Edie Brickell is an American singer/songwriter, born March 10, 1966 in Dall… Read Full Bio ↴Edie Brickell is an American singer/songwriter, born March 10, 1966 in Dallas (Oak Cliff), Texas.

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.

In The Bath
Edie Brickell Lyrics

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In the morning in the bath
Water pouring from the tap
I don't want to go out
Lie back
Relax

Ever lazy never free
What my conscience does to me

Always something I should do
Something I should be

Run around
Put me down if you want to
I can't hear a sound
'Cause I'm not listening to you
I've taken today to be off and away
Unwinding

In the morning in the bath
I'm restoring from the past
The mistakes I made
Never seem to fade away
In a wash of memory
Everything is coming clean

Run around
Put me down if you want to
I can't hear a sound
'Cause I'm not listening to you
I've taken today to be off and away
Call me Freda
Freda day

Going down a busy road

Looking out of my window
In a taxi backseat
Out of control

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Edie Brickell's In The Bath conjure up an image of a woman seeking refuge and respite from the outside world. The first stanza sets the tone for the song, as she describes her morning routine, where she takes a bath and finds comfort in the sound and sensation of water pouring from the tap. She doesn't want to leave this sanctuary, preferring to lie back and relax, reflecting a desire to escape the pressures of daily life. However, she is plagued by a guilty conscience that nags at her to be more productive and responsible, making her feel like she is never truly free. She longs for the ability to truly unwind.

The next stanza builds on this theme of finding inner peace and catharsis. The bath becomes a metaphor for washing away the mistakes of the past, as the water cleanses her body and mind. Memories wash over her, reminding her of the wrongs she committed in the past, but instead of dwelling on them, she lets them go and moves on, allowing herself to be restored. In the chorus, she asserts her independence and her determination to take a day off from the demands of society. She is no longer listening to the noise and criticisms of others and is instead focused on her own well-being, calling this day her "Freda day."

The final stanza of the song takes a detour from the theme of self-reflection, as the singer is suddenly thrown into the outside world, sitting in the back of a taxi, feeling out of control as she hurtles down a busy road. This shift in tone can be seen as symbolic of the challenges one faces when returning to the real world after taking time for oneself. The transition can be jarring and uncomfortable, but it is a necessary step towards finding balance between one's own needs and the demands of society.

Line by Line Meaning

In the morning in the bath
Starting a new day, alone in the bathtub

Water pouring from the tap
Flowing of water, soothing mind and body

I don't want to go out
Avoiding the outside world and its problems

Lie back
Relaxing the muscles and letting go of tensions

Relax
Calming the mind and body, feeling peaceful

Ever lazy never free
Feeling trapped by a sense of obligation and duty

What my conscience does to me
Feeling guilty about not being productive

Always something I should do
Having a never-ending to-do list

Something I should be
Feeling pressured to be someone or something you're not

Run around
Being busy and hectic

Put me down if you want to
Being criticized or judged by others