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
Regarding Mary
Patty Griffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She comes swinging in
With her tire iron
She hits everything in sight
When she gets flying
And in the end no one survives
No, sakes alive
They all die
She hates the morning
She hates the light
She hates the darkness of the night
She hates herself most of all oh
She can't walk
She only crawls and
What we gonna do about Mary
When there is no getting out of your own way oh
What we gonna do about Mary
I wish that we could send her away
Mary, Mary, Mary mo ma ma mo, Mary, Mary Mary
We go walking sometimes
Where she can't follow
When we return
It's her drink we swallow
And every time we feel so hollow
We wonder will we see tomorrow
And it isn't easy
And it isn't plain
We try to lose her, but she remains and so
Maybe we will all go insane oh
Just like Mary yeah
Just like Mary well
Just like Mary yeah
Just like Mary oh
Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary
And this life we had and
This little slice
Were words she just sacrificed
And if this keeps up
This cold cold rain oh
We will surely lose our way
What we gonna do about Mary
When there is no getting out of your own way oh
What we gonna do about Mary
I wish that we could send her away
Mary, Mary, Mary mo ma ma mo, Mary, Mary Mary
MARY
MARY
MARY
MARY...
Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary
Regarding Mary by Patty Griffin is a hauntingly beautiful song that tells a story of a troubled woman named Mary. The song is an exploration of the intense emotional turmoil that Mary is going through, and how her actions impact those around her. The lyrics are powerful and vivid, and the melody and instrumentation perfectly complement the mood of the song.
The song begins with Mary swinging a tire iron and hitting everything in sight, symbolizing her emotions and the impact they have on her surroundings. The following lyrics describe Mary's intense self-loathing and her struggle to cope with her own negative feelings. The song then takes a turn, and we see the impact that Mary's behavior has on those around her. The lyrics describe how Mary's friends and family try to escape her destructive force, only to find themselves trapped and swallowed by her addictive behavior.
The lyrics go on to suggest that the situation is escalating, and that the characters in the song will all go insane just like Mary. The song ends with the repetition of Mary's name, emphasizing her presence and the gravity of her situation.
Overall, Regarding Mary is a poignant song that explores the complexities of mental illness and addiction. It is a song that lingers in the listener's mind long after it has ended, reminding us of the raw power of emotion and the devastating impact it can have on our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary
Repeating Mary's name sets the tone of the song and emphasizes her significance.
She comes swinging in
Mary manifests herself as an erratic force.
With her tire iron
Her tire iron symbolizes the damage she inflicts upon people.
She hits everything in sight
Mary doesn't discriminate when lashing out.
When she gets flying
Mary's wrathful behavior escalates.
And in the end no one survives
Mary's actions lead to destruction.
No, sakes alive
A colloquial expression of disbelief.
They all die
Mary is responsible for the death of everyone she lashes out against.
She hates the morning
Mary despises the beginning of each day.
She hates the light
Mary hates brightness and positivity, which represent the opposite of her situation.
She hates the darkness of the night
Mary also despises the darkness, despite it being associated with her depressive mood.
She hates herself most of all oh
Mary's self-loathing is the root of her destructive behavior.
She can't walk
Mary feels fundamentally incapable of making progress.
She only crawls and
Mary's low self-esteem and depression physically limit her ability to move forward.
What we gonna do about Mary
The singer is proactive in seeking a solution to Mary's problems.
When there is no getting out of your own way oh
The condition Mary suffers from feels inescapable and deeply ingrained.
I wish we could send her away
The artist realizes that it's not easy to help Mary and wishes someone else could take charge.
We go walking sometimes
The singer takes breaks from dealing with Mary.
Where she can't follow
Mary's influence is local to her physical environment.
When we return
The return home recalls Mary's influence.
It's her drink we swallow
Her drinking habits affect those around her.
And every time we feel so hollow
The artist experiences emptiness after spending time with Mary.
We wonder will we see tomorrow
The singer feels uncertain about the future.
And it isn't easy
Dealing with Mary's issues is challenging.
And it isn't plain
There's no straightforward solution to Mary's problems.
We try to lose her, but she remains and so
The singer can't shake the pervasive influence of Mary's issues.
Maybe we will all go insane oh
The stress of dealing with Mary is becoming too much to handle.
Just like Mary yeah
The artist fears becoming like Mary.
Just like Mary well
Another expression of the above sentiment.
And this life we had and
Mary's influence has led to a less fulfilling existence.
This little slice
A small piece of life is all that's left.
Were words she just sacrificed
Mary wasted opportunities to improve her life by not speaking up.
And if this keeps up
The problematic status quo continues.
This cold cold rain oh
The rainy day suggests a bleak outlook.
We will surely lose our way
The situation with Mary is leading the singer into an uncertain future.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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