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.
I've Got This Friend
The Civil Wars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't think you know him
He's not much for words
He's hid in his hardened way
Oh I've got this friend
A loveless romantic
All that he really wants
Oh, if the right one came
If the right one came along
Oh, If the right one came, along
I've got this friend
I don't think you know her
She sings a simple song
It sounds a lot like his
Oh I've got this friend
Holding onto her heart
Like it's a little secret
Like it's all she's got to give
Oh, if the right one came
If the right one came along
Oh, if the right one came, along
It'd be such a shame
(If they never meet)
She sounds lovely
(He sounds right out of a dream)
If only
(If only)
If only
Oh
Oh, if the right one came
If the right one came along
Oh, (I've got this friend) if the right one came
If the right one came along
Oh, (I've got this friend)
If the right one came, along
The Civil Wars' song "I've Got This Friend" tells the story of two individuals, a loveless romantic man and a woman who sings a simple song. The man is described as someone who is not much for words and has a hardened personality. He longs for someone to love him back but has yet to find the right person. In contrast, the woman holds onto her heart like a little secret and sings a song that sounds a lot like the man's. She too longs for someone to share her love with.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the impact that meeting the right person would have on the two individuals. The phrase "if the right one came along" is repeated throughout the song, stressing the importance of finding a true match. It becomes clear that the two characters are meant to be together but never meet, hence the line "It'd be such a shame if they never meet." The song leaves the listener with questions about what would have happened if fate had brought the two characters together.
Overall, "I've Got This Friend" provides a touching insight into the hearts and minds of two individuals longing for love. The lyrics are cleverly crafted to relay the frustration and hopelessness that often accompanies the search for true love. The music itself is hauntingly beautiful, with the acoustic guitar and harmonies of Joy Williams and John Paul White perfectly complementing each other.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got this friend
There is someone that I know who I care about deeply
I don't think you know him
You may not be aware of this person's existence in my life
He's not much for words
He tends to be quiet or reserved in expressing himself
He's hid in his hardened way
He has built a tough exterior to protect himself from being hurt
A loveless romantic
He is romantic but has yet to find true love
All that he really wants
His main desire in life is to find someone to love him back
Is someone to want him back
He seeks companionship and a reciprocal relationship
She sings a simple song
The other person I know is a woman who conveys her emotions through music
It sounds a lot like his
Her music reflects the pain and yearning that my male friend also feels
Holding onto her heart
She is guarding her feelings and emotions
Like it's a little secret
Her love is something that she keeps hidden from the world
Like it's all she's got to give
She treasures her emotions and is selective about who she shares them with
It'd be such a shame
It would be unfortunate if my two friends never meet
(If they never meet)
It is my hope that they will encounter each other
She sounds lovely
My female friend is a beautiful person inside and out
(He sounds right out of a dream)
My male friend is the perfect match for her in every way
(If only)
I wish that they could find each other
If the right one came along
If they found the perfect partner in each other
Oh, if the right one came along
I truly believe they would be perfect for each other
(I've got this friend)
I care about both of these people deeply
(I've got this friend)
They are important to me and I want them to be happy
If the right one came, along
I hope they find each other and live happily ever after
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOY WILLIAMS, JOHN WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind