The BoDeans worked with T-Bone Burnett on their debut album, Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams, which appeared in 1986 to warm reviews. They recruited another big-name producer, Talking Head Jerry Harrison, to helm 1987's Outside Looking In, which found the band reduced to a trio after the departure of Hoffman. Outside Looking In broke into the Billboard Top 100, and the BoDeans grew their audience by touring alongside U2, appearing on Robbie Robertson's self-titled solo album, and receiving the honor of Best New Band by Rolling Stone magazine. By the time they released their third album, Home, in 1989, keyboardist Michael Ramos and drummer Danny Gayol had joined. This lineup stayed intact for the release of 1991's Black and White, but the BoDeans went without a drummer once again on their next recording, Go Slow Down.
Following the release of a double-disc live album, Joe Dirt Car, the band returned in 1996 with Blend. Around the time of Blend's release, "Closer to Free" -- a song that had originally appeared on 1993's Go Slow Down -- became a hit, due in large part to its exposure as the theme song for the TV show Party of Five. "Closer to Free" eventually cracked the Top 20, becoming the most successful single of the band's career. The BoDeans were arguably more popular than ever, but the band took a break during the late '90s, with both frontmen devoting time to their solo careers.
By 2004, the band had reconvened and signed with a new label, Zoe. Resolution was released that year, followed in 2005 by Homebrewed: Live from the Pabst. Griffin left the group in 2006 and was replaced by Eric Holden, who appeared on 2008's Still. By this point, the bandmates had found a new home on 429 Records, and they remained with that label for the release of Mr. Sad Clown in 2010 and Indigo Dreams in 2011. That same year saw the departure of Llanas, citing "differences of opinion." The band's 11th studio album, American Made, arrived the following year on the band's own Free & Alive label, and was the first with Neumann as sole leader. The BoDeans toured extensively in support of the release, and in 2014 began work on their next studio project. Released in 2015, I Cant Stop featured a new BoDeans lineup anchored by Neumann, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Sam Hawksley, bassist Eric Holden, and drummer Kenny Aronoff, the latter a well-respected journeyman musician who had played on several BoDeans recording sessions in the '90s. In June 2016, the BoDeans brought out a single, "My Hometown," with the release benefiting the Milwaukee County Historical Society. The single was a preview of the group's next album; titled Thirteen, the 11-song set was released in April 2017.
Hand in Hand
BoDeans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brothers to the right
No one left in between
And if you look too far ahead
Or look too far behind
The heart it goes sight unseen
He’d like to but he can’t
Who that leave fo face the heat?
The hameless need a home
Crippled need a hand
Hungry need something to eat
If we
Can learn to live again
Every woman, every man
We can become hand in hand
Yes we can
Well, I’m lucky for ny job
Ilove to live my life
I thank the Lord for my health
And I’m not pointing fingers
Not at anyone
I’m sittin’ here with myself
In Hand in Hand, BoDeans prioritize unity and togetherness in a world that is often divided. The lyrics encourage people to come together as brothers and sisters, supporting the homeless, the hungry, and the crippled. The first verse is an imagery of two lines of people marching, embracing solidarity, and leaving nobody in between. The following verse is a story of a man who is in love with a woman, but she does not reciprocate his feelings. No matter how much he would like to be with her, he has to move on and look forward to something better.
The chorus of the song, “If we can learn to live again, every woman, every man, we can become hand in hand,” emphasizes the importance of forgetting past differences and learning to live together in peace. The idea behind this line is that if we allow ourselves to start anew, we can become a united front. In the final verse of the song, the singer talks about his happiness for his job and his life. He does not blame anyone for his problems nor judge anyone else for theirs. Instead, he sits with himself, content and at peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Brothers to the left
People who are on the left side of social or political spectrums.
Brothers to the right
People who are on the right side of social or political spectrums.
No one left in between
People who don't belong to any side of social or political spectrums.
And if you look too far ahead
If you keep planning or looking too much into the future.
Or look too far behind
If you keep dwelling too much into the past.
The heart it goes sight unseen
The emotions would be unnoticed by the people who are focusing on their past or future.
He’d like to but he can’t
Someone wants to do something but is unable to do so.
She looks the other way
When someone tries to ignore or avoid a problem.
Who that leave fo face the heat?
Who will bear the consequences of problems, when others avoid or ignore them.
The hameless need a home
People who don't have a home and live in destitution.
Crippled need a hand
People who are physically disabled and require assistance.
Hungry need something to eat
People who do not have access to food or suffer from malnutrition.
If we
If as a society or group of people,
Can learn to live again
If we can focus on present and make this world a better place to live again.
Every woman, every man
Every human being regardless of their gender, race, caste, or religion.
We can become hand in hand
We can work together and support each other to achieve a better future.
Well, I’m lucky for ny job
The artist feels grateful for their job.
Ilove to live my life
The singer enjoys their life.
I thank the Lord for my health
The singer appreciates their wellness.
And I’m not pointing fingers
The artist is not blaming anyone for problems.
Not at anyone
The artist indicates that they are not blaming anyone in particular.
I’m sittin’ here with myself
The artist is alone.
Contributed by Caleb K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.