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
Made of Clay
Patty Griffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The look in your eye that says you're all out of hope
All the rain in the sky won't wash them black sheep
It should be no surprise it's the end of the road
You should be seeing who I am
Instead you wanna talk about where I've been
Instead you ask for my love to be still
It's too bad things have turned out this way
It's too bad I'm not made of clay
Mama I'm tired of playin' this play
It's too bad I'm not made of clay
You'd think the sky would be all rained out
You'd think that we could forgive by now
The anger in the sound of your voice
That way that I am that you call a choice
It's always darkest before the dawn
So we'll say goodbye again and we'll move on
Here's another bit of truth that is known
Who you love is not the same as what you own
It's too bad things have turned out this way
It's too bad I'm not made of clay
Mama I'm tired of playin' this play
It's too bad I'm not made of clay , made of clay
I called to you from the top of the stairs
I wonder when you stopped being there
You used to know just what to say
Oh I guess things are different today
It's too bad things have turned out this way
It's too bad I'm not made of clay
Mama I'm tired of playin' this play
It's too bad I'm not made of clay
The song "Made of Clay" by Patty Griffin tells the story of a person who feels like they've come to the end of a difficult road in a relationship. They see the tears on their partner's cheek and sense the hopelessness in their eyes. Even though they wish their partner could see them for who they truly are, the partner only wants to focus on the past and where they've been.
The singer laments that they're not made of clay – that they can't be molded into the version of themselves that their partner wants them to be. It's a sad song that describes the frustration of trying to make a relationship work when one person feels like they're fighting a losing battle.
The lines "It's always darkest before the dawn/So we'll say goodbye again and we'll move on" suggest that the singer is preparing to leave the relationship and move on with their life – perhaps to try and find someone who will accept them for who they are.
Overall, the song captures the pain of struggling to make a relationship work when it seems like there's no hope left. It's a poignant reminder that sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we can't change other people's opinions of us.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw my tear on your cheek
I noticed that you were affected by my pain
The look in your eye that says you're all out of hope
Your hopeless look reminds me that you cannot do anything to help me
All the rain in the sky won't wash them black sheep
Difficult problems and negative circumstances cannot be easily overcome
It should be no surprise it's the end of the road
The situation has reached its conclusion, and things cannot go back to the way they were before
You should be seeing who I am
You need to focus on my true identity and intentions
Instead you wanna talk about where I've been
You are more interested in my past than in my present or future
Instead you ask for my love to be still
You want me to suppress my emotions and feelings
You throw it into the box of goodwill
You are indifferent to my emotions and treat them like they are insignificant
It's too bad things have turned out this way
It is unfortunate that the situation has ended so negatively
It's too bad I'm not made of clay
I wish I could change or adapt to the situation, but I cannot
Mama I'm tired of playin' this play
I am weary of this situation, and I want it to end
You'd think the sky would be all rained out
The situation should be resolved by now, but it is not
You'd think that we could forgive by now
We should be able to let go of past mistakes and start fresh
The anger in the sound of your voice
The tone of your voice reveals your frustration and resentment
That way that I am that you call a choice
The person I am and the choices I make are misunderstood and judged
It's always darkest before the dawn
Things will get better eventually, but we have to go through difficult times first
So we'll say goodbye again and we'll move on
We need to accept that the situation is over and move on to something new
Here's another bit of truth that is known
Another fact that is widely recognized and accepted
Who you love is not the same as what you own
Love is not something that can be possessed or controlled
I called to you from the top of the stairs
I tried to reach out to you and communicate with you
I wonder when you stopped being there
I am unsure when you stopped being emotionally available or supportive
You used to know just what to say
You used to be able to soothe me and make me feel better
Oh I guess things are different today
Things have changed, and the situation is no longer the same as it used to be
Contributed by Audrey T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hayden Parker
the love from my lips collection is like a scrapbook of lost gems, each one as precious as the last one. this unreleased playlist has a poetic mystery that will always be its greatest quality, as patty griffin fans one by one will eventually discover these little treasures that are nothing short of miraculous. like all of her other work, patty griffin's "love from my lips" is songwriting at its best.
O2AFAC67
Another to add to my "favorites"! Thank you so much for sharing this unique selection from Patty. She remains one of the best singer/songwriters of our time IMHO...
Shane Webb
Just beautiful! I love this song and her unique, pretty voice.
doogleandalix
Everything she does is so emotional - she gives me goosebumps . Voice as clear as a bell .
David Dobrosky
this is by far my favorite song from the love from my lips collection....for those that don't know what that is....its a series of three cds made by fans and passed around the patty griffin community. I would give anything to see her do this live...knowing it'll never happen..but i can wish right.
Shakeytunes
Must admit that I'd never heard of her until 3 days ago and now I can't stop listening to her. How did I miss her?
Joel Palilla
Patty is the best in her field. She has no competition.
Susan O'Brien
love this, it relates to where I am at the moment...I would love to get a copy of this album, in fact all her unreleased work...I have all her other albums
Denny T
Thanks for sharing this fine Patty Griffin song. I had not heard it before. She is one of the best.
miketron
This is an amazing song. Patty Griffin is one of the finest singer/songwriters out there today. Do you by any chance have this as an MP3? Thank you.