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.
When The Lights Go Down
Edie Brickell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Had to leave this place -- get away from me.
We'll meet again.
Maybe introduced as friends.
He'll come around in awhile,
but it's so hard to see when the lights go down.
And it's hard to believe when the lights go down.
And you shake in your shoes sitting next to the blues.'Cause you don't want to lose what you've found.
Then he wants to run but he stands his ground.
Sick of those big boys pushing him around.
Here comes a crowd.
They don't care what it's about.
Somebody's son's going down.
And it's so hard to see when the lights go down.
And it's hard to believe when the lights go down.
All the animals know when the fire is low.
'Cause the wind starts to blow on the ground.
Went away on Sunday.
Had a glass of wine on Monday.
All by yourself in your room.
And it's hard to believe when the lights go down.
And it's so hard to see when the lights go down.
And you shake in your shoes sitting next to the blues.
'Cause you don't want to lose what you've found.
In "When The Lights Go Down," Edie Brickell depicts a story of a man named Benny who loses faith in a gambling spree and has to escape from the place he is at. The lyrics suggest that Benny and the singer had a close relationship in the past, and despite leaving on a bad note, they would meet again and possibly start anew as friends. However, the underlying message of the song suggests the hardship of life when the lights go down, meaning when things get tough, and it's hard to see what's ahead.
The lyrics further describe Benny's struggles with the "big boys" pushing him around and facing a crowd where somebody is going down. The singer highlights the difficulty of standing firm when you are constantly pushed to the ground. The metaphorical references in the lyrics, such as "shake in your shoes sitting next to the blues" and "all the animals know when the fire is low," add depth to the interpretation of the lyrics.
In the last verses, the singer sings about how Benny went away on Sunday, had a glass of wine on Monday, all by himself in his room. It's challenging to believe and see when the lights go down, especially when you are alone with your thoughts. The overall message that "When the Lights Go Down" convey is to continue to believe in yourself even when everything seems to be against you.
Line by Line Meaning
Benny lost faith in a gambling spree.
Benny lost hope after gambling.
Had to leave this place -- get away from me.
He had to leave and escape from his surroundings.
We'll meet again.
They will see each other again.
Maybe introduced as friends.
They might be reintroduced as acquaintances.
He'll come around in awhile,
He will eventually come back.
but it's so hard to see when the lights go down.
It's difficult to envision the future when everything appears bleak.
And it's hard to believe when the lights go down.
It's challenging to keep hope when things seem hopeless.
And you shake in your shoes sitting next to the blues.
You are scared of losing what you have and being unhappy.
'Cause you don't want to lose what you've found.
You don't want to lose what you have discovered.
Then he wants to run but he stands his ground.
He wants to flee, but he chooses to stay put.
Sick of those big boys pushing him around.
He's tired of being pushed around by the powerful.
Here comes a crowd.
A crowd is approaching.
They don't care what it's about.
They're unconcerned about the situation.
Somebody's son's going down.
Someone's child is going to fail.
And all the animals know when the fire is low.
The animals know when a fire is dying out.
'Cause the wind starts to blow on the ground.
Due to the fading fire, the wind is blowing on the ground.
Went away on Sunday.
They left on Sunday.
Had a glass of wine on Monday.
They drank a glass of wine on Monday.
All by yourself in your room.
Alone in a room.
And it's hard to believe when the lights go down.
It's challenging to remain optimistic when things appear to be dismal.
And it's so hard to see when the lights go down.
It's difficult to see the future when everything seems bleak.
And you shake in your shoes sitting next to the blues.
You're worried of losing what you've discovered and being depressed.
'Cause you don't want to lose what you've found.
You don't want to lose what you've discovered.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fengliuful
One of the best Album ini the world. Love it.
@tenminutetokyo2643
One of the greatest albums ever recorded - and underrated. This song as so much soul.
@miguelinglesserrano1777
i am physically disabled by a car accident 18 years ago since then, music is my support, thanks :-))
@tenminutetokyo2643
Please read The Magic of Believing by Claude Bristol.
@blachubear
A underrated album that should had been a 2 million seller.
@tenminutetokyo2643
Easily. A hidden gem.
@hazalminsin1711
All the best music of the early '90s was largely ignored, passed over for "grunge" 🙄
Do your ears a favor and look for
Spilt Milk by Jellyfish
Respect by Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians
The Wheel by Rosanne Cash
Why Do Birds Sing by The Violent Femmes
Acid Eaters by The Ramones
@RollingThunder69
Still listening in 2018.....nuff said.
@aninditak1181
Still listening in 2020
@victorwho744
Yep great album..