In the late 1980s Brickell was the lead singer with the (now renamed) folk-rock group Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, whose 1988 debut album Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars was a critical and commercial success. The band's follow-up album, Ghost of a Dog (1990), fared less well. As a solo artist, Brickell released Picture Perfect Morning (1994) and Volcano (2003). In 2006 she reunited with some of the original members of the New Bohemians and they released the Stranger Things album.
Brickell had a role as a folk singer in the 1989 film Born on the Fourth of July. Her version of Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" is featured on the film's soundtrack. Many computer users know her from the "Good Times" video which was included as part of the multimedia samples on the Windows 95 installation CD-ROM.
Brickell married songwriter Paul Simon in 1992. They have three children.
Hard Times
Edie Brickell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We came back to see her
She was older cold and even mean
Not like we remembered
Out along the old road
Where the Indian Paintbrush grows
She began to cry and said she wanted us to know
There were hard times
When the family was broken
There were hard times
Then she lit up a smoke and said
Gonna open up my umbrella and keep it off of me
It's so easy to go somewhere
But so hard to leave
I move far away and still the memories find me there
When I hear the clock and see the dust come off the chair
There were hard times
I don't wanna remember
There were hard times
And I don't want to see ya
Let the wind and white sheet blow through the room
I can live with the ghosts but not with you
It was never so easy saying goodbye
Sitting at a bus stop
Waiting for euphoria
I've heard so much bad news today
I don't think I can take anymore
Of the hard times
All the hard times
Rusty glow in the sunrise
Edie Brickell’s song “Hard Times” speaks about a woman who has been through a lot of difficult times in her life. She left home when she was only seventeen and when she returned, she was no longer the same person. The person they encountered was older, cold, and even mean. The lyrics speak of a journey along an old road where the Indian paintbrush grows, which becomes emotionally charged as the woman began to cry, admitting to her visitors that there had been some hard times when the family broke apart. The song goes on to describe how memories can haunt us regardless of the distance we put between ourselves and the past. The woman in the song goes on to talk about how she wants to move on and forget about the past, but it is not easy to do so. The song ends with the hope of a new beginning as the singer awaits the euphoria that comes with starting fresh.
The lyrics to “Hard Times” touch on some of the most challenging issues of an individual in our society. It speaks to the reality of a broken family, and how it can cause long-lasting effects on the life of the individuals involved. The woman in the song is a symbol of resilience and the pain of dealing with the past. It speaks to the struggles of finding closure and moving on after significant traumas in life.
Line by Line Meaning
He left home when she was seventeen
When she was young, her father left home and it had a lasting impact on her.
We came back to see her
After many years, they returned to see her, expecting to find the person they remembered.
She was older cold and even mean
However, they found her older, bitter, and unpleasant compared to their recollections.
Not like we remembered
They realize that people can change and grow distant.
Out along the old road
As they travel down an old road filled with memories, they are reminded of what they've lost and cannot regain.
Where the Indian Paintbrush grows
The vivid description of the setting shows how the natural beauty can be a sharp contrast to the pain and struggles of life.
She began to cry and said she wanted us to know
Finally, she opens up and shares her struggles, wanting others to understand what she's been through.
There were hard times
She reveals that there were many difficult times when the family was torn apart and broken.
When the family was broken
The family was unable to stay together and struggled to overcome their problems.
Then she lit up a smoke and said
To calm herself, she lights up a cigarette but is still able to share her feelings.
Gonna open up my umbrella and keep it off of me
She tries to protect herself from the pain and hurt she's experienced by shielding herself emotionally.
It's so easy to go somewhere
Running away from problems may seem easy, but it doesn't fix the underlying issues.
But so hard to leave
At the same time, leaving can be incredibly difficult if strong emotions and memories tie you to a place.
I move far away and still the memories find me there
She thought moving away would help her forget the past, but instead, it continues to haunt her wherever she is.
When I hear the clock and see the dust come off the chair
Simple things like the sound of a clock or sight of a dusty chair trigger memories and remind her of what she's lost.
I don't wanna remember
The memories are painful and she wishes she could forget them all.
And I don't want to see ya
The pain has caused her relationship with others to suffer, and she tries to keep her distance.
Let the wind and white sheet blow through the room
She acknowledges that she can tolerate the presence of memories or spirits, but not the people who caused her pain.
I can live with the ghosts but not with you
The people who caused her pain are too much for her to bear, so she must let them go.
It was never so easy saying goodbye
Although it might seem like an easy decision to leave, it's never easy to face the final goodbye.
Sitting at a bus stop
The song shifts to a different perspective, where someone is sitting at a bus stop, feeling overwhelmed by bad news.
Waiting for euphoria
Despite the chaos of life, people still hold out hope that things will get better and that they will find happiness.
Shadows on the horizon
However, despite this hope, there are still challenges and problems ahead that cast doubt and uncertainty.
All the hard times
The person acknowledges that life will continue to bring hard times that they must face and overcome.
Rusty glow in the sunrise
Even with the pain and hardships, there is still beauty and hope in the world, symbolized by the sunrise.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDIE ARLISA BRICKELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jonathansquires3923
Storyteller extraordinaire with the band behind her.... magical
@Thejazzfan66
This album did not get the recognition it deserved…even with Paul Simon and Roy Halee behind the boards
@blacksunfish
My favorite track on this record. Strikes a deep personal chord with me.
@FamilySmith
Same.
@Clare-tea
Feel the Texas connection with reference to Indian paint brush.
@emilamir2592
There’s Good Times, Bad Times, even the Hard Times
@robertbrazzell9006
Great song
@joaoribeirofilho4007
She is the greatest
@herostatus
The lyric "when I hear the clock and see the dust come off the chair" always stuck with me. She feels time going by and she has few friends; hence why dust comes off the chair - no one has sat in it.