Career
Hansard quit school at age 13 to begin busking on local Dublin streets. He formed his own band The Frames in 1990, and the group have been gigging regularly in Ireland since. Hansard came to international attention as guitar player Outspan Foster in the 1991 Alan Parker film The Commitments. He has often stated that he regretted taking the role because he felt it distracted him from his music career. In 2003, he presented the television programme Other Voices: Songs from a Room, which showcased Irish music talent on RTÉ.
On 22 April 2006, he released his first album without The Frames, The Swell Season, on Overcoat Recordings in collaboration with Czech singer and multi-instrumentalist Markéta Irglová, Marja Tuhkanen from Finland on violin and viola, and Bertrand Galen from France on cello. Hansard also spent part of 2006 in front of the cameras for the music-infused Irish film Once, in which Hansard plays a Dublin busker, and Irglová an immigrant street vendor. The film had its United States premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007 and received the Festival's World Cinema Audience Award. During the promotional tour, he and Irglová began dating. Said Hansard about his relationship with Irglova: "I had been falling in love with her for a long time, but I kept telling myself she's just a kid".
Hansard had recorded a version of Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" for the film I'm Not There in 2007. In 2009, Hansard said that he and Irglova were no longer romantically linked, and that they are now "good friends".
Aside from his projects with The Frames and Irglová, Hansard also took part as a member of the band on the 2006 Oxfam charity album, The Cake Sale. Hansard has recorded several cover songs, both alone and with band member Colm Mac Con Iomaire, for the Today FM discs Even Better than the Real Thing. Songs that he has recorded include Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" on Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 1 and Britney Spears' "Everytime" on Vol. 2.
He voiced a role on an episode ("In the Name of the Grandfather") on The Simpsons as an Irish busker. A new album of original songs recorded as The Swell Season with Markéta Irglová and entitled Strict Joy was released on 27 October 2009 on the ANTI- record label.
In the summer of 2011, he joined Eddie Vedder on his American solo tour in support of Vedder's solo album, Ukulele Songs. He played a solo concert at the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Guitar Heroes exhibit in New York City in May 2011. and on Cape Cod at the Cape Cinema on 17 June.
In September 2011, he played at Pearl Jam's 20th Anniversary Festival PJ20 at the Alpine Valley Theatre outside of East Troy, Wisconsin. Hansard plays several guitars, including a very recognisable battered Takamine NP15 acoustic guitar (even sporting a large hole), which he calls "The Horse".
In a November 2011 interview in The Huffington Post with Irglova, it was revealed that Hansard was preparing a solo album and that there was a very possible third release from The Swell Season. This solo album was later revealed to be titled Rhythm and Repose.
American Songwriter included Hansard's "Love Don't Leave Me Waiting" on its The Muse July Sampler. Another song of his featured in a film soundtrack is This Gift, which appears in The Odd Life of Timothy Green.
Hansard sang the song "Take the Heartland" on the soundtrack for the 2012 film The Hunger Games. Another song he wrote, "Come Away to the Water", is featured on the soundtrack, but is covered by Maroon 5 and Rozzi Crane. Hansard can be found singing "Come Away to the Water" on the deluxe edition of his first solo album Rhythm and Repose. He guest-starred in an episode of the TV series, Parenthood, playing himself. In the episode, "Trouble in Candyland", he performed "High Hope", a single from his solo debut album Rhythm and Repose. In 2015, Hansard and Lisa Hannigan recorded a song, "On Love", for the soundtrack for the 2014 film Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. Hansard sang Coyote at the Joni Mitchell 75th birthday concert Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration in Los Angeles in December 2018.
Influences
Hansard has remarked about his musical influences: "In my house, when I was a kid, there was the holy trinity, which was Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison, and Bob Dylan with Bob sitting centre." Hansard and The Frames toured as the support act for Bob Dylan in Australia and New Zealand in August 2007 and Hansard often performs Van Morrison's songs in concert. Two such songs include "Into the Mystic", and "And the Healing Has Begun" which were included on the collector's edition of the soundtrack for the film Once.
Hansard is a devotee of Krishna and performed for the 80th birthday of Swami Prabhupada in London, staying at a manor donated to the Hare Krishna movement by The Beatles' George Harrison, who was a Hare Krishna devotee. In July 2013, he sang with Bruce Springsteen at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, Ireland. In July 2015, he performed "Raglan Road" with Ed Sheeran in Croke Park, Dublin.
Other
In 2008, Hansard took a four-week filmmaking workshop at the New York Film Academy.
In 2016, Hansard was a prominent member of the Home Sweet Home Group, a coalition of activists and homeless. The group broke into Apollo House in Dublin and illegally occupied it. They eventually had to vacate the premises due to trespassing.
Maybe Not Tonight
Glen Hansard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Playing lightly on my mind
There's many rivers still cross
To temper bitterness and loss,
Though what you say is true
This might be it for me and you
Maybe we can draw that line
Maybe another time.
But maybe not tonight.
Memories of another town
Those pretty eyes, that pretty frown.
In the long grass where we lay
And let the whole world fall away.
And though in time we've walked apart,
You were always in my heart
Maybe we should say goodbye
But maybe not tonight.
I remember you were just a child
Burning brightly and running wild
We married on an August night
No priest, no church, just the big moon shining bright.
Maybe we should be moving on,
And figure what is done is done
Maybe we should break those vows
But maybe not right
Maybe we should do what's right
But baby not tonight.
Maybe we should both just do what's right
But baby not tonight.
In Glen Hansard's Maybe Not Tonight, the song is filled with contemplation and reflection about a relationship that is reaching its end. The opening verse of "Echoes of another time playing lightly on my mind, there's many rivers still cross to temper bitterness and loss," invites the listener to consider the past and the emotional baggage that comes with it. The repetition of the word 'maybe' throughout the song creates a feeling of uncertainty, questioning whether it is time to end the relationship or if it can be preserved. The chorus, "Well, I wanna do what's right, but maybe not tonight," echoes the sentiment of hesitation even though it is acknowledged that eventually the relationship will come to an end.
The second verse mentions "memories of another town, those pretty eyes, that pretty frown," invoking a sense of nostalgia for what was before. The imagery of "In the long grass where we lay and let the whole world fall away," creates a bittersweet feeling, reminiscing about the past but acknowledging the present reality. The incorporation of "You were always in my heart" suggests an acceptance of the inevitable end of the relationship even though it may be painful. The final verse adds depth to the song, revealing the backstory of the relationship, presenting a couple who were married without institutionalized ceremony. The line "maybe we should break those vows, but maybe not right, maybe we should do what's right," suggests that some actions may be contradictory to the ideal of what we think is 'right' and that it is often complex to navigate relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Echoes of another time
Reminders of past experiences that still linger
Playing lightly on my mind
Still fresh in my thoughts, but not causing too much trouble
There's many rivers still cross
There are still many obstacles to overcome
To temper bitterness and loss
To lessen the anger and sadness felt
Though what you say is true
Although your words are accurate
This might be it for me and you
Our relationship may be coming to an end
Maybe we can draw that line
Perhaps we can finalize our separation
Maybe another time.
But not right now
Well I wanna do what's right
I have good intentions
But maybe not tonight.
But I'm not ready to act on them at the moment
Memories of another town
Recollections of a place we used to be
Those pretty eyes, that pretty frown.
Remembering your attractive features and disposition
In the long grass where we lay
A specific memory of a location where we were together
And let the whole world fall away.
Caught up in the moment, forgetting everything else
And though in time we've walked apart,
Even though we have spent time apart
You were always in my heart
You have always meant something to me
Maybe we should say goodbye
Maybe we should end things between us
But maybe not tonight.
But not immediately
I remember you were just a child
A reflection on how much time has passed
Burning brightly and running wild
Recalling your youthful spirit
We married on an August night
A special moment shared between us
No priest, no church, just the big moon shining bright.
A non-traditional wedding that was still beautiful
Maybe we should be moving on,
Perhaps it's time to go our separate ways
And figure what is done is done
Accepting that things can't be changed
Maybe we should break those vows
Possibly ending our commitment to each other
But maybe not right
But not immediately
Maybe we should do what's right
Doing the honorable thing
But baby not tonight.
But just not yet
Maybe we should both just do what's right
Maybe we should act with good intentions
But baby not tonight.
But just not right now
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLEN HANSARD, GLEN JAMES HANSARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@raspberry481
Echoes of another time
Playin' lightly on my mind
There's many rivers still to cross
To temper the bitterness in love
Though what you say is true
This might be it for me and you
Maybe we can draw that line
Maybe another time
Well I wanna do what's right
But maybe not tonight
Memories of another time
Those pretty eyes, that pretty frown
And in the long grass where we lay
Let the whole world fall away
And though in time we walked apart
But maybe not tonight
I remember you were just a child
Burning brightly and running wild
We married on an August night
No priest, no church, just a big moon shining bright
Maybe we should be moving on
And figure what is done is done
Maybe we should break those vows
Aw, but maybe not right now
Maybe we should do what's right
Maybe not tonight
Maybe we should both just do what's right
Baby, not tonight
@abideinme
Maybe Not Tonight
Glen Hansard
Echoes of another time
Playin' lightly on my mind
There's many rivers still to cross
To temper the bitterness in love
Though what you say is true
This might be it for me and you
Maybe we can draw that line
Maybe another time
Well I wanna do what's right
But maybe not tonight
Memories of another time
Those pretty eyes, that pretty frown
And in the long grass where we lay
Let the whole world fall away
And though in time we walked apart
But maybe not tonight
I remember you were just a child
Burning brightly and running wild
We married on an August night
No priest, no church, just a big moon shining bright
Maybe we should be moving on
And figure what is done is done
Maybe we should break those vows
Aw, but maybe not right now
Maybe we should do what's right
Maybe not tonight
Maybe we should both just do what's right
Baby, not tonight
Fuente: Musixmatch
Compositores: Glenn
@1Levinsky
How can such a beautiful song go so unnoticed??? Hansard captures the beauty of songwriting in this exquisitely written piece. Sublime song!
@martinsloan9785
I was driving through the hills of Cambria, Ca. when this song came on, I thought I was in heaven.......
@raspberry481
Echoes of another time
Playin' lightly on my mind
There's many rivers still to cross
To temper the bitterness in love
Though what you say is true
This might be it for me and you
Maybe we can draw that line
Maybe another time
Well I wanna do what's right
But maybe not tonight
Memories of another time
Those pretty eyes, that pretty frown
And in the long grass where we lay
Let the whole world fall away
And though in time we walked apart
But maybe not tonight
I remember you were just a child
Burning brightly and running wild
We married on an August night
No priest, no church, just a big moon shining bright
Maybe we should be moving on
And figure what is done is done
Maybe we should break those vows
Aw, but maybe not right now
Maybe we should do what's right
Maybe not tonight
Maybe we should both just do what's right
Baby, not tonight
@calebgrabowski3629
rasp berry GREAT THX! EXCEPT ITS BURNIN BROCCOLI
@heatherhumphreys513
Wonderful lyrics, though you have missed quite a few lines in the second verse ;)
@lizafromthemoon664
Caleb Grabowski Hahaaaaa, I‘m loosing it :‘D
@ndmblackblade
The sweetest song I've heard in a long long time!
@richo61
So romantic - so emotionally real.
This is my new favorite song.
@daniellewis409
Seen him three times and wept at how deep and touching his lyrics are. Such a true artist
@vooshiningstone3761
I can never get enough of this song. It is so special.