Green attended Emerson College briefly in 1998 before leaving to concentrate on his music, going on to co-found the anti folk group The Moldy Peaches with Kimya Dawson. In 2004 The Moldy Peaches went on hiatus and both Green and Dawson embarked on solo careers.
Green released several albums on Rough Trade Records. Among his better known songs are "Jessica" (about singer Jessica Simpson), "Novotel", "Friends of Mine", "Dance with Me", "Carolina" and "Emily", and, in Britain, his cover of The Libertines track "What a Waster".
Prior to Jacket Full of Danger in 2006, all of Green's albums had been released on the 22nd of the month. His latest album was released on March 18, 2008 and is titled Sixes & Sevens. Titles include "Morning After Midnight", "Twee Twee Dee", and "Drowning Head First", the latter a duet between Green and his girlfriend.
In January 2008, The Moldy Peaches began having a resurgence in popularity, due to their music being included in the hit indie film Juno.
Times Are Bad
Adam Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all the time you're feeling sad
And people are laughing
Telling you to go away
And your feet are trudgin'
You're always acting like a curmudgeon
Well I know I know
That it's hard hard hard
Well it's hard to walk around
Feeling like a circus clown
Grab a big baton
And twirl it like a magic wand
'Cause your cards are dealt
And everything is deeply felt
Well I know I know
That it's hard hard hard
And the people that you love
Are attacking you from above
And everyone that you trust
Is just selling you a bucket of lies
Well just believe
That it's all gonna be ok
Well I know I know
That it's hard hard hard
The song Times Are Bad by Adam Green speaks to the struggles of life and the difficulties that come with dealing with societal pressure and personal issues. The first verse uses the imagery of trudging feet to represent the burden of sadness that one might feel during tough times. The people laughing and telling one to go away capture the societal pressure to fit in and not disrupt the norm. Being a curmudgeon, which means being bad-tempered, is likely a response to this pressure to conform. The repetition of "hard" in the chorus emphasizes the struggle and difficulty that comes with these feelings.
The second verse continues with the circus/clown imagery suggesting the feeling of being an outsider or a spectacle. The line "grab a big baton and twirl it like a magic wand" might imply that one can attempt to alleviate these feelings by putting on a performance, although this may not be a solution to the underlying issues. The cards being dealt and the resultant deep emotion captures the sense of not having control of one's life. The repetition of "hard" again in the chorus emphasizes the difficulty of dealing with these personal struggles and societal pressure.
The final verse speaks to the isolation and betrayal one might feel during hard times. The people one loves attacking from above and those trusted selling a bucket of lies reflect the feeling of being alone in one's struggles and trusting people who may not have one's best interests at heart. The line "just believe that it's all gonna be ok" could be seen as a message of hope or a naive dismissal of deeply felt problems. The repetition of "hard" in the last line ties the song together with the continuing theme of struggle and difficulty.
Overall, Times Are Bad is a poignant and relatable song that speaks to the hardships of life and the emotional toll it can take. It encourages listeners to acknowledge these difficulties and persevere, even when it seems impossible to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, times are bad
The current situation is unfavorable and unacceptable
And all the time you're feeling sad
The sadness and misery is a constant companion
And people are laughing
Others are mocking and ridiculing you
Telling you to go away
They want you to leave and never come back
And your feet are trudgin'
You're moving forward, but with difficulty and exhaustion
You're always acting like a curmudgeon
Your attitude and behavior are grumpy and irritable
Well I know I know
I understand your pain and hardship
That it's hard hard hard
The situation is extremely challenging and difficult
Well it's hard to walk around
It's difficult to go about your daily life
Feeling like a circus clown
Feeling foolish and humiliated
Grab a big baton
Take control and make a change
And twirl it like a magic wand
Use your power and influence effectively
'Cause your cards are dealt
You have to play with the hand you're given
And everything is deeply felt
The emotions are intense and overwhelming
Well I know I know
I empathize with your struggle
And the people that you love
The ones you care about the most
Are attacking you from above
They're criticizing and condemning you
And everyone that you trust
The people you rely on
Is just selling you a bucket of lies
They're deceiving and misleading you
Well just believe
Have faith and trust in yourself
That it's all gonna be ok
Believe that everything will work out in the end
Well I know I know
I recognize and acknowledge your struggle
That it's hard hard hard
The difficulty and hardship of the situation is undeniable
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Adam Green
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind