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.
Pill
Edie Brickell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's getting' pretty rough
You feel a little down now
And you can't get it up
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
Now the pressure is rising
It's gettin' to your head
Nothing is exciting
You wanna stay in bed
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
Side effects may include
Headache and anxiety
Loss of appetite which means
Palpitations and dry lips
No desire to be kissed
You lie down in the darkness
It's there when you awake
Hounded by a problem
Haunted by mistakes
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
Ooh
Ooh
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
They got a pill for that
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
The song explores the theme of relying on medication to solve every problem in life. The lyrics depict a person who is struggling with concentration, low mood and arousal, and instead of finding natural remedies, they turn to medication. The repeated phrase “They got a pill for that” emphasizes the over-reliance on medication in our culture. The side effects of the pills are also mentioned, painting a picture of a society where people are willing to ignore the negative consequences and risks just to escape their problems. The verse, “You lie down in the darkness, it's there when you awake, hounded by a problem, haunted by mistakes" implies that even with medicine, one cannot escape their problems entirely.
The song is a commentary on the pharmaceutical industry and its effects on society. The catchy and upbeat nature of the melody contrasts with the somber nature of the lyrics, highlighting the irony of how dependency on medication is normalized in our culture. Instead of seeking out natural remedies and addressing the root cause of their issues, people are taught to seek instant gratification from pills. The repetition of the phrase “They got a pill for that” becomes a sarcastic and biting critique of our society's overdependence on medication.
Line by Line Meaning
You say you can't pay attention
You claim to have difficulty focusing
It's gettin' pretty rough
Your current situation is becoming challenging and trying
You feel a little down now
You are feeling somewhat discouraged at the moment
And you can't get it up
You are unable to perform
They got a pill for that
There is a medication available to help with your issue
Now the pressure is rising
Your stress levels are increasing
It's gettin' to your head
The pressure is starting to affect you mentally
Nothing is exciting
You are not finding anything interesting or enjoyable
You wanna stay in bed
You feel like staying in bed all day
Side effects may include
Taking medication may result in unwanted physical reactions
Headache and anxiety
Some of the symptoms caused by taking the medication include headaches and anxiety
Loss of appetite which means
One potential side effect of the medication is loss of appetite, which may lead to
Palpitations and dry lips
Other side effects may include heart palpitations and dry lips
No desire to be kissed
Another potential side effect is a lack of interest in romantic affection
You lie down in the darkness
You go to bed in the dark
It's there when you awake
Your issue is present when you wake up the next morning
Hounded by a problem
You are being constantly bothered by a particular issue
Haunted by mistakes
You are preoccupied with regrets about past errors
Ooh
They got a pill for that
There is a medication available to help with your problem
Contributed by Layla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Joseph Massey
How does this only have 25 views? Brilliant, relevant song!
Some Guy Named Robb
Another great song! I love this whole album!
Niranjan Harshe
Your song Good times.. bad times... I heard that first time in a Windows 95/ 98 cd I was 19 or 20 back then, I fell in love with your voice instantly 🙏
Cori Pansarasa
I'm a big fan of Edie's, don't understand why she isn't more popular. But genius often goes unnoticed.
Sara Kearns
It's so great to be able to see more of her drawings!
Joseph Provencher
Omg, I've missed her voice so much 💯💗
Mirko Römer
A song making me happier than pills. Yeah!!
Walter Draper
Hehe. First time I hear this song. Edie can take just about any lyrics and make them sound good in a song!
LackingIdentification
That was very cool. You are awesome.
The Music Experience
Instant classic.