The band received some mainstream exposure when The Breeders covered their song "Drivin' On 9" on their album Last Splash, and The Presidents of the United States of America covered the eponymous track, "More Bad Times." Ed's Redeeming Qualities also contributed several songs to the soundtrack for the movie Ed's Next Move, a film in which they briefly appeared. Their songs were often funny and strange story-songs or character sketches. Some highlights include Perrotta's "Lawyers and Truckers" and "Lawn Dart," and Dom Leone's "Spoken Word." Though the band has officially broken up, some members of the group still occasionally get together for reunion concerts every few years or so.
After the band's breakup, Carrie Bradley went on to form the band 100 Watt Smile, which released two albums in the late 1990s. Dani Leone went on to form the band Sister Exister, which released its first CD in 2008. Dani Leone also went on to write the "Cheap Eats" column for the San Francisco Bay Guardian under the nom de guerre "L.E. Leone." Jonah Winter and Neno Perrotta went on to writing careers.
Think
Ed's Redeeming Qualities Lyrics
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I knew the license number on your Dodge Dart
I used to think I had it on the ball
I could pick up the phone before you'd call
I thought I had it down
Your mom was Irish and your cat was brown
I used to think that I was pretty bright
You drove me over to the hardware store
So I could fix the doorknob on your bathroom door
I thought I had it down
It seemed like you liked me around.
Now I don't think anymore
I don't think anymore
I don't think anymore
I left my brain by your front door
I used to think that I was pretty wise
`Cause I knew where you bought your pet supplies
I used to think that I was on your mind
The way you touched my arm in the grocery line
I thought I knew it all
But you don't know me when I call.
Now I don't think anymore
I don't think anymore
I don't think anymore
I left my brain by your front door
"Not into my bread"
My thoughts were only in my head
I don't think anymore
I don't think anymore
I don't think anymore
I left my brain by your front door
I don't think anymore
I don't think anymore
I don't think anymore
I left my brain by your front door
The song "Think" by Ed's Redeeming Qualities is a reflective piece about how the singer had once believed themselves to be clever and intuitive in their relationship with the person whom they sing to, but now feels foolish and misguided. The song is constructed of a series of various small moments that highlight the singer's past pride in knowing trivial details about the other person's life. The lyrics focus on a lost sense of confidence and self-assurance. The singer sings about how formerly they used to believe they had a good grip on their relationship with the person they loved, but they now feel duped and humiliated.
Each verse in the song has a specific image that serves as a reminder of how the singer's self-image was once tied up with their partner's affection. In the first verse, they recall how they once knew the license plate number of their partner's car and could anticipate their calls before they arrived, with the refrain "I thought I had it down." In the second verse, they sing about how they once felt proud that their relationship had progressed to include a situation where their partner would drive them to the hardware store to help fix the door knob on their bathroom door. The song's chorus, "Now I don't think anymore, I don't think anymore, I don't think anymore, I left my brain by your front door," reinforces how the singer's sense of self-worth has been completely tied up in their partner's opinions of them.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to think that I was pretty smart
I believed that I was intelligent
I knew the license number on your Dodge Dart
I memorized the number on your car's license plate
I used to think I had it on the ball
I felt like I had everything figured out
I could pick up the phone before you'd call
I knew you so well that I could anticipate when you'd call
I thought I had it down
I was confident in my understanding of things
Your mom was Irish and your cat was brown
I knew some specific details about your family and pet
Now I don't think anymore
I have stopped believing in my own intelligence
I left my brain by your front door
I lost my ability to think clearly because of you
I used to think that I was pretty bright
I believed that I was clever
When I could read the number on your house that night
I boasted about being able to read your house number in the dark
You drove me over to the hardware store
You gave me a ride to buy supplies for fixing your bathroom doorknob
So I could fix the doorknob on your bathroom door
I was able to successfully repair your bathroom doorknob
It seemed like you liked me around
I believed that you enjoyed my company
I used to think that I was pretty wise
I considered myself to be knowledgeable
'Cause I knew where you bought your pet supplies
I had knowledge of where you typically bought pet supplies
I used to think that I was on your mind
I believed that you thought of me often
The way you touched my arm in the grocery line
Your physical touch made me believe that you were interested in me
I thought I knew it all
I was certain that I understood everything
But you don't know me when I call
I realized that you didn't recognize me when I called you
"Not into my bread"
This phrase does not have a clear meaning
My thoughts were only in my head
My beliefs and expectations were based solely on my own imagination
Contributed by Asher I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.