Indigo Girls Resource Page

Before I get started on the album descriptions, I want to let you know that you can get the first three albums (Indigo Girls/Strange Fire/Nomads, Indians, Saints), which have been remastered and rereleased, as a box set for $18.97. Since only the remastered versions are in print at the moment, this is definitely your best bet... plus, you get bonus tracks!






Okay, here we go... all of the Indigo Girls' studio albums, in chronological order!




Indigo Girls (1989, 2000) The first Epic release, this classic is the "Closer to Fine" album, and so is the one many people start with.








Strange Fire(1987, 1989, 2000) is the second official release from Epic, but was actually released independently in 1987. This really gives you a taste of early IG. I love these songs - they're very different from the classic IG sound.






Nomads Indians Saints(1990, 2000) This is really the transition album that starts getting into the classic IG style that most people know. Don't forget to buy this one as part of the box set Indigo Girls/Strange Fire/Nomads, Indians, Saints.






Rites of Passage(1992, 2000) Now we're really starting to get into the bread and butter of the Indigo Girls' music. "Galileo" and "Ghost" are two definite fan favorites. This should be pretty high on the priority list of albums to buy.






Swamp Ophelia (1994) If you ask me, this is the quintessential Indigo Girls album. Every track on this album is highly revered by fans, but a few standouts are "Least Complicated" and "Power of Two." This album should be very high on the priority list as well.






Shaming of the Sun(1997) This is the first album that starts to venture away from the Girls' folky style into something a bit edgier. "Shame on You" is the most well known single from this album.








Come on Now Social(1999) Now we're getting into some really experimental (by IG standards) stuff, but they really pulled it off well. A new side of IG, and still one of my favorites.








Retrospective(2000). Some of the best tracks from the albums to date, plus two new tracks.








Become You(2002) This marks the beginning of a more mature IG sound. It's a bit more produced than the previous albums, and has settled down a bit from the edginess of the previous two albums.








All That We Let In(2004) This album, which continues in the more mature style, is a very emotional album. It's easy to tell the political climate during which these songs were written. There's some great material here.






Rarities (2005) Fans have been trading these bootleg gems for years. Now the Indigo Girls have released the best of the "unreleased" tracks on one album.








Despite Our Differences(2006) The Indigo Girls' latest release. This album features some great guest artists such as P!nk and Brandi Carlile.

Live: Back On The Bus, Y'all(1991) is the first live album. To me, the mark of a good band is when they're better live than on their studio albums. The Indigo Girls are the epitome of this. If you like their recordings, you'll LOVE them live. Having said that, I think this album should probably be one of the last steps to building your collection because there's not much new material.




1200 Curfews (1995) This is the best album to start off your collection. You get live performances of some of their best songs, some amazing covers (Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up in Blue" alone is worth the price of the whole album), and some wonderful dialogue in between songs.

Live at the Uptown Lounge(1989, 2004) Awesome early video of the Girls' live show. Rereleased in 2004 as a DVD.










Watershed (1995) This is a collection of independently produced music videos to go with some of the IG's early songs. It's super cool.




Live at the Fillmore(1999) Another live concert video - this one is really great too, of course!

The Indigo Girls are very prolific. If you're trying to start a collection, you might be a little intimidated by the selection. Here's my opinion on where to start, and how to build your collection so you grow with the Girls.

1. 1200 Curfews

2. Indigo Girls/Strange Fire/Nomads, Indians, Saints

3. Swamp Ophelia

4. Rites of Passage

5. Shaming of the Sun

6. Come on Now Social

7. Despite Our Differences

8. Rarities

9. All That We Let In

10. Become You

11. Live: Back On The Bus, Y'all

12. Retrospective

From here, expand into some of the videos and fun stuff!

Lilith Fair - A Celebration of Women in Music(2001) Video of Lilith Fair with Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan (the founder of Lilith), Shawn Colvin, Jewel, Meredith Brooks, Sheryl Crow, and more.








Jesus Christ Superstar: A Resurrection (1994 Studio Cast)(1994) A bunch of Atlanta-area artists got together and recorded Jesus Christ Superstar. Amy Ray plays Jesus (yay!) and Emily Saliers plays Mary Magdalene. Keep an open mind - this is actually pretty cool!






StagThis is Amy Ray's first solo album. It's a lot more raw and edgy than anything the Indigo Girls have done together. It's a representation of the harder side of Amy's personality.






Prom This is Amy Ray's second solo album.








I'm Not Dead This is P!nk's album. The Indigo Girls are featured on "Dear Mr. President."

These are just a few of my favorite quotes. I'll continue to add to them as I think of new ones.

From songs:

- Emily: "We're sculpted from youth, the chipping away makes me weary. And as for the truth, it seems like we just pick a theory." (Deconstruction)

- Emily: "I could go crazy on a night like tonight when summer's beginning to give up her fight, and every thought's a possibility." (Mystery)

- Amy: "They say we be looking for illegal immigrants, can we check your car? I say 'you know it's funny I think we were on the same boat back in 1694' I said... oo la la... shame on you." (Shame on You)

- Emily: "A lesson learned, a loving God, and things in their own time... in nothing more do I trust." (Everything in its Own Time)

- Emily: "Now I know a refuge never grows from a chin in a hand in a thoughtful pose. Gotta tend the earth if you want a rose." (Hammer and a Nail)

- Amy: "Blood and fire are too much for these restless arms to hold." (Blood and Fire)

- Amy: "I kicked up the dirt, and I said to my neighbor
'We keep making it worse, we keep getting it wrong'
He tucked in his shirt, he stood a little bit straighter,
He said 'We need a few less words dear, we need a few more guns.'" (Tether)

- Emily: "And who is teaching kids to be soldiers
To be marked by a plain white cross
And we kill just a little to save a lot more
The philosophy of loss" (Philosophy of Loss)

- Emily: "Secret society of conference rooms
I pledge my allegiance to the dollar
And when the clergy take a vote all the gays will pay again
Cause there's more than one kind of criminal white collar" (Trouble)

- Amy: "you said the world was magic
I was wide-eyed and laughing. We were dancing up to the bright side.
Forget about your ego,forget about your pride, and you will never have to compromise" (Joking)

Not from songs:

- Emily: "Sometimes I feel like a strawberry."

- Amy: "There's probably a cow sittin' in the middle of a field somewhere goin' 'bout time.'" Emily: "Lookin' up at the stars. Moo."

- Emily:"You have to laugh at yourself, cause you'd cry your eyes out if you didn't."

The Indigo Girls fan community is one of the greatest groups of people out there. They're extremely supportive of each other and dedicated to the Girls. You can see their exceptional spirit at any concert - IG concerts are unusual because the audience is known for singing along. Fans sing every word, and even have some designated lines just for the audience to sing (listen to 1200 Curfews to hear a few of them). You'll never experience anything quite like an IG concert, and if you're looking for people to chat with about IG or anything else, stop by one of these sites and introduce yourself. You'll be glad you did.

1. Lifeblood - all the background you could ever want.
2. Indigo Vortex - an awesome community.
3. World Falls - lots and lots of pictures and bootlegs.