Her songwriting has been praised for its wit, and her technical guitar playing has also received praise (which she made light fun of in her feminist song, Not Bad for a Broad).
In 1990, she joined Christine Lavin, Megan McDonough, and Sally Fingerett to form the Four Bitchin' Babes, with whom she toured and recorded one album.
In 2005, Larkin produced La Guitara, a compilation of songs performed by female guitarists designed to answer the question, "Why are there no great female guitar players?" with the answer being that "There are–and here they are."
When
Patty Larkin Lyrics
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by Patty Larkin
Look at your hand there in the wind
Familiar as your name
You're gonna spread your fingers like a wing
That will lift you up when you wave
You're gonna wave good-bye
When The Heavens Light Up
You're gonna hear a string of violin
Whisper soft and low
It's gonna take you where the ocean ends
To the river red and gold
You're gonna wave good-bye
And the world will sigh
When The Heavens Light Up
Look at your hand there in the wind
So far away, so near
You're gonna leave a pillow when this ends
With a feather and a tear
You're gonna wave good-bye
And the world will sigh
When The Heavens Light Up
Patty Larkin's "When The Heavens Light Up" is a vibrant and poetic song about leaving behind the familiar and embracing something new. Larkin opens the song with the words "Look at your hand there in the wind, familiar as your name." The hand represents the familiar, a part of life that we know and understand very well. The wind represents the unknown, something that is new, strange, and can be unsettling. The hand appears to belong to someone who is standing on the edge of a new and exciting journey. The journey she refers to is one in which the person will move into the unknown, leaving the familiar behind.
The person is going to spread their fingers like a wing and wave goodbye, lifting themselves up into the heavens. As the person waves goodbye, the world will sigh. The world’s sigh represents the sadness of leaving behind the familiar and embarking on an unknown journey. The journey itself is represented by a string of violins that whisper soft and low, taking the person to the end of the ocean and the river red and gold.
Larkin powerfully conveys the emotion of leaving something familiar behind while at the same time being excited about the unknown journey that lies ahead. She reminds us that when we leave something behind, we must also create something new. The pillow that will be left behind with a feather and a tear represent what will be missed, but the feather represents the new journey and the hope that it brings.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at your hand there in the wind
Observe the way your hand moves in the breeze
Familiar as your name
It's a gesture that you do frequently and are comfortable with
You're gonna spread your fingers like a wing
You'll open your hand wide to feel like you're flying
That will lift you up when you wave
This motion will elevate your spirits
You're gonna wave good-bye
You'll say farewell
And the world will sigh
The people and things around you will react with sadness
When The Heavens Light Up
This moment will be significant and powerful
You're gonna hear a string of violin
You'll listen to the beautiful sound of a single violin
Whisper soft and low
It will seem like a tender and intimate performance
It's gonna take you where the ocean ends
The music will transport you to the boundary where the sea meets the sky
To the river red and gold
You'll feel like you're flowing down a stream painted with vivid colors
Look at your hand there in the wind
Take another moment to appreciate the sensation of your hand moving in the breeze
So far away, so near
It can seem like an immense distance yet be so close to you
You're gonna leave a pillow when this ends
When it's time to leave, you'll leave behind something comforting, like a pillow
With a feather and a tear
You'll feel a mix of emotions, light and heavy
You're gonna wave good-bye
Once again, you'll say farewell
And the world will sigh
The world around you will react to your departure with a trace of sorrow
When The Heavens Light Up
This will be a significant, unforgettable moment
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PATTY LARKIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind