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
Wild Old Dog
Patty Griffin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone left out on the highway
I seen him running by me
He don't belong to no one now
Dropped him out on 93
Mange was setting in on his hips and on his knees
Between the highways running north and south
Willie said he was old and going blind
Momma told me how she didn't mind
When Willie kicked him with his shoe
He just climbed on in just like he knew
God is a wild old dog
Someone left out on the highway
I seen him running by me
He don't belong to no one now
It's lonely on the highway
Sometimes a heart can turn to dust
Get whittled down to nothing
Broken down and crushed
In with the bones of
Wild old dogs
Wild old dogs
Dropped him out on 93
Tall grass was waving there just like the sea
He tore off running like we set him free
Just disappeared right in front of me
God is a wild old dog
Someone left out on the highway
I seen him running by me
He don't belong to no one now
He don't belong to no one now
The song "Wild Old Dog" by Patty Griffin is a poignant and introspective meditation on the nature of God and the fate of abandoned creatures. The first line of the song sets the stage for a profound metaphor: "God is a wild old dog / Someone left out on the highway." Here, Griffin compares the divine to an abandoned animal, wandering through the world without anyone to care for it. This imagery is particularly powerful because it invokes both the vulnerability of animals and the deep spiritual hunger that drives many people to seek a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives.
As the song continues, the singer describes encountering a dog who has been abandoned on Highway 93. The animal is suffering from mange, and appears to be in a great deal of pain. Despite this, the singer and her companions decide to leave the dog on the side of the road, rather than attempting to help or care for him. This is a difficult moment for the singer, who is torn between a desire to do the right thing and a sense of resignation in the face of the dog's suffering. Ultimately, she is left feeling empty and alone on the highway, surrounded by nothing but the bones of other abandoned creatures.
Overall, "Wild Old Dog" is a haunting and soulful reflection on the nature of fate, suffering, and the search for meaning in a world that often seems cruel and indifferent. Through her vivid imagery and sensitive lyrics, Patty Griffin invites listeners to grapple with some of life's deepest questions and to find comfort in the shared experiences of both humans and animals on this earth.
Line by Line Meaning
God is a wild old dog
The image of God is being compared to that of a wild, uncared-for dog.
Someone left out on the highway
God has been abandoned and left to fend for himself on life's uncertain path.
I seen him running by me
The observer has noticed God's presence as he runs along their own life journey.
He don't belong to no one now
God is not bound to any individual or religion, but rather exists in the wild, free realm of spirituality.
Dropped him out on 93
The highway is a metaphor for the road of life, where God's presence was cast carelessly aside and left to suffer.
Mange was setting in on his hips and on his knees
Like a wild dog, God has been neglected and is suffering from physical ailments as a result.
Between the highways running north and south
God has been left in the in-between space, neither fully present nor fully absent from our lives.
We pulled on over and we put him out
The observer and their companions have decided to let God go and continue on their own way without his guidance.
Willie said he was old and going blind
A member of the group feels that God's presence may no longer be relevant or helpful to them, as he is themselves aging and losing sight of the path forward.
Momma told me how she didn't mind
Another member of the group is more accepting of God and feels unburdened by his absence in their life.
When Willie kicked him with his shoe
Even those who feel distanced from God may still be guided by his presence, like a dog that follows its master's lead.
He just climbed on in just like he knew
God's presence can be unexpectedly comforting and familiar, even to those who thought they'd left him behind.
It's lonely on the highway
The road of life can be an isolating and desolate journey, without the comfort of divine guidance.
Sometimes a heart can turn to dust
When we lose our sense of purpose, our hearts can feel empty and lifeless.
Get whittled down to nothing
Our sense of self can be worn away by the trials of life, leaving us feeling isolated and empty inside.
Broken down and crushed
As we continue on life's uncertain journey, our spirit can become weary and battered by the hardships we face.
In with the bones of
The observer compares the remains of wild dogs, who have died and been forgotten, with the broken spirits of those who have lost their sense of purpose and faith.
Wild old dogs
The wild dogs represent those who have been left behind by society and who suffer as a result, much like God has been abandoned and left to suffer.
Tall grass was waving there just like the sea
The observer remembers the moment when God was abandoned, noting the beauty of the natural world around them.
He tore off running like we set him free
God's abandonment was like a release, allowing him to run free and exist outside of human control.
Just disappeared right in front of me
The observer notes how easily God's presence can vanish from our lives, even though he was always there to begin with.
He don't belong to no one now
The song ends on the same note as it began, with the understanding that God is wild and free, and does not belong to any one person or religion.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PATRICIA J. GRIFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DainaMD1
Wild Old Dog
Patty Griffin
God is a wild old dog
Someone left out on the highway
I seen him running by me
He don't belong to no one now
Dropped him out on 93
Mange was setting in on his hips and on his knees
Between the highways running north and south
We pulled on over and we put him out
Willie said he was old and going blind
Momma told me how she didn't mind
When Willie kicked him with his shoe
He just climbed on in just like he knew
God is a wild old dog
Someone left out on the highway
I seen him running by me
He don't belong to no one now
It's lonely on the highway
Sometimes a heart can turn to dust
Get whittled down to nothing
Broken down and crushed
In with the bones of
Wild old dogs
Wild old…
Brian Mattox
"It's lonely on the highway
Sometimes a heart can turn to dust
Get whittled down to nothing
Broken down and crushed
In with the bones of Wild old dogs"
Pure Genius that Patty is.
Matthew Phillion
Patty's been my favorite performer since I heard her on the radio in the middle of the night on a lonely highway more than twenty years ago. Her music has broken my heart plenty of times. This song devastated me so much I needed time, actual time, before listening to it again. No one captures the light and dark of humanity like she does.
Kaykatniss G
Nobody cared about that wild old dog but you did, and wrote a song in his memory. Thank you for being such a beautiful soul. ♥
Sean Phipps
This is the saddest song I've ever heard. So good.
Lance Lansdale
"when Willie kicked him with his shoe he just climbed on in, just like he knew" always hits me right in the gut. Imagining some poor old dog that's going blind that knows what's happening and still climbs up into the truck anyway kills me. This Willie guy sounds like a psychopath.
Tonda Hrab
So heartbreaking. I can’t imagine doing that to that to a poor dog. And the way she expresses the dogs pain is haunting & tragic. You just want to cry.
Bob Hearld
I love you even more after hearing this amazing tune Patti!🌹🌹🌹
xxHouseInMotionxx
im not even sure clapping is the right response to this... holy shit... that's one of the most hardcore songs about humanity ever.
Carlo Ammatuna
This song always makes me cry. The scenery she depicted in this piece is so vivid and clear that hits me to my heart. It makes me feel like I was sat in that car, right next to her, looking at the sunset and following that running old dog with my eyes. ❤😢
John Pepe
You were in the car ,I was in the pickup truck right in back of you........