Rickie Lee Jones (born November 8, 1954) is a two-time Grammy Award-winning… Read Full Bio ↴Rickie Lee Jones (born November 8, 1954) is a two-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist, musician, songwriter, and producer from the United States. Over the course of a three-decade career, Jones has recorded in various musical styles including R&B, blues, pop, soul, and jazz standards. Rickie Lee Jones is a singer songwriter whose style leans on jazz and pop/R&B timing and personification.

Jones settled in LA at the age of nineteen, doing the classic waiting tables stuff until she landed a recording contract with Warners. Her self-titled debut album in 1979 was a big success, as was the single, Chuck E.'s in Love, about her musician friend Chuck E. Weiss. At the 1980 Grammy Awards, she won a Grammy for Best New Artist, and also received four more nominations: for Record of the Year; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female; Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female; and Song of the Year (for "Chuck E.'s in Love"). While none of her subsequent recordings achieved the same level of commercial success, Jones has continued releasing critically acclaimed albums that have explored a variety of sonic terrain from jazz standards to trip hop influenced works.

Jones' pursuit of jazz standards led to the recording of "The Moon Is Made of Gold" and "Autumn Leaves" for Rob Wasserman's album Duets in 1985. The latter track earned her another Grammy nomination. And in 1990, her duet with Dr. John, a cover of "Makin' Whoopee", earned the artist her second Grammy Award, this time in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group.

At the time of recording her debut album, Jones was in a romantic relationship with Tom Waits; she is the girl draped over the car on the cover of his 1978 album Blue Valentine.

Early in her career, Jones was known for her drinking and substance abuse. She eventually tempered those demons, and came to terms with herself, and her own uncertain spirituality, and has maintained respect of her musical peers.

She's devoted to her talents, beyond music, one of which is raising her teenage daughter, and has even run her own political website and made music critiquing the Bush administration. She is involved in left-wing politics and community activism, partly through her web community, Furniture for the People (http://www.furnitureforthepeople.com/).

A greatest hits collection on Rhino called The Duchess of Coolsville was released in 2005.

In 2007 she signed to New West Records releasing The Sermon On Exposition Blvd, a record exploring lyrical territory inspired by Lee Cantelon's 1991 book The Words, which attempted to translate Christ's teachings into a more accessible contemporary format. Cantelon's friend, Guitarist Peter Atanasoff was instrumental in the creation of the eventual record.

Discography

1979: Rickie Lee Jones – Warner Bros.
1981: Pirates – Warner Bros.
1983: Girl at Her Volcano (EP) – Warner Bros.
1984: The Magazine – Warner Bros.
1989: Flying Cowboys - Geffen
1991: Pop Pop - Geffen
1993: Traffic From Paradise - Geffen
1995: Naked Songs - Reprise
1997: Ghostyhead – Warner Bros.
2000: It's Like This - Artemis
2001: Live at Red Rocks - Artemis
2003: The Evening of My Best Day – V2
2005: Duchess of Coolsville - Rhino
2007: Sermon On Exposition Boulevard - New West
2009: Balm in Gilead

Cloud of Unknowing
Rickie Lee Jones Lyrics

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So he dropped the webs of the spider of heaven down through the clouds,
All the way into the pool of blood at the bottom of hell
Far above in heaven a bird flys through the terrible cloud of unknowing
Trust can make a man into a wood, trust can make a man green

An everything that longs to Be
Broken and small enough to see
To be held in his hands

To be a part and yet alone

Here he is, reaching for the speed of light
Here he is, reaching for the sound of forgiveness
Now wounding 'round the waterfront she listens for a voice
A sign of Mother God, a sign of God the lad

I long to enter you with gentleness and compassion
But sorrow is always an open door
I know many days go by and I forget to look up at the stars
I forget there are stars, I forget there is the rest

Thin threads of light follow you around

Through the pale blue, down your skin
Down your skin

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Rickie Lee Jones's song Cloud of Unknowing are deeply symbolic and speak of the human longing to connect with something beyond themselves. The opening lines describe a seemingly impossible feat, where a spider of heaven drops its webs all the way to the pool of blood at the bottom of hell. This imagery can be interpreted as a metaphor for the connection between heaven and hell, and the spider serving as a bridge between the two. The following lines about a bird flying through the terrible cloud of unknowing may suggest the possibility of finding clarity or enlightenment amidst chaos and confusion.

The lyrics then turn to the power of trust, where "trust can make a man into a wood, trust can make a man green". This suggests that trust can transform a person, perhaps even in ways that are unexpected or inexplicable. The next lines describe a desire to be seen and held, yet also to be alone. This duality of wanting connection and intimacy, while also yearning for solitude and independence, is a common theme in many of Rickie Lee Jones's songs.

The final stanza brings together more imagery of light and stars, highlighting the beauty and wonder of the natural world. The lines "Thin threads of light follow you around/ Through the pale blue, down your skin/ Down your skin" speak to the idea of interconnectedness and the notion that everything is connected, even down to the smallest threads of light.

Overall, Cloud of Unknowing is a beautifully crafted song that embraces the complexities of the human experience while also exploring the mysteries of the universe.

Line by Line Meaning

So he dropped the webs of the spider of heaven down through the clouds,
He lowered the intricate designs of the divine world through the sky,

All the way into the pool of blood at the bottom of hell
Until it reached the depths of darkness and despair in the underworld

Far above in heaven a bird flys through the terrible cloud of unknowing
Up in the heavens, a bird soars through the overwhelming mystery of the unknown

Trust can make a man into a wood, trust can make a man green
Belief can turn a person into a forest, belief can change them in ways beyond recognition

An everything that longs to Be
Every entity that yearns to exist

Broken and small enough to see
Breaking down to a size that's visible to human eyes

To be held in his hands
To be carried in the hands of a higher power

To be a part and yet alone
To be a member, but still solitary in nature

Here he is, reaching for the speed of light
Now, he's extending himself towards the swiftness of illumination

Here he is, reaching for the sound of forgiveness
Here he is, reaching out for the resonance of mercifulness

Now wounding 'round the waterfront she listens for a voice
Presently, she's wandering around the shoreline, anticipating some sign of guidance

A sign of Mother God, a sign of God the lad
A symbol of female and male divine beings

I long to enter you with gentleness and compassion
I aspire to approach you with serene care and empathy

But sorrow is always an open door
However, sadness is an ever-present gateway

I know many days go by and I forget to look up at the stars
I recognize that numerous days pass wherein I abandon the starry skies

I forget there are stars, I forget there is the rest
I overlook the fact that constellations are present, I disregard the remainder

Thin threads of light follow you around
Gossamer particles of brilliance pursue you

Through the pale blue, down your skin
Through the light blue hues, over your flesh

Down your skin
Over your skin

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: RICHARD WALLIE BOSTON, RICKIE LEE JONES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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