Williams and White met in 2008, during a song-writing session or "writing camp" at a music studio in Nashville, Tennessee. According to Williams, the idea for the band's name came as she "was driving around town looking at all the Civil War monuments." Their first recording was of a 2009 performance at Eddie's Attic in Georgia which they released as a free Internet download called Live at Eddie's Attic. Later that year, they released a digital extended-play album, called Poison & Wine, produced by Charlie Peacock, and the title song appeared on the TV show Grey's Anatomy.
In 2011, The Civil Wars released the album Barton Hollow; which reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart, No. 54 on the UK Albums Chart and received Grammy nominations in the Best Folk Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance categories. The album was included on several critics' Best Albums of 2011 lists, including NPR Music, Paste, Time, Associated Press, AllMusic.com The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and USA Today. They released the singles "Tracks in the Snow" and "Safe & Sound".
In 2012, The Civil Wars partnered with T-Bone Burnett on the film score for the documentary A Place At The Table (previously known as Finding North) and collaborated on the song "Lily Love" with The Chieftains. They released a 7" vinyl album with cover versions of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and Portishead's "Sour Times" in April. The duo was featured in American Way magazine, USA Today, on the cover of Billboard, and released a photo book called To Whom It May Concern.
In November 2012, the duo went on hiatus, citing "internal discord and irreconcilable differences of ambition". In August 2014, The Civil Wars announced an official break-up through press release.
From This Valley
The Civil Wars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That will run down to the sea
Like my heart longs for an ocean
To wash down over me
Oh won't you take me from this valley
To that mountain high above
Oh I will pray, pray, pray till I see your smiling face
Oh the outcast dreams of acceptance
Just to find pure love's embrace
Like an orphan longs for its mother
May you hold me in your grace
Oh won't you take me from this valley
To that mountain high above
Oh I will pray, pray, pray till I see your smiling face
I will pray, pray, pray to the one that I love
Ooh, whoa oh, whoa oh oh
Ooh, whoa oh, whoa oh oh
Oh the caged bird dreams of a strong wind
That will flow beneath her wings
Like a voice longs for a melody
Oh Jesus, carry me
Oh won't you take me from this valley
To that mountain high above
Oh I will pray, pray, pray till I see your smiling face
I will pray, pray, pray to the one that I love
Oh I will pray, pray, pray till I see your smiling face
I will pray, pray, pray to the one that I love
The Civil Wars’ “From This Valley” is a heartfelt and emotionally poignant song that uses vivid metaphors to depict the longing for acceptance, freedom, and love. The main idea of the song is about escaping the numbness of mundane life and finding solace in the love and acceptance of a higher power. The opening lines, “Oh the desert dreams of a river, That will run down to the sea, Like my heart longs for an ocean, To wash down over me,” symbolize the yearning for something bigger and greater that will cleanse and refresh the soul.
The second verse employs a similar metaphorical device, using an orphan’s longing for a mother’s love to represent the yearning for pure, unconditional love and acceptance. The lyrics don’t explicitly mention God or religion, but the inclusion of “Jesus, carry me” in the bridge suggests that the singer is addressing a higher power in their plea for help and guidance.
The final verse features a caged bird that longs for freedom and the strength to rise above her confines. With the repetition of the chorus, “Oh won't you take me from this valley, To that mountain high above, Oh I will pray, pray, pray till I see your smiling face, I will pray, pray, pray to the one that I love," the singer emphasizes their desperate desire to be lifted out of their current situation and into something better and more fulfilling.
Overall, “From This Valley” is a poignant song that speaks to the human desire for connection, acceptance, love, and freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the desert dreams of a river
The desert is thirsty for a river to quench its thirst.
That will run down to the sea
The river will flow towards the ocean.
Like my heart longs for an ocean
My heart desires the immense love and overwhelming emotions that come with the ocean.
To wash down over me
To let those emotions overcome me.
Oh won't you take me from this valley
Take me away from this place of pain and suffering.
To that mountain high above
To a safe and serene place free from harm.
Oh I will pray, pray, pray till I see your smiling face
I will keep praying until I find comfort in the embrace of the one I love.
I will pray, pray, pray to the one that I love
My prayers are dedicated to the one I love.
Oh the outcast dreams of acceptance
The outcast desires to be accepted for who they are.
Just to find pure love's embrace
To find love that is untainted by judgment or prejudice.
Like an orphan longs for its mother
The orphan wants the comforting and loving embrace of a mother figure.
May you hold me in your grace
Hold me in your love and acceptance.
Oh the caged bird dreams of a strong wind
The bird that is trapped desires the strength to break free.
That will flow beneath her wings
The wind will lift the bird up and allow it to fly.
Like a voice longs for a melody
The voice desires a beautiful tune to accompany it.
Oh Jesus, carry me
I ask for help and guidance from a higher power.
Oh I will pray, pray, pray till I see your smiling face
I will continue to pray until I feel the love and warmth of your presence.
I will pray, pray, pray to the one that I love
My prayers are dedicated to the one I love.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joy Elizabeth Williams, John Paul White, Phil Madeira
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Manonpelle
Oh, the desert dreams of a river
That will run down to the sea
Like my heart longs for an ocean
To wash down over me.
Oh, won't you take me from this valley
To that mountain high above?
I will pray, pray, pray
Until I see your smiling face.
I will pray, pray, pray
To the one I love.
Oh, the outcast dreams of acceptance,
Just to find pure love's embrace
Like an orphan longs for his mother.
May you hold me in your grace.
Won't you take me from this valley
To that mountain high above?
I will pray, pray, pray
Until I see your smiling face.
I will pray, pray, pray
To the one I love.
Oh, the caged bird dreams of a strong wind
That will flow 'neath her wings.
Like a voice longs for a melody,
Oh, Jesus carry me.
Won't you take me from this valley
To that mountain high above?
I will pray, pray, pray
Until I see your smiling face.
I will pray, pray, pray
To the one I love.
I will pray, pray, pray
Until I see your smiling face.
I will pray, pray, pray
To the one I love.
@MsBroadway97
Oh, won't you take me from this valley
To that mountain high above?
I will pray, pray, pray
Until I see your smiling face.
I will pray, pray, pray
To the one I love.
Oh, the outcast dreams of acceptance,
Just to find pure love's embrace
Like an orphan longs for his mother.
May you hold me in your grace.
Won't you take me from this valley
To that mountain high above?
I will pray, pray, pray
Until I see your smiling face.
I will pray, pray, pray
To the one I love.
Oh, the caged bird dreams of a strong wind
That will flow 'neath her wings.
Like a voice longs for a melody,
Oh, Jesus carry me.
Won't you take me from this valley
To that mountain high above?
I will pray, pray, pray
Until I see your smiling face.
I will pray, pray, pray
To the one I love.
I will pray, pray, pray
Until I see your smiling face.
I will pray, pray, pray
To the one I love.
@nomad26may
The fact that this band broke up is possibly one of the greatest losses in this type of music.
@claytonbrown7120
Speed metal?
@kathleenprussing2401
Hey I’m
@jenniferwomack7710
Absolutely.
@dianejohnson9904
I agree. Why kills me is they are alive and well. Imagine the music they could make if they reunited?!
@nenyeo6090
@@dianejohnson9904 right. It’d be amazing ❤️. I’d like them to be a band again.
@adamdominguez656
“Oh the outcast dreams of acceptance just to find pure love’s embrace”
Gets me every time, man
@Jessica-nv9ut
I may be a Hellenic pagan who has devoted my life to Apollo and Artemis and dosnt belive in the Christian faith but this song just is so gorgeous in the vocals and the guitar it is so gorgeous. And I will say a lot of Christian music is beautiful. And I hope everyone has an amazing night or day and blessed be💕
@oliviasanborn5970
Dang, I want to sing this at church with someone. Such a great message in a beautiful song.
@mariah_mcq
Olivia Sanborn same!!