lifeblood: songs: backgrounds: history of us

1989-07-14: saliers says indigo girls duo never sought to play music game by the book, the minneapolis-st. paul star-tribune:

the album closes with "history of us," which saliers dedicates to her family. the song's narrator goes to paris to escape memories of a lover, yet is only reminded of her past by every blight on the landscape.

"i hope it works on two levels," the songwriter said. "the song was inspired by my trip to france, and on one level it is a look at the pain of a failed relationship. but i hope it's also a statement that people should be more aware of our place in time and make the most of what we are today, because soon we will be history."

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1994-06: mood indigo, bone music magazine:

"i've only written one song that i was happy with," saliers suddenly volunteers, recalling a much earlier composition, history of us. "for the most part i fall way short. if you have idols like joni mitchell, it's debilitating, it really is. and jane siberry. when i hear her, i feel like i never want to write a song again." mercifully, saliers made no such revelation from the stage of the perth concert hall last week and mass mourning was never even a close prospect. the indigo girls' first steps on the australian stage were as firm as their friends who hugged the stage-front.