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.
Waiting For Love
Nanci Griffith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
they're lost and found
in the dark
It's the dog by the highway
Who said,
Goin' my way?
Now, he lives in your own
Backyard
You came along and fit the part
It's the whistle from the man
With the kindest hands
And a Norwegian name you
Can't say
You meet him in the street
Tripping over your own feet
He claims you steal him away
Waiting for love
God forgives your lack of grace
And everyone I know
From my dust bowl to the city
Is waiting for love (love)
To start another day
They may be shy of heart
Oh, their pockets may be empty
Yet they are waiting for love (love)
And that's enough to fill our days
It's the heartworn jokes of
Your dear father
And the laughter in
Your own mother's heart
It's that plane blowin' in
With your loved one within
Who you've ached for in your time apart
When you're waiting for love
Life's a thread of paths to cross
And everyone I know
From my dust bowl to the city
Is waiting for love (love)
To start another day
They may be shy of heart
Oh, their pockets may be empty
Yet they are waiting for love (love)
And that's enough to fill our days
Whiter shade of pale is my best kept secret
It's the song that'll sail me back home
It's a picture in my hand
Of my own farm land
And the crops that I planted last spring
When you're waiting for love
You've got the finest life can bring
And everyone I know
From my dust bowl to the city
Is waiting for love (love)
To start another day
They may be shy of heart
Oh, their pockets may be empty
Yet they are waiting for love (love)
And that's enough to fill our days
Oh, when you're waiting for love (love)
You've got enough to fill your days
The song Waiting for Love by Nanci Griffith paints a vivid picture of different scenarios where people are waiting for love. The lyrics demonstrate how love can be found in the smallest of things and moments, and how it fills our lives with joy and purpose. The opening lines, "Life is full of finer things they're lost and found in the dark," alludes to the fleeting nature of life and how we must cherish moments of love and happiness when we find them. The dog by the highway who says "Goin' my way?" is a clever metaphor to show how love can come unexpectedly and from anywhere. The next lines, "Now, he lives in your own backyard, waiting for love you came along and fit the part," indicate how when we find love, it feels like it was meant to be, and how it can change our lives.
The song goes on to describe different people and situations where love is found, whether it's the man with the kindest hands, a loved one returning after a long time apart, or heartwarming memories of family. The lyrics also highlight how love is prevalent in everyone's lives, no matter where they come from or what their circumstances are. The line "They may be shy of heart, oh, their pockets may be empty, yet they are waiting for love, and that's enough to fill our days" demonstrates that love is not materialistic but emotional, and it can make everything else seem worthwhile.
In conclusion, Waiting for Love by Nanci Griffith is a beautiful song that reminds us to cherish and appreciate love in all its forms. It highlights how love can come from anywhere and anyone, and that it brings joy and meaning to our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Life is full of finer things
There are many wonderful things in life
they're lost and found
Sometimes these wonderful things are hard to find
in the dark
It can be difficult to see these wonderful things
It's the dog by the highway
The dog on the side of the road represents something unexpected
Who said, Goin' my way?
The dog symbolically asks if you're going in the same direction
Now, he lives in your own Backyard
The unexpected thing is now a part of your everyday life
Waiting for love
Life is a waiting game for love
You came along and fit the part
Someone finally comes into your life and fills the void you've been waiting for all along
It's the whistle from the man
Another unexpected thing happens – a man whistles
With the kindest hands
The man is kind, but not necessarily physically touching you
And a Norwegian name you Can't say
The man is also exotic and hard to pronounce
You meet him in the street Tripping over your own feet
You literally stumble upon this man
He claims you steal him away
This man is so attracted to you that he feels like you're 'stealing' him from the rest of the world
God forgives your lack of grace
This line is meant to remind the listener that even when they make mistakes or are awkward, there is forgiveness from a higher power
And everyone I know From my dust bowl to the city Is waiting for love (love) To start another day
The theme of waiting for love is prevalent in many people's lives, regardless of their background or location
They may be shy of heart Oh, their pockets may be empty Yet they are waiting for love (love)
Even those who may not be confident or may not have a lot of money are still waiting for love
And that's enough to fill our days
The hope and anticipation of love can be enough to make life fulfilling
It's the heartworn jokes of Your dear father
Memories of a father figure can bring warmth to the heart
And the laughter in Your own mother's heart
Hearing your mother's laughter can be contagious and comforting
It's that plane blowin' in With your loved one within Who you've ached for in your time apart
Finally seeing a loved one after being separated for a long time can be exciting and fulfilling
When you're waiting for love Life's a thread of paths to cross
While waiting for love, life can often feel like a series of twists and turns
Whiter shade of pale is my best kept secret
The listener has a personal secret or something that is very dear to them
It's the song that'll sail me back home
This secret or personal item can bring feelings of nostalgia and comfort
It's a picture in my hand Of my own farm land And the crops that I planted last spring
For the singer, the 'thing' that brings them comfort and happiness is a tangible object that represents their personal connection to nature and their own hard work
When you're waiting for love You've got the finest life can bring
Even while waiting for love, the singer acknowledges the wonderful aspects of life that they have access to
Oh, when you're waiting for love (love) You've got enough to fill your days
Overall, the message is that love is important and worth waiting for – but in the absence of love, there are still things that can make life worth living
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NANCI GRIFFITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind