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
Love Is Gonna Bring Us Back Alive
Rickie Lee Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love's gonna bring us back alive
Over mountains where no one goes
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
We've been runnin'
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Gotta keep runnin'
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
We've been outlaws on the run
Sometimes outlaws on the run
I was just a baby when I fired my gun
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
That's why I keep a-runnin', runnin'
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Gotta keep a-runnin'
Yeah, yeah, yeah
'Til love brings us back alive
Well the river's only water
And the mountain's only gold
They'll get old
Tell me, will you walk through this world alone?
Over mountains
We'll come home
Through the desert
We're gonna come home
There's no water
Where this wind has blown
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
Well the rain come down
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
But we can't stop now
Oh baby, love bring us back alive
Hey! hey!
The song "Love Is Gonna Bring Us Back Alive" by Rickie Lee Jones is about the power of love to overcome adversity and bring a couple back together. The first verse introduces the idea that love will bring the couple back to life, even if they have been through mountains where no one else goes. The second verse suggests that the couple has been living as outlaws on the run, possibly implying that they have had to struggle to survive in a harsh world. Despite the dangers they face, they vow to keep running until love brings them back together.
The chorus repeats the dedication to love as the source of their survival, even in the face of great challenges. The bridge highlights the couple's long journey through different terrains, suggesting that it has been a difficult road, but they remain committed to each other. Even though they face obstacles such as a lack of water and the dangers of the desert, the rain offers the possibility of renewal and hope. Through it all, they maintain hope that love will bring them back to life.
Overall, "Love Is Gonna Bring Us Back Alive" is a song about the resilience of love, the power of perseverance, and the hope that sustains us through life's challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Love's gonna bring us back alive
Love is the only thing that can revive us and bring our deadened spirits to life.
Over mountains where no one goes
We are willing to go anywhere, even if it's remote and unexplored, in search of love.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
A repetition of affirmation and a display of eagerness to find love.
We've been runnin'
We've been running away from our past for far too long, even if it has caused us to lose ourselves.
Gotta keep runnin'
We must continue moving forward, even if we're unsure of where we're headed, because the alternative is stagnation.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
A repetition of affirmation and a display of determination to keep running.
'Til love brings us back alive
We need to keep going until love enters our lives and breathes life back into us.
We've been outlaws on the run
We've been living outside the norm, making our own rules and following our hearts in search of something greater.
Sometimes outlaws on the run
At times, we have gone off-track and engaged in destructive behavior without knowing the consequences.
I was just a baby when I fired my gun
I was too young and reckless to understand the weight of my actions, and I regret my past mistakes.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
A repetition of affirmation and a display of contrition for past mistakes.
That's why I keep a-runnin', runnin'
We keep running because we seek redemption for our past actions and want to do better.
Well the river's only water
Water, which represents life and sustenance, is the only thing the river can offer.
And the mountain's only gold
Mountains may seem insurmountable, but in the end, the only thing they can offer is material wealth.
They'll get old
All things, good or bad, eventually fade away with time.
Tell me, will you walk through this world alone?
We don't want to face the world alone; we're searching for a companion to accompany us on our journey through life.
Over mountains
We're willing to overcome any obstacle, even if it's as big as a mountain, for the sake of finding love.
We'll come home
When we find love, we'll finally have a place where we belong and feel truly at home.
Through the desert
We're willing to face any challenge, even if it's as barren as a desert, in our search for love.
We're gonna come home
We're confident that, despite the hardships and difficulties we may face, we'll find our way back to love and happiness.
There's no water
There may be times when we feel parched and abandoned, but we won't be deterred from our search for love.
Where this wind has blown
We may feel lost and directionless sometimes, but we'll keep searching for love, no matter where the wind takes us.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
A repetition of affirmation and a display of hope and optimism.
Well the rain come down
Even when times are tough and hardships come our way, we won't lose hope for finding love.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
A repetition of affirmation and a display of hope and optimism for the future.
But we can't stop now
We've come too far and done too much to give up now, so we'll keep running until we find love.
Oh baby, love bring us back alive
We're hoping that love will revive us, bring us back to life, and give us a fresh start.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: RICKIE LEE JONES, PASCAL NABET-MEYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Felice Marie Berkley
on It Must Be Love
One of my fav. songs..!
Felice Marie Berkley
on Comin' Back To Me
Very pretty song.