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
Rain
Patty Griffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beating close to mine
Pounding up against the stone and steel
Walls that I won't climb
Sometimes a hurt is so deep deep deep
You think that you're gonna drown
Sometimes all I can do is weep weep weep
With all this rain falling down
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
Rain
Its hard to know when to give up the fight
Two things you want will just never be right
Its never rained like it has to night before
Now I don't want to beg you baby
For something maybe you could never give
I'm not looking for the rest of your life
I just want another chance to live
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
Rain, oh rain
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
Rain
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm still alive underneath this shroud
Rain Rain Rain
The Patty Griffin song “Rain” is a reflection on love, grief, and acceptance. The song sets a mournful tone from the start with Griffin's description of a “hard hard heart”, which beats close to hers. She continues to employ the use of imagery to describe the pain she feels, such as the heart beating against the stone and steel walls she won’t climb. The rain evoked throughout the song can be interpreted as both a metaphor for sadness and tears, but also a sign of cleansing and renewal. Griffin describes the rain as “strange how hard it rains now, rows and rows of big dark clouds,” which could indicate a change in her perspective or an acceptance of the current situation. Despite this acceptance, however, she still longs for the love she cannot have, but understands that some things cannot be realized.
The lyrics in the second verse offer further insight into Griffin’s heartache. It is “hard to know when to give up the fight” for something that could never be right. She is not looking for life-long commitment from her partner, but “just another chance,” perhaps to experience the joy of love again. The final repetition of “rain, oh rain” shows Griffin’s acceptance of the situation and her willingness to live with it, even though it continues to cause her heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
It's hard to listen to a hard hard heart
It's difficult to hear the beating of my own hardened heart
Beating close to mine
That's so close to me
Pounding up against the stone and steel
Trying to break through the walls I've built up around it
Walls that I won't climb
But I won't let it penetrate those walls
Sometimes a hurt is so deep deep deep
At times a pain is so intense
You think that you're gonna drown
That it feels like suffocation
Sometimes all I can do is weep weep weep
In those times, all I can do is cry
With all this rain falling down
As I'm surrounded by this rain pouring down
Strange how hard it rains now
It's strange how heavy the rain falls now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
Clouds are stacked up in the sky, big and dark
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
While I'm holding onto something in this darkness
Its hard to know when to give up the fight
It's not easy to know when to stop fighting
Two things you want will just never be right
Two things I want will never be possible
Its never rained like it has tonight before
It has never rained so heavily before
Now I don't want to beg you baby
I don't want to plead with you, my love
For something maybe you could never give
For something you may never be able to offer me
I'm not looking for the rest of your life
I'm not asking for your future
I just want another chance to live
I just want to live a little longer
When I'm still alive underneath this shroud
Despite everything, I'm still alive under this darkness
Rain Rain Rain
The rain falls, continuously.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Todd Hunter, Marc Hunter, Johanna Paton Pigott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
onehotgossip
"Rain"
It's hard to listen to a hard hard heart
Beating close to mine
Pounding up against the stone and steel
Walls that I won't climb
Sometimes a hurt is so deep deep deep
You think that you're gonna drown
Sometimes all I can do is weep weep weep
With all this rain falling down
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
Rain
Its hard to know when to give up the fight
Two things you want will just never be right
Its never rained like it has to night before
Now I don't wanna beg you baby
For something maybe you could never give
I'm not looking for the rest of your life
I just want another chance to live
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
Rain
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
Rain
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm still alive underneath this shroud
Rain Rain Rain
Nath House
It's hard to listen to a hard hard heart
Beating close to mine
Pounding up against the stone and steel
Walls that I won't climb
Sometimes a hurt is so deep deep deep
You think that you're gonna drown
Sometimes all I can do is weep weep weep
With all this rain falling down
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
Rain
Its hard to know when to give up the fight
Two things you want will just never be right
Its never rained like it has to night before
Now I don't want to beg you baby
For something maybe you could never give
I'm not looking for the rest of your life
I just want another chance to live
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
Rain, oh rain
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm holding on underneath this shroud
Rain
Strange how hard it rains now
Rows and rows of big dark clouds
When I'm still alive underneath this shroud
Rain Rain Rain
Kevin Jordan
This is the song that I chose to have playing as we entered the church for my wife's funeral. She was only 46. Her beautiful white casket with three white lillies on top (one each for me and my two children) and this song are burned into my memory forever. In our lives there were "rows and rows of big dark clouds" and sorrow was truly raining down on us all. It's been seven years since that day and I know that she is still "alive underneath that shroud" in our hearts. Still missing you love.
whitneyyvette dross
My heart goes out for YOU AND YOUR TWO CHILDREN,, SO SO YOUNG FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL WIFE TO HAVE TO LEAVE HER BEAUTIFUL LOVING HUSBAND AND CHILDREN,, MY HEART GOES OUT FOR HER,, NO MATTER HOW LONG AGO WE LOOSE SUCH SPECIAL AND DEEPLY LOVED ONES IT'S ALWAYS LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY,, I FEEL FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL WIFE,,, SUCH A BEAUTIFUL AND SPECIAL SONG YOU CHOSE FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL WIFE,,🥺
Scorpiosadie77
I am so thankful I fell upon your comment tonight. It is beautiful that you chose to share this in memory of your wife. A testament to the power of the human heart. It greatly touched mine. Sending out loving thoughts to anybody who is here tonight, working their way through the pain of a healing heart.
InvisibleBlues
I’m so grateful you’ve held on, even while “underneath the shroud.” ❤️
Ysobelle
May her memory be a blessing.
Kimberley Elmgren Gatch
I'm so sorry
Aaron Spicer
Hard to understand how 220 people downed this song. As a musician, who tried and didn't make it, the lyrics and music to this are wonderful. Her vocals are unique. We just had a total Solar Eclipse. Why can't every human being become kind to one another and enjoy this amazing journey. We won't be here forever, and I'm sad that Earth is becoming an egotistical and arrogant place to live. I may not be a supermodel, nor may this artist be as big as Madonna. However, just take a moment to close your eyes and listen to the lyrics. My hope is that all human beings one day realize we are on borrowed time. Peace and much love to all.
Psychedelic GB Yeti
Do kids these days even recognize Madonna? Lol I agree, it's such a small percentage to cry over about. Fans of Marina (and the Diamonds) have lamented that she's "underrated". But Marina herself only sees her successes and is grateful for her career. It's so easy to focus on the negatives when there are so many positives to look forward to.
StPetie
That's easy. They're used to listening to crap. So when they hear actual music, they don't get it.
Elizabeth Terry
I definitely wouldnt sat she didnt make it. She won an AMA at least 1 grammy, im sure she receives royalties for all of the songs that she has written but are covered by so many main stream artists. She is one of the greats in my personal opinion. Ive been listening to this song for over a decade now and dont plan on stopping anytime soon