Released on May 3 on Woods’ Meant Well label, The Other Way mines fresh meaning from the songs first collected on Both Ways, the Canadian artist’s 2018 release that scored him his first Juno Award (contemporary roots album) and a Canadian Country Music Award (roots album). Often hailed as a songwriter’s songwriter, Woods had been nominated for a Juno a handful of times in previous years, including two nods for songwriter of the year.
The Other Way brims with luminous renditions that are stark yet startling in their urgency. As the year winds down, though, Woods’ newest songs are adding even more color to his palette. Pulsing with an electro-acoustic heartbeat, “Way Way Back” pays homage to the long shadow that old lovers often cast and the ways they creep back into our memories.
Released on December 6, “While All the While,” co-written with ace singer-songwriter Lori McKenna, is essentially Woods’ songwriting in miniature, a portrait of quotidian life that swells into a poignant meditation on how we sit with and reconcile our conflicted feelings.
“Therapy helped guide me into the idea that it’s OK to be sad. I can be sad and still make jokes and laugh. I can be sad and sing. I can be sad while still being grateful and happy that people come see my shows and care about the songs I make,” Woods says.
“I brought this idea to Lori, and we tried to write a song about just that. Getting up and going on with life,” he adds. “A little celebration of the things we do while all the while a little sadness is still there with us.”
Perhaps without even knowing it, Woods has explored that feeling with quiet grace throughout his celebrated career, starting with his 2009 debut, The Hold Up. A decade later, he has become an in-demand songwriter whose work has been recorded by Tim McGraw (“Portland, Maine”), Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley (“Leaving Nashville”) and Billy Currington (“Sweet Love”), with over 200 million streams.
His secret? Fans don't just hear Woods' words – they connect with them as if his songs are telling the stories of their own lives.
Easy Street
Donovan Woods Lyrics
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'Cause when I drive to work, the
Road is all broken
And the cars are on blocks
And the old man at the bus stop, waitin' to get picked up to get dropped off
He'll work ten hours and then two more hours to get home
Lord, I need easy street
Lord, I need easy street
I won't watch one more good person get jerked around
Lord, I need (easy) easy street
Well they don't care 'bout us
'Cause their jobs don't pay enough
And the factories are all rust
And the trucks caught fire
And if the whole thing's gone wrong, guess I'll pack my bag and get long gone
If I drive all night I can get to the ocean by dawn
'Cause Lord, I need easy street
I can't watch one more of these houses sink into the ground
Lord, I need easy street
I won't watch one more good person get jerked around
Lord, I need (easy) easy street
The lady walkin' on main street
The guys hangin' on the side street
The kids runnin' down fifth street
They're all just like me
Lord, I need easy street
I can't watch one more of these houses sink into the ground
Lord, I need easy street
I won't watch one more good person gettin' put down
I need easy street
I need easy street
Easy street
Easy street
The lyrics of Donovan Woods's song "Easy Street" depict a bleak and struggling community where the singer is experiencing financial hardship and the effects of economic decline. The opening verse sets the scene of crumbling infrastructure and abandoned cars, symbolizing a lack of prosperity in the area. The mention of the old man at the bus stop emphasizes the cycle of labor and exhaustion that many in the community face, working long hours just to make ends meet. The singer's plea for "easy street" highlights their desperation for relief from the struggles and uncertainties of their current situation.
The repetition of "Lord, I need easy street" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's yearning for a better life and a way out of their current difficulties. The imagery of houses sinking into the ground and good people being mistreated captures the sense of helplessness and frustration felt by the singer and the community at large. The reference to the ocean as a destination for escape suggests a longing for freedom and a fresh start away from the troubles of their current environment.
The chorus serves as a poignant reminder of the shared experiences of hardship and adversity faced by the various individuals in the community, from the lady on main street to the kids running down fifth street. This sense of unity and common struggle further reinforces the theme of solidarity and the need for collective support in challenging times. The repeated plea for "easy street" echoes the universal desire for a safe haven and a place of comfort and security amidst the chaos and challenges of everyday life.
Overall, "Easy Street" by Donovan Woods is a heartfelt and emotive portrayal of the hardships faced by a struggling community, as well as a plea for hope and respite from the struggles of everyday life. The song captures a sense of longing for a better future and a yearning for a more stable and fulfilling existence, resonating with listeners who may also be facing their own share of difficulties and uncertainties in today's turbulent world.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Donovan Woods, Logan Ryan Wall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind