Up To The Mountain (MLK Song)

Patty Griffin's 'Up To The Mountain (MLK Song)' is a poignant and soulful tribute to the enduring spirit of perseverance and faith. The song draws inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech, delivered the day before his assassination. Griffin's lyrics evoke a sense of spiritual journey and the quest for peace and understanding, mirroring King's own struggles and aspirations for a better world.

The song begins with the narrator ascending a mountain, a metaphor for striving towards a higher purpose or enlightenment. The imagery of climbing 'up over the clouds to where the sky was blue' suggests a journey beyond earthly troubles to a place of clarity and peace. This ascent is not just physical but deeply spiritual, reflecting the narrator's quest for meaning and solace in a tumultuous world.

Throughout the song, Griffin captures the weariness and resilience of the human spirit. Lines like 'Sometimes I feel like I've never been nothing but tired' and 'I'll be walking till the day I expire' speak to the exhaustion that comes with life's struggles. Yet, the narrator finds strength in a higher calling, continuing on 'because you ask me to.' This sense of divine guidance and love provides the motivation to keep moving forward, even when the path is difficult.

The song's conclusion offers a vision of a 'peaceful valley' that lies just beyond the mountain, a place of ultimate peace and fulfillment. While the narrator acknowledges that they may never reach this place in their lifetime, there is a steadfast belief that 'sooner or later, it's there I will go.' This reflects a deep faith in the eventual realization of peace and justice, echoing King's own unwavering hope for a better future.