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
Mansion On The Hill
Patty Griffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Risin’ above the factories and the fields
Now ever since I was a child I can remember that mansion on the hill
In the day you can see the children playing
On the road that leads to those gates of hardened steel
Steel gates that completely surround sir the mansion on the hill
Park on a back road along the highway side
Look up at that mansion on the hill
In the summer all the lights would shine there’d be music playin’ people laughin’ all the time
Me and my sister we’d hide out in the tall corn fields
Sit and listen to the mansion on the hill
Tonight down here in Linden Town I watch the cars rushin’ by home from the mill
There’s a beautiful full moon rising above the mansion on the hill
The song "Mansion On The Hill" by Patty Griffin talks about a place on the outskirts of town. It is set apart from the factories and fields in the area, and it evokes memories of childhood for the main character. There is a sense of awe and wonder surrounding the mansion, which is described in detail, complete with its steel gates. The lyrics capture the sense of mystery and intrigue that the mansion holds for the singer, especially at night when it is all lit up. It is a symbol of something grand and unattainable, a reminder of the class divides that exist in society. The song paints a vivid picture of the stark contrast between the poverty and the wealth that coexist in the same town, and it highlights the distance that separates the two.
Line by Line Meaning
There’s place out on the edge of town sir
At the outskirts of town there exists a location, sir
Risin’ above the factories and the fields
It stands towering above both the city's industries and the surrounding nature
Now ever since I was a child I can remember that mansion on the hill
Throughout my upbringing, the image of a grand residence at the peak of the hilltop has ingrained itself into my memory
In the day you can see the children playing
During daytime, the presence of children playing nearby is apparent
On the road that leads to those gates of hardened steel
Along the pathway that directs to the mansion, iron gates that are rigid in structure are noticeable
Steel gates that completely surround sir the mansion on the hill
Sir, the steel gates completely enclose the mansion situated at the summit of the hill
At night my daddy’d take me and we’d ride through the streets of a town so silent and still
At night, my father would escort me on drives around the motionless town's roads
Park on a back road along the highway side
We would pull aside on one of the less busy rear streets adjacent to the highway
Look up at that mansion on the hill
We would gaze upwards at the grand estate settled at the top of the hill
In the summer all the lights would shine there’d be music playin’ people laughin’ all the time
Every summer, an abundance of lights would illuminate the area while music played and people continuously laughed and enjoyed themselves
Me and my sister we’d hide out in the tall corn fields
My sister and I would conceal ourselves in the enormous cornfields that grew nearby
Sit and listen to the mansion on the hill
We would sit silently and appreciate our surroundings along while listening closely to the sound of the mansion's atmosphere
Tonight down here in Linden Town I watch the cars rushin’ by home from the mill
This evening, at Linden Town, cars are seen hurrying back from the nearby mill
There’s a beautiful full moon rising above the mansion on the hill
The mansion on the hill is now being graced by the sight of a lovely full moon rising up above it
Contributed by Alex S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.