Red Molly was formed late one night at the 2004 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Abbie, Carolann, and Laurie, solo singer/songwriters, were the last ones left at a song circle. They liked the way they sounded together and decided to form a band. The name Red Molly is taken from a character in the Richard Thompson song "1952 Vincent Black Lightning."
On June 15, 2010 Red Molly announced that Carolann Solebello would be leaving the group and replaced by Molly Venter. On July 24 Solebello announced to the crowd at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival it was her last show with the band and concluded: "I know about 75% of you by face, and I wanted my last show to be with my friends here at Falcon Ridge, not at some small club in some country I didn't know anybody." Solebello continues to perform as a solo artist and released her third solo album "Threshold", in June 2011.
Molly Venter's debut with the trio was on August 6, 2010 at the Lunenburg Folk Festival.
Their career started to take off in 2006. They were the top vote getters in the 2006 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist Showcase. WUMB in Boston named them Top New Artist of the Year and picked their Album Never Been to Vegas one of their Top 10 Albums of 2006. They appeared in John Platt's Under the Radar series in New York a showcase for up and coming musicians.
In 2007 they toured with Pat Wictor and Ellis, the other winners of the Falcon Ridge Emerging Artist showcase, on the Falcon Ridge Preview tour and performed with them in the Most Wanted Song Swap at the Festival itself.
In 2010 they have played Merlefest and have been invited back to the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival as a headliner.
Their album "Love and Other Tragedies" reached number 15 on the Americana Charts on June 30, 2008.
Their next album "James" reached #4 on the Americana charts in May of 2010 and # 1 on the Folk DJ chart.
The recording, "The Red Album", the group's second since the departure of founding member Carolann Solebello, is their freshest and edgiest to date. After immersing themselves in songwriting, the Mollies made a conscious decision to record more original songs than on any previous album, making their choice of specific covers all the more significant. With their arsenal of new songs and select favorites at hand (including a very long-awaited cover of the song that is their namesake) "1952 Vincent Black Lightning", the band traveled to Nashville to work with producer Ken Coomer (drummer for Uncle Tupelo and Wilco), and the result is a darkly percussive, wildly cool, and powerfully different collection of songs than you'd expect from a ladylike folk trio.
"The Red Album", realized on May 27, 2014, was featured in USA Today and CMT Edge. It spent 16 weeks on the Americana Radio Top 40 chart, reaching #10, and it was #1 on the Folk DJ Radio Chart for all of 2014.
A 6-song EP, "One for All & All for One," was released in 2018.
Your Long Journey
Red Molly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now we must part
And as the angels come and call for you
The pains of grief tug at my heart
Oh my darling
My darling
My heart breaks as you take your long journey
Oh, the days will be empty, the nights so long
Without you, my love
And when God calls for you, I am left alone
But we will meet in heaven above
Oh my darling
My darling
My heart breaks as you take your long journey
Fond memories I′ll keep of happy ways
That on earth we trod
And when I come, we will walk
Hand in hand, as one in heaven
In the family of God
Oh my darling
My darling
My heart breaks as you take your long journey
My heart breaks as you take your long journey
Oh my darling
My darling
My heart breaks as you take your long journey
The song "Your Long Journey" by Red Molly is a heartfelt and poignant tribute to the bond between two people and the inevitable separation that comes with mortality. The lyrics are written from the perspective of someone who is watching their loved one's life come to a close and is grappling with the pain and emptiness that comes with the impending loss.
The opening lines of the song acknowledge the happiness that the couple has shared in their years together, but the verses that follow are tinged with sadness as the singer grapples with the reality that their time together is coming to a close. The chorus is especially poignant, with the repetition of "Oh my darling" serving as a refrain that emphasizes the depth of the singer's emotions.
The final verse offers a glimmer of hope in the afterlife, with the singer holding onto the belief that they will one day be reunited in heaven. While the lyrics are undoubtedly emotional, they also offer a sense of comfort and solace in the face of loss.
Overall, "Your Long Journey" is a beautifully written song that captures the complex emotions that come with losing a loved one. It's a testament to the enduring power of love, even in the face of mortality.
Line by Line Meaning
God has given us years of happiness here
We have had many happy years together on earth, thanks to God.
Now we must part
Sadly, it is time for us to say goodbye and part ways.
And as the angels come and call for you
As you pass away, the angels will come to bring you to heaven.
The pains of grief tug at my heart
I feel a deep sense of sadness and pain in my heart.
Oh my darling
An expression of love and affection.
My heart breaks as you take your long journey
The thought of you leaving and going on a long journey makes me very sad.
Oh, the days will be empty, the nights so long
Without you, my days will feel empty, and my nights will be long and lonely.
Without you, my love
Expressing love and affection for the person who is passing away.
And when God calls for you, I am left alone
When it is your time to go to heaven, I will be left alone on earth.
But we will meet in heaven above
Although we will be separated, we will be reunited one day in heaven.
Fond memories I'll keep of happy ways
I will cherish the memories of our happy times together.
That on earth we trod
We shared these happy times while we were alive on earth.
And when I come, we will walk
When it is my time to pass away, we will be reunited and walk together in heaven.
Hand in hand, as one in heaven
We will be together and united, holding hands in heaven.
In the family of God
We will join the larger family of God in heaven.
Writer(s): Doc Watson, Rosa Watson
Contributed by Caroline O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.