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
The Long Ride Home
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 a race car, and you flying through the clouds
I've had some time to think about you
And watch the sun sink 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 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 sun sink 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 sun sink 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
In Patty Griffin's song Long Ride, the lyrics present a poignant and introspective reflection on the nature of love, regret, and loss. The first verse sets the stage with the image of a shiny black limousine, a symbol of grief and mourning. The singer is riding in the back seat, reflecting on the passing of a loved one. As they lay roses on the grave, they acknowledge the futility of pride and status when it comes to matters of the heart.
In the second verse, the singer's reflections turn toward their own life and relationships. They remember a simpler time when they celebrated a wedding and made plans for their future, but over the years they let resentment and harsh words poison their love. The lyrics capture the sense of regret and longing that comes with the realization that time cannot be regained, and that some wounds may never heal.
The final verse returns to the singer's immediate surroundings, with the empty house symbolizing the emptiness they feel within. The song ends with a sorrowful repetition of the phrase "on the long ride home," underscoring the idea that even though life goes on, the emptiness and pain of loss can accompany us for a long time.
Line by Line Meaning
Long black limousine
The singer sees a long, black limousine, which is the shiniest car she's ever seen.
Shiniest car I've ever seen
Description of the car that caught the singer's eye.
The back seat is nice and clean
The backseat of the limousine appears to be spotless and in good order.
She rides as quiet as a dream
The car moves silently, like a dream.
Someone dug a hole six long feet in the ground
The artist is at a funeral, observing the freshly-dug grave.
I said goodbye to you and I threw my roses down
The singer says her final farewell and places a bouquet of roses on the grave.
Ain't nothing left at all in the end of being proud
Pride is ultimately meaningless and does not last.
With me riding in a race car, and you flying through the clouds
The artist imagines herself in a race car, while the deceased is in heaven.
I've had some time to think about you
The artist reflects on the deceased.
And watch the sun sink like a stone
The artist watches a sunset.
One day I took your tiny hand
The singer reminisces about holding the hand of the deceased.
Put your finger in the wedding band
The artist thinks of the time they exchanged wedding rings.
Your daddy gave a piece of land
The deceased's father gifted them a piece of land.
We laid ourselves the best of plans
The couple had many plans for their future together.
Forty years go by with someone laying in your bed
Years have passed with the singer sharing a bed with the deceased.
Forty years of things you wish you'd never said
Regrets over things that were said over the past forty years.
How hard would it have been to say some kinder words instead
The artist laments not speaking more kindly to the deceased in the past.
I wonder as I stare up at the sky turning red
The singer wonders and reflects upon their relationship with the deceased.
Headlights staring at the driveway
Headlights are shining on the driveway.
The house is dark as it can be
The house is dark and empty.
I go inside and all is silent
The inside of the house is quiet.
It seems as empty as the inside of me
The artist feels empty, as if there is nobody else in the house.
On the long ride home
The singer reflects on their memories of the deceased on their long ride home.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind