day
[Chorus:]
Nanci Griffith's song "Simple Life" talks about the singer’s desire for a peaceful and uncomplicated life. The chorus features the singer longing for a simple life like her mother, free from the effects of war on her children. The desire is directly related to a romantic partner, as the singer imagines spending her old age with one true love. The song suggests the importance of the natural world and how it can bring peace to one's life. The interdependence and harmony of natural elements like the sun and the moon, and the ways they affect the world around us, are alluded to in the second verse. The singer suggests that it is vital to listen to nature and follow its guidance as it whispers its thoughts. In the final lines, the singer reinforces the idea that walking simple paths is what makes life enjoyable.
The lyrics of "Simple Life" are deeply meaningful, reflecting the singer's perspective on life's complexities. It is a song that resonates with people who seek quietness and solitude in a world of chaos. The metaphorical references to the unity of the sun and the moon suggest the idea of balance and the imperative to achieve it to lead a fulfilling life. The idea of simple ways and simple time is a reminder that life does not have to be complicated, and that sometimes the simplest paths make the most significant impact.
Line by Line Meaning
I want a simple life
The desire for a life free from material possessions and complexities.
Like my mother
Inspired by the humble and content life of the singer's mother.
One true love for my older years
The desire for companionship and love throughout life, especially in old age.
I don't want your wars
The rejection of conflict and violence that disrupts and ruins lives.
To take my children
The fear of losing loved ones or having their lives affected by war and strife.
I want a simple life... while I'm here
Reiterating the desire to live a simple, peaceful life during one's time on earth.
The sun and moon walk hand in hand together
The natural harmony and balance in the world, represented by the sun and moon's movements.
Trading places shining on the truth
The cyclical exchange of light and dark, revealing different truths and perspectives.
The moon moves the bottoms of the oceans
Highlighting the moon's gravitational pull on water and how it influences the natural world.
So, the sun can bring a farmer's hands to you
Emphasizing the important role of sunlight in agriculture and the food we consume.
We all seek comfort in the light of day
The need for light and positivity in life to find comfort and happiness.
And our tears can wash off in the rain
The healing power of rain and nature, and its ability to cleanse and renew emotions.
Everything we need is all around us
The abundance of resources and natural beauty that surround us.
In simple time and simple ways
Calling for a return to a simpler way of life and appreciating the little things in life.
Mother nature talks
Personifying nature and recognizing its voice and presence in our lives.
Whispering her thoughts
Nature's subtle communication and guidance through its sounds and movements.
So the paths we choose to cross
The impact of our choices and actions on our environment and the world.
Walk one more day
Endorsing taking things one day at a time and appreciating each day for what it is.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ELIZABETH Y. COOK, NANCI C. GRIFFITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rosemarykean510
Nanci Griffith- her vision (peace, Mother Nature, simplicity, love) combined with her musical sense- not many artists as precious to me as Nanci.
@mwpeele
What a beautiful person Nanci Griffith is, with an amazingly beautiful voice, who has shared her own Simple Life through her music. I can think of no other artist I would rather sing one of my own songs, than Nanci Griffith.
@maryannbrown5762
Nanci Griffith has been true to her calling. She was an enormously gifted songwriter, guitariist, and her incredibly beautiful voice was unparalleled. She was generous and lively in concert and was a great storyteller. I think the combination of storytelling in song was her greatest gift and she has left us with many riches. I am so sad that she died on August 13, 2021 and I am so grateful for all of the recorded music and the many videos of her concerts, interviews, and collaborations on Austin City Limits. Rest in love, Nanci. 💖🎸🌹
@ssnp07
Oh Bless her! I love Nanci and I have followed her career for about 18 years now. As always, she sounds amazing. Thanks for posting.
@BaronVK1
Never tire of listening to Nanci. This wonderful lady still has it!
@tomtscotland
Transatlantic Sessions Concert February 2009. Great concert with 22 artists from both sides of the Atlantic- I was middle of second row from front and that's where I intend to be next year :-)
@wroyjon
everytime I see her I love her more
@Hdtexan
Last time I saw her was on this tour....Adore this woman. She sounds like home.
@LoganCartwright
Wishing Nanci and her's all the best for all times. logan
@THEJET52
"everything we need is all around us"!