Formed in 2006, the band derived its name from the Wilco song, “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” and is led by band founder and lead vocalist/ guitarist BJ Barham. A new lineup was announced in April 2017 with new faces joining the ranks: Crooks drummer Joey Bybee, Damn Quails bass player Ben Hussey and guitarist Shane Boeker – all from Texas – along with Nashville pedal-steel player Adam Kurtz, who also fronts Music City's experimental Buck Owens tribute Buck N' Stuff. Bybee left in August 2018 and was replaced by Nashville-based drummer Matty Alger, who in turn left in February 2019. Kurtz left the band after the Mile Zero fest in January 2019, and Hussey left in July 2019.
Their first album, Antique Hearts, was released in 2006, followed by The Bible and the Bottle in 2008.
In 2012, American Aquarium released two albums: Live in Raleigh and Burn. Flicker. Die.
The band released their sixth original album, Wolves, in February 2015.[7] The band's fans helped raise $24,000 through a Kickstarter project to help fund the album's production, and the album was recorded in Asheville, North Carolina at Echo Mountain.
On November 25, 2016 "Live at Terminal West" was released by the band from a live show recording in November 2015 at Terminal West in Atlanta, Georgia.
Things Change was released on New West Records in 2018, followed by
Lamentations (on New West Records) in 2020.
Lonely Aint Easy
American Aquarium Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lonely ain't kind
Lonely won't leave me
She's a good friend of mine
She's there every morning
She's in the bed when I get home
Sometimes I wish lonely
Well lonely ain't easy
Lonely ain't kind
Lonely won't leave me
She's a good friend of mine
She's there every morning
She's in the bed when I get home
Sometimes I wish lonely
Would just leave me alone
Lonely ain't easy
Lonely ain't kind
Lonely won't leave me
She's a good friend of mine
She's there every morning
She's in the bed when I get home
Sometimes I wish lonely
Would just leave me alone
In American Aquarium's song "Lonely Ain't Easy," lead singer BJ Barham acknowledges the painful truth that loneliness is both inescapable and a constant companion. The repeated refrain "Lonely ain't easy, Lonely ain't kind" emphasizes the emotional difficulty of being constantly alone, while the lyric "She's a good friend of mine" suggests that Barham has come to terms with his loneliness and perhaps even sees it as a familiar companion. The lines "She's there every morning, She's in the bed when I get home" reveal that even though he may long for a connection with another person, loneliness is always there waiting for him, a fact he has learned to accept.
Despite the somber nature of the lyrics, "Lonely Ain't Easy" is written in a catchy, upbeat style, with a prominent guitar riff that lends an almost jaunty feel to the song. This musical juxtaposition creates an interesting tension between the song's cheerful melody and its melancholy lyrics, underscoring the complex emotional landscape of loneliness. Throughout the song, Barham's raw, emotive vocals convey a sense of resignation, suggesting that he has found peace with his loneliness even as he longs for something more.
Line by Line Meaning
Lonely ain't easy
Being alone is hard
Lonely ain't kind
Being alone is not pleasant
Lonely won't leave me
Loneliness is persistent
She's a good friend of mine
The artist has become accustomed to being alone
She's there every morning
Loneliness is present at the start of each day
She's in the bed when I get home
Loneliness is present at the end of each day
Sometimes I wish lonely
The singer occasionally desires companionship
Would just leave me alone
The artist would like a break from being alone
Contributed by Sebastian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.