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
Long Road
Patty Griffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shiniest car I've ever seen
The back seat is nice and clean
She rides as quiet as a dream
Someone dug a hole six long feet in the ground
I said goodbye to you and I threw my roses down
Ain't nothing left at all in the end of being proud
With me riding in this car, and you flying through the clouds
I've had some time to think about you
And watch the stone set like a stone
I've had some time to think about you
On the long ride home
One day I took your tiny hand
Put your finger in the wedding band
Your daddy gave a piece of land
We laid ourselves the best of plans
Forty years go by with someone laying in your bed
Forty years of things you say you wish you'd never said
How hard would it have been to say some kinder words instead
I wonder as I stare up at the sky turning red
I've had some time to think about you
And watch the stone set like a stone
I've had some time to think about you
On the long ride home
Headlights staring at the driveway
The house is dark as it can be
I go inside and all is silent
It seems as empty as the inside of me
I've had some time to think about you
And watch the stone set like a stone
I've had some time to think about you
On the long, on the long
Oh the long, on the long
On the long ride home
The song "Long Road" by Patty Griffin tells a story of a funeral of a loved one, likely a spouse, and the reflections and regrets that come with it. The first verse describes the luxurious black limousine that is carrying the singer to the burial site. She notes how clean and quiet the car is, almost dreamlike, as she watches the limo drive by and imagines her loved one flying through the clouds. The second verse touches on the memories of their life together, including the day they got married and their plans for the future. The singer laments the mistakes made in their relationship, regretting the unkind words spoken over the years. She wonders if things would have been different if they had just been a little kinder to each other. The final verse brings us back to the present, with the singer returning home to an empty house. She is forced to face the reality that her loved one is truly gone and that she is left with nothing but the memories and the long ride home.
Line by Line Meaning
Long black limousine
The car used for your funeral was a long black limousine
Shiniest car I've ever seen
The car is very shiny and brand new
The back seat is nice and clean
The interior of the car is clean and pristine
She rides as quiet as a dream
The ride is smooth and quiet, like a dream
Someone dug a hole six long feet in the ground
Someone has dug a grave six feet deep
I said goodbye to you and I threw my roses down
I said my final goodbye and threw my roses onto your casket
Ain't nothing left at all in the end of being proud
There's nothing left to be proud of when you're gone
With me riding in this car, and you flying through the clouds
I'm riding in the car and you're flying through the clouds to your final resting place
I've had some time to think about you
I've had some time to reflect on our relationship and the memories we shared
And watch the stone set like a stone
I've watched your gravestone be put in place
One day I took your tiny hand
There was a time when I held your tiny hand
Put your finger in the wedding band
We got married and put on wedding rings
Your daddy gave a piece of land
Your father gave us a piece of land
We laid ourselves the best of plans
We had made plans for our future together
Forty years go by with someone laying in your bed
Forty years have gone by with someone lying in your bed next to you
Forty years of things you say you wish you'd never said
Over forty years, we've said things to each other that we regret
How hard would it have been to say some kinder words instead
It would have been easy to say kinder words instead of the hurtful ones we said
I wonder as I stare up at the sky turning red
I wonder as I look up at the red sky
Headlights staring at the driveway
The headlights are shining on the driveway
The house is dark as it can be
The house is completely dark
I go inside and all is silent
I go into the house and it's completely quiet
It seems as empty as the inside of me
The house is as empty as my heart
On the long ride home
Reflecting on everything on the long ride home
Contributed by Claire E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.