1. Eddie Kirkland (bo… Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists known as Eddie Kirkland.
1. Eddie Kirkland (born August 16, 1923, Jamaica - February 27, 2011, Tampa, Florida) (although consistently noted as 1928, Kirkland states that the true year of his birth is 1923, and has been wrongly noted since his first interview) was an American blues guitarist, harmonicist, singer, and songwriter.
Kirkland was raised in Dothan, Alabama in the United States until 1935, when he stowed away in the Sugar Girls Medicine Show tent truck and left town. Blind Blake was the one who influenced him the most in those early days. He was placed on the chorus line with Diamond Tooth Mary. When the show closed a year later, he was in Dunkirk, Indiana where he briefly returned to school.
He joined the United States Army during World War II. It was racism in the military, he said, that led him to seek out the devil. After his discharge Kirkland traveled to Detroit where his mother had relocated. After a days work at the Ford Rouge Plant, Kirkland played his guitar at house parties, and there he met John Lee Hooker. Kirkland, a frequent second guitarist in recordings from 1949-1962. "It was difficult playin' behind Hooker but I had a good ear and was able to move in behind him on anything he did." Kirkland fashioned his own style of playing open chords, and transformed the rough, porch style delta blues into the electric age by using his thumb, rather than a guitar pick.
Kirkland secured his own series of recordings with Sid Nathan of King Records in 1953, at Fortune Records in 1958 and, by 1961, on his own album It's the Blues Man, with the King Curtis Band.
Kirkland became Hooker's road manager and the two traveled from Detroit to the Deep South on many tours, the last being in 1962 when Hooker abandoned Kirkland to go overseas. Kirkland found his way to Macon, Georgia and began performing with Otis Redding. As Eddie Kirk, he released "The Hawg" as a single on Stax Records in 1963. The record was overshadowed by Rufus Thomas's recordings, and Kirkland, discouraged by the music industry and his own lack of education to change the situation, turned to his other skill and sought work as an auto mechanic to earn a living for his growing family.
In 1970, a revival of the blues was taking place. Peter B. Lowry found Kirkland in Macon, GA and convinced him to record again. His first sessions were done in a motel room, resulting in the acoustic, solo LP Front and Center; his second was a studio-recorded band album, the funky The Devil... and other blues demons. Both were released on Lowry's Trix Records label. It was during the mid 1970s that Kirkland befriended the British blues-rock band, Foghat. Kirkland remained with Lowry, Trix, and in the Hudson Valley for twelve years. It was during this period that Kirkland appeared on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert with Muddy Waters, Honeyboy Edwards, and Foghat. These were also the years that Kirkland again energized his sound. "Eddie's thumb pick and fingers style give him freedom to play powerful chord riffs rich in rhythms and harmonic tension. He plays like a funky pianist, simultaneously covering bass lines, chord kick, and counterpoint."
The 1990s brought Randy Labbe as manager, booking agent and on his own record label, Deluge, recorded Kirkland. Three albums were produced during this Maine period, one live, one with a guest appearance from Hooker and one containing a duet with Christine Ohlman.
By 2000, Kirkland was on his own again, always doing his own driving to concerts in his Ford County Squires, crossing the country several times a year. Labeled now as the Road Warrior, "A thickset, powerful man in the waistcoat and pants of a pin strip suit; red shirt, medallion, shades and a black leather cap over a bandanna, his heavy leather overcoat slung over his arm,.... he's already a Road Warrior par excellence."
Kirkland, well into his eighties, was still driving himself to gigs along the coast and in Europe, frequently playing with the Wentus Blues Band from Finland.
Kirkland was tragically killed in an automobile accident on the morning of February 27, 2011 in Citrus Country, Florida. The accident occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. after a Grey Hound Buss hit Kirkland's car. Reportedly Kirkland attempted to make a U-turn on U.S. 98 and Oak Park Boulevard, which caused the fatal accident.
Kirkland was flown to Tampa General Hospital where he died a short time later. The driver of the bus and the 13 passengers on-board were not hurt. [[1]]
Eddie Kirkland left behind a wife and nine children. One child Betty and first wife Ida preceded him in death.
2. Starting with pots and pans and a Casio keyboard, Eddie grew up with a passion for music at a very early age. After graduating from Stetson University, he joined the staff of Passion Conferences where he served as an assistant to Louie Giglio for three years. During his years at Passion, Eddie joined North Point Community Church, where he regularly leads worship at all campuses. Eddie just completed his first album, Orthodoxy, and is leading worship full-time at various churches and gatherings around the country. He and his beautiful wife, Danielle now live in North Atlanta with their dog Ella.
Brighter Days
Eddie Kirkland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life was simple
Life was beautiful
Oh it was a brighter day,
Now every step is met with struggle
And I'm not strong enough
I need to know it's not in vain
So tell me when the winds will change
Oho, come rushing like a hurricane
Come lead me through the flood and flame
Don't let me walk away
Oho, I need you like the iron needs fire
Come lead me through the final fight
Till we see brighter days, oho
Life's not easy, when you live with
Your heart open wide
So I keep it locked inside
Oh, I keep it locked in side
But I can't outrun, your affection
Your love, it breaks me down
Oh, I've got to face this fight
So won't you come and break my pride
Until there's nothing left to hide
Oho, come rushing like a hurricane
Come lead me through the flood and flame
Don't let me walk away
Oho, I need you like the iron needs fire
Come lead me through the final fight
Till we see brighter days, oho
Oho, this is not the end of me
No, pain is not the enemy
I'm just learning how to change
Oho, won't you keep me on my knees
Until you have a hold of me
And we see brighter days
We see brighter days
Oho, come rushing like a hurricane
Come lead me through the flood and flame
Don't let me walk away
Oho, I need you like the iron needs fire
Come lead me through the final fight
Till we see brighter days, oho
Till we see brighter days, oho
Till we see brighter days.
The lyrics of Eddie Kirkland's "Brighter Days" tackle the challenges of life and the need for resilience, strength, and hope in the face of those challenges. The first verse sets a nostalgic tone by presenting a time when life was simple and beautiful, but the following lines reveal a marked contrast in the present where every step is met with struggles that are difficult to overcome. The singer pleads for a change to come rushing like a hurricane to lead him through the flood and flame. These metaphors of destruction and purification are powerful symbols of the pain and suffering that one must endure to rebuild and emerge stronger on the other side. The repetition of "oho" and "brighter days" emphasizes the chorus' central theme to hold on to faith and keep seeking a brighter future amidst the hardship.
The second verse touches on the fear of vulnerability and the temptation to keep one's feelings locked inside. The singer acknowledges that it is easier to run away from the pain, but the love and affection of someone else can break down one's walls and pride. Finally, the third verse points towards a sense of hope and transformation. Pain is not the enemy, but rather an opportunity for growth and for learning how to change. The closing moments of the song reaffirm the need for a higher power to guide and support in the journey towards brighter days.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a time when
I remember a time when things were better, easier and much more beautiful.
Life was simple
I miss those times when life didn't feel so complicated.
Life was beautiful
I remember the beauty of life that now seems so far away.
Oh it was a brighter day,
I long for the days when things felt brighter, when life was full of hope.
Now every step is met with struggle
Life has become so difficult that every step I take is like wading through quicksand.
And I'm not strong enough
I am weak and struggling to carry on in the face of the challenges that confront me.
I need to know it's not in vain
I need to know that my efforts to overcome these challenges will not be for nothing.
I need to know it's worth this pain
I need to know that the pain I am enduring will lead to a better outcome.
So tell me when the winds will change
I am looking for a sign of hope, an indication that things will get better.
Oho, come rushing like a hurricane
I want hope and change to come suddenly and decisively like a hurricane.
Come lead me through the flood and flame
I need someone to guide me through the dark times ahead.
Don't let me walk away
Please don't let me give up and leave my hopes and dreams behind.
Oho, I need you like the iron needs fire
I need someone to ignite my spirit and give me the strength to keep going.
Come lead me through the final fight
I need someone to be with me until the very end of this struggle.
Till we see brighter days, oho
I am looking forward to the day when things are once again bright and hopeful.
Life's not easy, when you live with
Living with an open heart is not easy.
Your heart open wide
Living with an open heart means being vulnerable and exposed.
So I keep it locked inside
I try to protect myself by keeping my heart locked up and guarded.
Oh, I keep it locked inside
I am afraid to let anyone see the real me for fear of being hurt or rejected.
But I can't outrun, your affection
Despite my efforts to guard my heart, I can't resist your love.
Your love, it breaks me down
Your love is powerful and overwhelming, it breaks down my defenses.
Oh, I've got to face this fight
I know that I can't continue to avoid the challenges of life.
So won't you come and break my pride
I need humility to face my struggles and overcome my tendencies to guard my heart.
Until there's nothing left to hide
I need to be completely open and honest with myself and with others.
Oho, this is not the end of me
I may be struggling now, but I know that there is more to come in the future.
No, pain is not the enemy
I know that pain is part of life and that it can be a catalyst for growth.
I'm just learning how to change
I am in the process of learning how to cope with challenges and grow as a person.
Oho, won't you keep me on my knees
I need to be humble and ask for your support to continue growing.
Until you have a hold of me
I need your guidance and support to continue growing and learning.
And we see brighter days
Together we can overcome the challenges and see a brighter future.
Till we see brighter days
I know that things will get better if I stay strong and keep moving forward.
Contributed by Madison F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.