Emmylou

Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris weren't romantically involved. He was her mentor and he died an early death. I think that reference is not so much about the love aspect of the song but an homage to their musical influences.

The fact that June Cash was also a musician, no doubt influenced by the great Johnny, speaks further to the interpretation of this song being about music and musical influence. They are the "ghost in [First Aid Kit's] mind"

Parsons was married and Harris was a respectable southern girl, but the energy between them was undeniable. After recording his second solo album, Grievous Angel, Parsons filed for divorce and went to Joshua Tree National Park, where he died suddenly and unexpectedly. Harris told an interviewer, “A couple of weeks before, I’d finally accepted the fact that I was in love with him. But, you know, why even tell him? I was going to see him in a few weeks. I had all the time in the world . . . I was savouring (sic) the moment. I didn’t want to say it to him over the phone. I wanted to say it to him in person. But I never got the chance.”

Love this song. Breaks my heart, though.

I think this might be more of a sister to sister song than most comments are leading it to be. It's not about lover to lover or teacher to student. It's about the two of them being sisters and working in a crazy business together. They each have a unique sound whichever they are... June, Johnny, Gram or Emmy-Lou! As a pair of singers they contrasted each other in such a unique way that everything they did was pure art! Same can be said for Johanna and Klara

First Aid Kit has that same dynamic and there are stories of them not talking to each other for lengths of time and I can see that happening easy. They were so young when they broke with the Youtube videos.

I think this song is a sort of a truce (from all of the stuff that siblings go through) and a plea to just "sing, little darlin' sing with me."

Currently i'm going through quite a tough breakup, so what i get from this song is quite sad its about feeling disappointment that the other in a relationship won't try even though you will, "No i'm not asking much of you" They don't want much, just a bit more effort "I'm not asking for a storm" Emmylou, Graham and Johnny + June refers to the famous couples that had rocky relationships but made it work. Its also about realisation of how much they need that other person, what they had underestimated previously, "I need you now at long last" But that other person keeps plaguing their thoughts, and they cannot hide it "I am defeated and I gladly wear the crown" beautiful song

I agree partially with chq and partially with herpyderp on this-- Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris were never romantically involved; they just supported one another in the music (and I suppose you could say that they had a good friendship). However, June and Johnny Cash were romantically involved as well as supportive of one another in the music. In the song, [First Aid Kit] is asking the person towards whom it is directed to be [their] Gram and "Johnny too". So perhaps, they're asking for the partner to be a supportive friend/mentor, and also their romantic partner. I would have agreed more with chq's interpretation completely had it not been for the stanza starting with, "And yes I might have lied to you"... Which hints at a more intimate beckoning than simply a joining of musical interests.

It's amazing what treasures we find on the internet. These Söderberg sibling's are equally amazing. Thank you GOD.

As they said in the Polar Music Prize this song is about the joy of singing with the person you love :)