After a short marriage which ended in 1992, Griffin began playing in Boston coffee houses and was scouted by A&M Records who signed Griffin on the strength of her demo tape. This resulted in her debut album Living With Ghosts -- a set of demos featuring only Ms. Griffin and her guitar -- which garnered critical acclaim in 1996. Her sophomore album, Flaming Red, demonstrated a more rocking, full-band sound. The ill-fated Silver Bell album was never released by her record label, however, and the label terminated her recording contract shortly after that. Many of the songs from Silver Bell were re-recorded for subsequent albums.
After switching to ATO Records Griffin brought out three albums in rapid succession: 1000 Kisses and Impossible Dream, which were both nominated for Grammy awards, and A Kiss in Time, a well-received live album. In March 2007, she released Children Running Through to great critical acclaim.
She has penned a wide variety of songs - Long Ride Home, Top of the World, Tony, Forgiveness, Chief, Mad Mission--that touch her listeners deeply. A number of high profile artists have covered Patty's songs, including the Dixie Chicks, Bette Midler, Emmylou Harris, The Wreckers, Solomon Burke and pop star Kelly Clarkson; these have brought her exposure in the more mainstream pop and country worlds outside of folk music circles. Upon hearing Solomon Burke's cover of one of her tunes, she said she almost didn't feel worthy of singing it anymore.
Following her collaboration with Mavis Staples on a tune for a compilation album Peter York, suggested Griffin make an album of gospel songs. Griffin agreed on the condition that Buddy Miller, a friend and bandmate, produced the record. Downtown Church was recorded at the Downtown Presbyterian Church in Nashville with a 2010 release date. The album features long-time friends Buddy and Julie Miller, as well as Shawn Colvin and Emmylou Harris. It also includes songs by Hank Williams, Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, and "All Creatures of Our God and King," a song accredited to St. Francis of Assisi.
Griffin featured on Robert Plant's solo album, Band of Joy, which was released in September 2010
Griffin's album American Kid was released on May 7, 2013
06 Carry Me
Patty Griffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe they come by sea
Maybe they've already come
Maybe they come by me
Slipping into the twilight
I ride the broken wave tonight
An old song on the radio
You knew a long time ago
Going out over the ocean
Maybe it's World War I
Maybe its World War III
Maybe it's Vietnam
Maybe we're on TV
Falling into the tall grass
Melting into the tall grass
Spilling out over the lip and
Into the ocean
Into the ocean
Carry carry carry me
Over the ocean, over the ocean, over the ocean, over the ocean
Over the sea
Maybe I've come so far
Maybe I'm on my knees
Maybe I'm dead or alive
Maybe I'm dead or alive
Maybe I'm none of these
Just an old song on the radio
Someone put on a long time ago
Going out over the ocean
Over and over the ocean
Over and over the ocean
Over and over the ocean
In “Carry Me”, Patty Griffin employs vivid imagery and haunting melodies to convey a sense of displacement, uncertainty, and nostalgia. The song presents multiple layers of interpretation, from war and displacement to personal struggles and mortality. The first two stanzas suggest that something or someone is coming, possibly a wave or a group of refugees, while the singer is on the brink of something, possibly a reunion, a breakdown, or a surrender. The ambiguity and tension of the lyrics are mirrored by the music, with its sparse acoustic guitar, subtle bass, and sparse piano that slip in and out of the mix like ghosts.
The refrain “Carry carry carry me/Over the ocean, over the sea” is the emotional anchor of the song, evoking a sense of longing, urgency, and surrender. It’s not clear who or what is expected to carry the singer, but the repetition and crescendo of the lines suggest that it’s the only hope for survival or redemption. The final stanza adds another layer of emotional complexity, as the singer wonders about their own identity and fate. Whether they’re alive or dead, real or imaginary, they’re just a vessel for the old song on the radio, a song that connects them to the past and the world beyond.
Overall, “Carry Me” is a powerful meditation on human vulnerability, resilience, and connectedness. It speaks to the universal experiences of loss, trauma, and searching for meaning in turbulent times, while also showcasing Patty Griffin's poetic and musical gifts.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe they come by land
They could arrive by land
Maybe they come by sea
They could arrive by sea
Maybe they've already come
They might have already arrived
Maybe they come by me
Perhaps they come through me
Slipping into the twilight
Going into the last phase of the day
I ride the broken wave tonight
I am traveling on the shattered wave tonight
An old song on the radio
A song that was played a long time ago
You knew a long time ago
It was familiar to you some time back
An old song on the radio
A song that was played a long time ago
Going out over the ocean
Transmitting through the ocean
Maybe it's World War I
It could be the First World War
Maybe its World War III
It might be the Third World War
Maybe it's Vietnam
It might be referring to the Vietnam War
Maybe we're on TV
We could be recorded on a television
Falling into the tall grass
Dropping into the high grass
Melting into the tall grass
Blending into the expanse of high grass
Spilling out over the lip and
Overflowing past the edge
Into the ocean
Entering the ocean
Into the ocean
Entering the ocean
Carry carry carry me
Take me, take me, take me
Over the ocean, over the ocean, over the ocean, over the ocean
Across the ocean repeatedly
Over the sea
Across the sea
Maybe I've come so far
Perhaps I've journeyed so far
Maybe I'm on my knees
I could be in a reverent position
Maybe I'm dead or alive
I could be alive or deceased
Maybe I'm dead or alive
I could be alive or deceased
Maybe I'm none of these
I might be none of the above
Just an old song on the radio
Merely a song played on the radio
Someone put on a long time ago
Someone played it a while back
Going out over the ocean
Transmitted through the ocean
Over and over the ocean
Repeatedly across the ocean
Over and over the ocean
Repeatedly across the ocean
Over and over the ocean
Repeatedly across the ocean
Over and over the ocean
Repeatedly across the ocean
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PATRICIA J. GRIFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Holmes Office
Brilliant song from a brilliant album
Jellyfish
This tune truly carries me away! I love it!
Mark
Fav song from one of my fav albums. Lilith Fair 1998 was so cool because of her and her band playing.
Martin Kidwell
Love it!
Dave
Just Beautiful !!
Bruce Tennyson
❤️❤️
gormoboskos
<3
Leonardo Salinas Navia
Katy Hudson likes Patty Griffin
Lindy Lou
She is the artist artist.