On her fourth … Read Full Bio ↴Edie Carey is an American folk-pop singer-songwriter.
On her fourth studio album, Another Kind of Fire, Carey explored the myriad kinds of "fire" - romantic and otherwise - that keep us burning below the surface: old resentments, creativity, anger, lost friendships, lust, and, of course, love. The disc, released September 19th independently on Accidental Poet, maintained much of the organic, woody sound of its predecessor, When I Was Made (2004), touted by Harp Magazine as "a little country, a little adult-contemporary, and a lot of fine music." But on her latest effort, producer Crit Harmon (Martin Sexton, Lori McKenna, Mary Gauthier) introduces a somewhat moodier, darker sound, painting haunting, vast landscapes behind her intimate vocals.
Drawn from her own experiences and the stories of those around her, Carey's poetic lyrics are the focal point of her songs. Paste Magazine confirmed this in a 2004 review of Made:"Economic instrumentation forces all your attention toward the gentle storytelling, rich with humanity and insight...Carey draws us into her world, where we find we have a lot in common."
Several fires have raged within Carey over the past two years - both personally and professionally - creating fertile ground for songwriting. After three years south in her adopted hometown of Atlanta, Carey has returned to her native Boston - though she plans to spend little time at home.
The 2004 Telluride Bluegrass Troubadour Finalist will hit the road in earnest this fall, performing at clubs, coffeehouses and colleges across the country. Carey kicks off her CD release tour for Another Kind Of Fire on September 8th at The Living Room in New York City.
Touring internationally since 1999, Edie has shared stages with Norah Jones, Leo Kottke, Ani DiFranco, Jonatha Brooke, Catie Curtis, Lucy Kaplansky, and Sandra Bernhard. She was asked to perform at The Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City and on Ed McMahon's "Next Big Star" ("Star Search"), and has had her songs featured on The WB's "Charmed" and MTV's "Road Rules". She was recently a featured act on Public Radio International's "Mountain Stage," and When I Was Made was a finalist for Album of the Year in the 2003 Independent Music Awards.
More About Edie...
"Accidental Poet," one of Edie Carey's earliest songs, describes a particularly eloquent friend, but could just as easily refer to Carey herself and the circuitous and serendipitous route that led her to become one of the country's most notable young songwriters. Somehow, all of the seemingly unrelated turns - from her intention to become a doctor, to a tiny music room in the basement of a Morningside Heights' chapel, to a year in Italy - managed to steer her towards music.
Born in Burlington, Vermont and raised in the Boston suburbs by her English teacher father, therapist mother, and poet stepmother, Edie Carey couldn't help but learn to love words. But her ear for music only became apparent after she "took the stage" in the back seat of her babysitter's green Cadillac, belting out her own rendition of "Up Where We Belong." From age nine, after beginning voice lessons, she became involved in singing groups and musicals, which she continued all the way through high school. A child of the 80's, she dressed in lace and sequins and dreamed of appearing on Ed McMahon's "Star Search." However, as much as she loved performing, Carey was unaware that there was any middle ground between singing at weddings and being Madonna, and never considered music a real career possibility. So, she made plans to major in English/Creative Writing with Pre-Med classes at Barnard College in New York City. However, during her freshman year, two pivotal discoveries knocked those plans right off course - The Postcrypt Coffeehouse and the Italian language.
In the Postcrypt, an intimate music venue in the basement of St. Paul's Chapel at Columbia University, the seeds of possibility were sewn as Carey watched Jeff Buckley, Ani Difranco, and Lisa Loeb among others perform unplugged to candlelit audiences. She saw how words could sometimes have even greater power when used in a song, and simultaneously came to appreciate the sonorous quality of words regardless of their meaning or the melody in which they were framed. This appreciation for their musicality grew deeper with the study of Italian, which eventually led her to spend a year abroad in Bologna, where she taught herself to play the guitar.
In Italy, Carey set herself up in a corner of the main piazza and played every Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin, Sarah McLachlan, and Rickie Lee Jones song she knew, throwing in a few of her own tunes, which would later land on her debut album, The Falling Places . Her experience abroad gave her a newfound confidence and encouraged her to begin performing on campus, where she started to build a student following. She made her first album in 1997, while working long days at Worth Magazine and recording until 3 am each night. Though the process was a daunting one, by the time she was finished, Carey was sure she had "accidentally" ended up exactly where she was supposed to be.
After the release of The Falling Places in 1998, she began venturing outside of New York City to play neighboring east coast cities, and gradually expanded throughout the United States, then Canada and the UK. While the debut was a very sparsely produced acoustic contemporary folk album, Call Me Home, Carey's follow-up in 2000, was by comparison an all-out pop record, a tribute to her early inspirations and the reckless abandon of her childhood. With its release, the "accidents" continued, and Carey unexpectedly found herself achieving her childhood dream of appearing on television with Ed McMahon.
Since 2000, she has been working as a full-time performing songwriter, touring rigorously to promote all of her independently self-released records, which now include Come Close, her 2002 live CD, When I Was Made (2004), and the latest addition to her growing catalog, Another Kind of Fire. Looking back, she has to wonder if maybe this wasn't an accident after all.
Official Website
If I Were You
Edie Carey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too bad this has to be perfect
I'm a decent player
I know how to sing
But damn, damn this is tough
And hollow is all
That comes out of me
I can't believe I just said that aloud
I can't believe you can stand to stand there
If I were you
If I were you
If I were you
I'd leave me
Anyone halfway normal
Would be scrambling
To make their case
I just get so damn scattered
I can't remember what you even asked me
In the next ten seconds
I've got to learn to think on my feet
You'll be that much
Closer to the door
You'll be sprinting down what used to be our street
If I were you
If I were you
If I were you
I'd leave me
I tend to surrender before defeat
It's so much neater that way
With me never right
And you never wrong
There's no pretty way to balance the blame
I tend to focus on the darker side
I forget there ever was light
I tend to forget how I love this
And the fucked up reasons why
If I were you
If I were you
If I were you
I'd believe me
The lyrics of Edie Carey's song "If I Were You" reflect a sense of self-consciousness and insecurity. The singer expresses her frustrations with being unable to express herself coherently and indulging in negative thought patterns. She is aware that her behavior and words can be off-putting to others, to the point where she thinks it would be better for her partner to leave her. The song captures a sense of inner turmoil and self-judgment, which is reflected in the repetition of the line "If I were you, I'd leave me."
The verse "And hollow is all that comes out of me / It all sounds so sickeningly familiar" suggests that the singer feels as though she is not authentic and that she is repeating the same mistakes, making the same excuses. She acknowledges that her partner is patiently listening to her, even though she finds it difficult to communicate clearly. The line "I tend to surrender before defeat / It's so much neater that way" suggests that the singer is willing to give up before trying or taking action, in order to avoid potential disappointment or failure. This also indicates her tendency to fixate on the negative aspects of her life, forgetting about the good things she has.
Overall, the song reflects a sense of self-doubt, pessimism, and fear of not measuring up. The singer's propensity to focus on the negative aspects of her relationship with her partner leads her to believe that her partner would be better off without her, even though she acknowledges that she loves her partner. The song captures the complexities of romantic relationships and the self-doubt that can arise when one's own sense of self-worth is challenged.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not so good at this kind of thing
I lack confidence in my ability to communicate my thoughts and feelings effectively.
Too bad this has to be perfect
Unfortunately, the situation demands a flawless execution.
I'm a decent player
When it comes to performing music, I have some level of skill.
I know how to sing
Singing is an ability that I possess.
But damn, damn this is tough
Despite my skills, this situation is incredibly difficult for me.
And hollow is all
My words lack genuine emotion or substance.
That comes out of me
My attempts at communication are not successful.
It all sounds so sickeningly familiar
My words are repetitive and unoriginal.
I can't believe I just said that aloud
I regret sharing my thoughts and feelings out loud.
I can't believe you can stand to stand there
I am surprised that you are patient enough to listen to me.
If I were you
Given the circumstances, if I were in your position.
I'd leave me
I would distance myself from someone like me.
Anyone halfway normal
A person with average social skills.
Would be scrambling
They would be attempting to eloquently express themselves.
To make their case
To prove their point convincingly.
I just get so damn scattered
I become disorganized and unfocused.
I can't remember what you even asked me
I am unable to recall your original question.
In the next ten seconds
I feel the pressure of time running out to respond effectively.
I've got to learn to think on my feet
I need to become skilled at improvising and quick thinking.
You'll be that much
As a result of my poor performance.
Closer to the door
You will be more likely to leave.
You'll be sprinting down what used to be our street
You will be eager to leave as soon as possible, without looking back.
I tend to surrender before defeat
I give up too easily, even before there is a clear winner or loser.
It's so much neater that way
It feels more efficient and tidy to just give up than to keep fighting.
With me never right
I have a tendency to never admit my faults or mistakes.
And you never wrong
I have a habit of blaming others, even when they are not at fault.
There's no pretty way to balance the blame
It is difficult to make things seem fair when I am not willing to take responsibility for my own faults.
I tend to focus on the darker side
I have a tendency to be pessimistic and only see the negative aspects of situations.
I forget there ever was light
I become so fixated on the negative that I forget about the positive aspects of life.
I tend to forget how I love this
I forget about the passion and enjoyment that I have for certain things.
And the fucked up reasons why
The reasons for my love can sometimes be difficult or strange.
I'd believe me
If I were in your position, I would trust my own instincts and distance myself from someone like me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Douglas Robb, Daniel Estrin, Chris Hesse
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind