Years after being in IME, Brian released his own solo album called Tuesdays, Thursdays, and If It Rains, released on April 11th, 2006. Although an adult contemporary and folk rock album, there are also southern (Days Go On) and blues rock (Nova Dashboard, Paper Girl) influences. Many other tracks are beautiful pop rock ballads (Jen's Song, Century Old), sung through the strong emotion of Brian's voice.
Far from Good
Brian Byrne Lyrics
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and it took right off we haven't seen him for a day,
anyway.
A hair bow tied down over his eyes
a self important need to disguise in a way,
in the day.
Something beautiful, eclipses pitiful,feel the rush go to my brain.
Lookin' good from far but baby I feel far from good today,
anyway.
Show cold status as police go bad
and her hair grows soft and so she has to say,
feel afraid.
Two short of Sony got a better plan
made of bulging deals with the one man he hates,
someday.
Something beautiful, eclipses pitiful,
feel the rush go to my brain.
Lookin' good from far but baby I feel far from good today,
anyway.
Life can get the best of you,
if you don't watch, if you don't watch your way.
Something practical, replaces ethical,
since your life got in the way.
Lookin' good from far but baby it looks far from good today,
in a way.
Something beautiful, eclipses pitiful,
feel the rush go to my brain.
Lookin' good from far but baby I feel far from good today,
anyway.
The song "Far from Good" by Brian Byrne is a reflective piece about the disillusionment and disconnect that can come with trying to keep up appearances in a superficial world. The song begins with Moose's conspicuous absence after getting a motorcar, which hints at the idea of succumbing to societal pressures and chasing status symbols at the expense of genuine connections. The imagery of the hair bow tied over Moose's eyes suggests a desire to hide his true self, and the lyrics "Something beautiful, eclipses pitiful" speaks to the allure of superficial beauty and the potential to overlook deeper, more meaningful aspects of life that contribute to true happiness.
As the song continues, it touches on different characters and situations that are similarly affected by societal pressures and the need to put on a façade. The line "Something practical, replaces ethical" suggests that the characters have sacrificed their moral compass for pragmatic gains or to fit in with the crowd. The chorus repeats the idea that things may look good on the surface, but ultimately feel far from good, echoing the feeling of disconnection and dissatisfaction that can come with sacrificing authenticity for social acceptance. The song concludes with the message that one must be mindful of their path in life, or risk getting lost in a world that values appearances over substance.
Line by Line Meaning
Since Moose bought a motorcar and it took right off we haven't seen him for a day, anyway.
Moose bought a car and left with it suddenly, and we haven't seen him since yesterday.
A hair bow tied down over his eyes, a self important need to disguise in a way, in the day.
Moose wore a hair bow over his eyes, perhaps to be noticed or to be mysterious during the day.
Something beautiful, eclipses pitiful, feel the rush go to my brain. Lookin' good from far but baby I feel far from good today, anyway.
Even though something beautiful is happening, the negative things overpower it, which makes Brian feel terrible today.
Show cold status as police go bad and her hair grows soft and so she has to say, feel afraid.
This line may be referring to a woman who is in danger from corrupt police officers and has to hide her appearance for fear of being caught.
Two short of Sony got a better plan made of bulging deals with the one man he hates, someday.
Someone with a plan to win in business (perhaps in competition with Sony) has decided to work with someone they dislike to advance their own interests, with confidence that it will lead to success in the future.
Life can get the best of you, if you don't watch, if you don't watch your way. Something practical, replaces ethical, since your life got in the way.
If you don't pay attention, life can take control of you. In these circumstances, practicality often takes precedence over ethics to cope with the demands of daily life.
Something beautiful, eclipses pitiful, feel the rush go to my brain. Lookin' good from far but baby I feel far from good today, in a way.
Despite something beautiful happening, the negative aspects of Brian's life are overwhelming, causing him to feel bad today.
Writer(s): John Dowland, Anthony Rooley
Contributed by Hunter B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@andrewlaw5628
This cat is flat out TALENTED!! Such a kickass voice and OBVIOUSLY , a great writer!! I.M.E. apparently did NOT like the fact Byrne wanted to audition for S.T.P. What could you expect from a voice like this!??? I.M.E. were a THOUSAND, THOUSAND TIMES BETTER while he fronted! Wish youwell Mr. Byrne!!
@daveywavey1896
I couldn't agree more! Blue Green Orange was like his practice album and then Quicksilver Meat Dream was IME's masterpiece!!
@dullove
@@daveywavey1896 Never thought of it that way, but agree! I can listen to Quicksilver Meat Dream on repeat for hours.
@ksimmerk
I sat on a boat in Peterborough On and hung out with Brian Byrne. His talent is overshadowed by his character. He is a great guy! Any bad words in these posts are from people that don't know the man...
@carpetcrawler44
Actually i met him last night. He was a judge at a competition we played and he was right on. Far from a prick or a bum. He was actually pretty down to earth. As for the I Mother Earth stuff, IME was mainly the Tanna brothers writing everything anyways. It has nothing to do with Edwin giving them their reputation. They did fine without him. In fact my favourite I Mother Earth album is the Quicksilver Meat Dream and im much more into their stuff with Brian anyways. No need for this bashing guys
@TheMaasman
Can we be this on Spotify please
@JRoss245
what a wicked song.. definatly a good one while i'm getting stoked for a good day on the waves!! keep it up!
@MelanieThomasPinkLemonEvents
Great video! Hopefully you will coming back home to the rock to do a few shows.. We miss you back here.
@danvov
Whoa! I was checking some I Mother Earth stuff, Wiki'ed the band, Brian Byrne, found this and... Love it, simply love it!
@BarocaS2
i never thought id find something like this when i searched my own name. :) hes good