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Patty Griffin — Christina
Album: Flaming Red
Avg rating:
6.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 202









Released: 1998
Length: 4:22
Plays (last 30 days): 0
If you had the real thing how would you tell
Liars can say it all just as well
Every single word you've heard in vain
Baubles of gold, stars in your hair
Reflections that told that they were not there
And the diamonds on your cheeks have turned to flames
And up in the air they would write your name there
But love would fall to pieces in the rain
Who would know better than you
A hundred love letters and none of them true

Christina, Christina

It's a wondrous world of ridiculous things
With nothing so rare as the love that it brings
In the silence of a smile that understands
A piece of the action, pieces of gold
Everyone's paid well and does what they're told
For the simple daughter of a simple man
And up in the air they would write your name there
Their love will fall to pieces in the rain
Who would know better than you
A hundred love letters and none of them true

Christina, Christina
Christina, Christina
Comments (4)add comment
Love how Bill digs out lesser-known tracks. I'm a huge fan of PG, and I don't recall hearing this before. 
It's about Christina Onassis? Who knew?
From a fan's comments on 'songmeanings.com':

"It's definitely about Christina Onassis -- PG says so on the 'Kiss in Time' album.

She was the daughter of the man who, at the time, was the wealthiest man in the world. Despite that, she led a fairly tragic life. She was married and divorced four times, and died at the age of 37 when her daughter was just 3.

PG is using Onassis' story to ask if you can really trust anyone enough to love them. "If you had the real thing, how would you know? / Liars can say it all just as well."


Well said.
c.
 gatorade wrote:
Huge fan of Patty's. Thanks RP for this hidden gem. 
 
Look for the live version on "A Kiss in Time".  Even better - just Patty and her guitar.
The song is, strangely enough, about Christina Onassis.
Huge fan of Patty's. Thanks RP for this hidden gem. 
sounds like sooooooooooo many of the female singers I have heard in the last 20 or so years; and, I don't mean that in a good way!