Gomez completed an inaugural U.S. tour opening for Eagle-Eye Cherry in October 1998, while the press still offered praise (Spin magazine called Bring It On "a damn beautiful album," giving it an eight out of ten rating). Liquid Skin followed one year later and went platinum in England, and the rarities/B-sides compilation Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline appeared in 2000. A third studio album, In Our Gun, was released in spring 2002. Another hiatus saw Ian Ball relocating to Los Angeles while still working with the band at its new studio in Portslade, England. The dozens of tracks recorded during this time were whittled down and fashioned into Split the Difference, released in May of 2004. By that time, Hut, the group's original label, had gone under, leaving Gomez signed to Virgin (Hut's distributor). Despite all the critical acclaim, the band's album sales never seemed to match Virgin's expectations, and the two sides parted ways later that year.
In 2005, Gomez signed with ATO Records and released Out West, the group's first live album. How We Operate arrived in May 2006, and the band rounded out the year by assembling a retrospective collection of singles, rarities, and unreleased tracks entitled Five Men in a Hut: Singles 1998-2004. Gomez's members were spread across two continents by this point, leading to a three-year gap between How We Operate and the band's sixth studio release, A New Tide, parts of which were recorded individually by the various bandmates and then merged online. Ben Ottewell took some time after its release to launch a solo career, with 2011's Shapes & Shadows marking his first major release outside of the band. Months later, the band released another studio album, Whatever's on Your Mind, with Phantom Planet's Sam Farrar sharing production duties with the bandmates themselves.
Biography by Greg Prato
Ballad of Nice & Easy
Gomez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The ballad of nice and easy
Young and carefree
We're coming along
The ballad of nice and easy
Young and carefree
Two of these kids grew up on the same street
And though some folks blow it, there's no smoke in their eyes
Falling, free falling, tangled up 'til they die
And so we ride on
The ballad of nice and easy
Young and carefree
We're coming along
The ballad of nice and easy
Young and carefree
'Cause everyone knows they'll get their hands dirty
Ripping at seams and smoking hot knives
But sooner or later there's an end to this candle
We'll burn it at both ends and switch on the lights
And so we ride on
The ballad of nice and easy
Young and carefree
We're coming along
The ballad of nice and easy
Young and carefree
And so we ride on
The ballad of nice and easy
Young and carefree
We're coming along
The ballad of nice and easy
Young and carefree
The lyrics to Gomez's song "Ballad of Nice & Easy" capture the carefree nature of young love and the excitement of youth. The song speaks to the idea that life is just beginning and anything is possible. The repeated refrain, "Young and carefree," reinforces the theme of youthfulness and the belief that there is no limit to what two people can achieve when they are in love and have dreams they are committed to pursuing.
The two people referred to in the song grew up on the same street and have a strong connection, despite the obstacles that they face. The lyrics suggest that they are not naive about the challenges they will encounter as they pursue their dreams, but they are determined to face them with a sense of optimism and resiliency. The "doubled up laces" symbolize their commitment to each other and to their shared goals, even when the path is difficult and uncertain.
Overall, "Ballad of Nice & Easy" is a hopeful ode to the power of love and the promise of youth. It speaks to the idea that the journey may not always be easy, but it is worth it when you have someone to share it with and a dream you are committed to pursuing together.
Line by Line Meaning
And so we ride on
We continue our journey
The ballad of nice and easy
The story of our carefree adventure
Young and carefree
We are inexperienced and worry-free
We're coming along
We move forward on our path
Two of these kids grew up on the same street
They were neighbors and friends
And though some folks blow it, there's no smoke in their eyes
Despite challenges, they have not lost their determination
They're tying their dreams with doubled up laces
They are working hard to achieve their goals
Falling, free falling, tangled up 'til they die
They will keep pushing themselves to succeed
'Cause everyone knows they'll get their hands dirty
They will face obstacles and make sacrifices
Ripping at seams and smoking hot knives
They will struggle and face difficult situations
But sooner or later there's an end to this candle
All things come to an end, including struggles and difficulties
We'll burn it at both ends and switch on the lights
We will work hard and persevere until we achieve our goals
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BEN OTTEWELL, IAN THOMAS BALL, OLIVER JAMES PEACOCK, PAUL BLACKBURN, THOMAS WILLIAM GRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind