Their signature style is dreamy slow songs, with beautiful melodies.
The original band, including Mike Bitts (bass), and Steve Brown (drums), was formed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the early 80s when the members met during a Catholic school production of Godspell. Although all members of the band have contributed musically, Karen Peris does most of the group's writing.
Their eponymous debut album, released in 1989 (A&M Records), was produced by Larry Klein, then-husband of Joni Mitchell, and recorded in the couple’s basement recording studio. The album peaked on the Billboard charts at #167 in 1990, and the album’s second track, "Black Sheep Wall", released as a single in 1989, peaked at #22 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks. The album’s fifth track, "Clear to You", was used on the soundtrack of the pilot episode of Beverly Hills 90210. Klein also produced their 1991 follow up, Umbrella.
Their third and final A&M album, Glow, released in 1995 (A&M Records), Was produced by Dennis Herring, who had previously produced two records for Camper Van Beethoven. This album is a departure from Klein's heavier production style. Whereas the first two releases may have brought to mind The Sundays and The Cocteau Twins with their moody keyboards, Herring's lighter touch gave more emphasis to the group's guitar work and to Karen's vocals and lyrics.
Glow contains songs that appear on the soundtracks of the films Empire Records, and Dream for an Insomniac, as well as the television series Party of Five. The album’s second track, Bright as Yellow, peaked on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks at #33.
In 1999 the band recorded for a new label, Badman. Additionally, drummer Steve Brown left the band to pursue a career as a chef. On the subsequent album, Birds of My Neighborhood, Brown played drums and brushes on "Snow," but otherwise the group became a trio. Now bereft of drums, their sound took an even more acoustic direction. Some songs featured just Don and Karen, and a few, such as "She May Turn Around," featured only Karen's voice and instrumentation.
The 2000 release of Christ is My Hope, featuring religious music that had inspired them over the years, was independently released on their own website. Small Planes, released in 2001, featured outtakes from Glow and Birds of My Neighborhood. 2003's Befriended was their next "regular" album.
In 2004, the Innocence Mission released Now the Day is Over, a collection of lullabies. Except for "My Love Goes With You," all songs are cover versions, such as a stripped-down vocal and piano rendition of Henry Mancini's Moon River,
The Innocence Mission's new album We Walked in Song was released March 13, 2007.
Spring
The Innocence Mission Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The life underground,
The life underground.
The thawing and the overflow.
Oh early, early in the morning
We'll go.
Seven shades of green
Painted on your door,
The field alive under the snow.
Oh early, early in the morning.
We'll go.
Oh world of rooftops,
Hearing one field song.
The walk in raincoats,
The wait for Easter, Tom.
We are awake or waking,
Awake or waking from.
Here that day comes.
The Innocence Mission's "Spring" is a reflective and contemplative song about the arrival of spring and the new life it brings. The opening line, "Look out for Spring, The life underground," suggests that spring is more than just the physical, observable changes in nature. It’s a metaphor for the awakening of the soul, the thawing of the heart, and the renewal of hope. The repeated phrase "The life underground" highlights that spring is not just about what we can see on the surface, but also about what's happening inside us.
The lyric "Seven shades of green are painted on your door" creates a visual image of the different hues of green that emerge in springtime. It is also evocative of the way that painting or decorating can uplift our spirits and bring a sense of renewal to a space. The reference to "the field alive under the snow" is a poetic expression that the earth is not dead, just dormant, and soon it will spring to life once again.
The final verse of "Spring" encompasses a bittersweet feeling of longing and anticipation. The mention of "world of rooftops" suggests a feeling of being disconnected or removed from the natural world, as though observing it from a distance. The "one field song" heard from afar underscores the sense of longing, as the person is not able to fully be a part of the spring rhythms that are present in the field. The mention of "the wait for Easter" and "Here that day comes" suggests that the arrival of spring is also connected to a hope for renewal, growth, and possibilities.
Line by Line Meaning
Look out for Spring,
Be alert and observant for the arrival of Spring
The life underground,
The dormant, hidden life beneath the surface of the soil during Winter months
The thawing and the overflow.
The melting of snow and ice causing water to overflow and saturate the ground
Oh early, early in the morning
Referring to the time of day in which the artist will witness Spring's arrival
We'll go.
The artist will move towards and experience Spring
Seven shades of green
Refers to the new growth of plant life in Spring, showcasing a variety of shades of green
Are painted on your door,
The emergence of Spring decorates your home and its surroundings with new life and color
The field alive under the snow.
Despite appearances, life continues beneath the layer of snow covering the fields
Oh early, early in the morning.
The artist will experience Spring in the early morning hours
We'll go.
The artist will venture out to witness and enjoy the arrival of Spring
Oh world of rooftops,
Addressing the world that exists above the ground during Winter months, with covered rooftops symbolizing inactivity
Hearing one field song.
The song of one field represents the beginning of Spring and eventual return to life
The walk in raincoats,
Rainy weather in Spring is expected and prepared for with appropriate clothing
The wait for Easter, Tom.
Tom is a likely reference to Thomas, aka Doubting Thomas, who did not believe in Christ's resurrection until he saw it with his own eyes. Easter represents the celebration of renewal and resurrection.
We are awake or waking,
The singer is aware of and transitioning out of the hibernation and inactivity of Winter
Awake or waking from.
Referring to the previous line, the artist is breaking free from the slumber of Winter
Here that day comes.
Spring has arrived and the artist is excitedly anticipating its arrival
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind