Reader was born in Glasgow, the daughter of a welder, and the eldest of seven children (her brother, Francis, is vocalist with the band The Trash Can Sinatras). She began playing the guitar at the age of ten, and started her musical career busking, first in Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street, then in the early 1980s around Europe (where she also worked with circus and performance artists).
Back in Scotland, she joined the punk band Gang of Four as a backing singer which led to her first US tour. After leaving the band she started working as a session vocalist in London, singing with such acts as Eurythmics, Alison Moyet and Language.
In 1984, Reader sang for a brief time with disco group Outbar Squeek. Around the same time she teamed up with Mark E. Nevin, a guitarist and songwriter, to record a few of his songs. They subsequently formed Fairground Attraction, together with Simon Edwards and Roy Dodds. In 1988 the band released their first single, Perfect, which became a UK number one, winning best single at the 1989 Brit Awards. Their first album, The First of a Million Kisses, was also a success, reaching number two in the UK album chart, and winning best album at the 1989 Brit Awards.
This success was short-lived, however. In November, 1989, after a break, during which Reader had her first child, Charlie with her French-Algerian partner Milou, Mark Nevin abandoned a recording session for the second album, which would eventually lead to the splitting of the band. A makeshift second album, a collection of B-sides and live tracks, Ay Fond Kiss was rushed out the following year.
Reader returned to Scotland, but before she embarked on her solo career she took a temporary detour into acting. She played Jolene Jowett, a singer and accordionist, in John Byrne's Your Cheatin' Heart, a comedy-drama series for BBC television, set in the country music scene in Scotland.
Returning to London, Reader worked on new material with a backing band calling itself "The Patron Saints of Imperfection" (made up of Roy Dodds, Neill and Calum MacColl, and Phil Steriopoulos). This became her first solo album, recorded for RCA: 1992's Mirmama. It was followed by Eddi Reader (1994), which won her the "Best female singer" Brit Award that year, Candyfloss and Medicine (1996), Angels & Electricity (1998), Simple Soul (2001) and Driftwood (2002) - a "homegrown" release of songs recorded during the Simple Soul sessions.
In 2003, she recorded her album of material by Robert Burns with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra leading to excellent reviews and an international resurgence in interest in Scotland's Bard.
The Song "Bell Book And Candle" was included in the final soundtrack of the TV show by WB "Charmed", The name of the disc is "Charmed: The Final Chapter".
In the 2006 New Years Honours List, Reader was awarded the MBE for services to music.
Her eighth studio album Peacetime was released in the UK on 29 January 2007 on the Rough Trade label. Critically praised and produced by fellow Scottish folk musician John McCusker the album features a few Burns songs alongside brand new material with longtime collaborator Boo Hewerdine and Trashcan Sinatras' John Douglas. Reader promoted the album with a 15 date UK tour in February.
Muddy Water
Eddi Reader Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything is broken in two
I miss my man, my son and my daughter
I can see 'em now in the muddy water
Never underestimate
Those of us who dream and wait
I don't wanna go, but I think I outta
You can get lost in the muddy water.
Who said anything about love
We're animals after all
And everything we feel can be explained
Who said anything about time
It's not yours and it's not mine
Just different ways of gettin' through the day
Did not do what I should
I nearly lost it good
But the CCTV camera never caught us
All that time in the muddy water
Who said anything about love
We're animals after all
And everything we feel can be explained
Who said anything about time
It's not yours and it's not mine
Just different ways of getting through the day
Don't know what I'm gonna do
Everything is broken in two
I miss my man, my son and my daughter.
I can see them now in the muddy water.
Gonna leave you here in the muddy water.
Gonna leave you here in the muddy water.
The lyrics of Eddi Reader’s song Muddy Water suggest a sense of despair and uncertainty. The lines “Don't know what I'm gonna do, Everything is broken in two,” imply a lack of control or direction in the singer’s life. The chorus “You can get lost in the muddy water, Gonna leave you here in the muddy water,” alludes to the idea that life can be murky and difficult, and sometimes we can’t escape it. The singer’s longing for their family (“I miss my man, my son and my daughter”) further emphasizes their feeling of being lost or disconnected.
The verses also provide some commentary on human nature. The lines “Who said anything about love, We're animals after all, And everything we feel can be explained,” suggest a sense of cynicism or detachment from traditional notions of love and emotion. The lines “Did not do what I should, I nearly lost it good, But the CCTV camera never caught us,” suggest that the singer has perhaps made some questionable choices or mistakes, but that they were not punished or caught.
Overall, the lyrics of Muddy Water convey a sense of emotional turmoil and uncertainty, while also offering some commentary on human nature and the difficulty of navigating life’s challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't know what I'm gonna do
Feeling lost and unsure about what to do next.
Everything is broken in two
Feeling devastated and brokenhearted.
I miss my man, my son and my daughter
Longing for the company of loved ones.
I can see 'em now in the muddy water
Imagining them through hardship and adversity.
Never underestimate
Do not underestimate or undervalue.
Those of us who dream and wait
People who hope and patiently wait for their dreams to come true.
I don't wanna go, but I think I outta
Reluctantly admitting that leaving might be for the best.
You can get lost in the muddy water.
It's easy to lose one's way or get stuck in difficult situations.
Who said anything about love
Questioning the concept of love and its importance.
We're animals after all
Humans are just another type of animal.
And everything we feel can be explained
All emotions have an explanation or cause.
Who said anything about time
Questioning the significance of time.
It's not yours and it's not mine
Time is a shared and universal experience.
Just different ways of gettin' through the day
Everyone has their own way of coping and surviving daily life.
Did not do what I should
Feeling guilty or disappointed for not doing the right thing.
I nearly lost it good
Came close to losing control or having a breakdown.
But the CCTV camera never caught us
Escaped unnoticed, avoiding consequences or punishment.
All that time in the muddy water
Spent a significant amount of time in a difficult or unpleasant situation.
Gonna leave you here in the muddy water.
Leaving someone behind to face their problems alone.
Gonna leave you here in the muddy water.
Repeating the decision to abandon someone in troubled waters.
Contributed by Leo I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.