Releasing her first single in 1959, she struggled to launch her career from segregated New Orleans as a teenage waitress with 4 children in the early 60's. Now, finally undergoing a late career renaissance on the Rounder label, much of her most enduring work was produced in the early 1960's by Allen Toussaint for Minit Records, and she also recorded for other labels including Imperial, Chess, and Atlantic, eventually retiring for a period before reviving her career in earnest in the late 1980's.
Thomas is perhaps best known outside of New Orleans for her recording of "Time Is On My Side," which predated the hit version by the Rolling Stones. Otis Redding's hit "Pain In My Heart" was built on an earlier song, "Ruler of My Heart," recorded by Thomas.
Thomas is still active as a performer, appearing annually at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and various tour dates in the US and Europe. She has reigned as Queen of the Krewe du Vieux for the 1998 New Orleans Mardi Gras season and often headlined at her own club, the Lion's Den, which is now out of business due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Irma Thomas has participated in numerous post-Katrina charity projects including The New Orleans Social Club, and won numerous awards including the Offbeat Magazine Award, Mojo Magazine's Legends award, Big Easy Award, a Family Services Award and many more. In 2009, Scott Billington compiled a Rounder records retrospective "Irma Thomas: A 50th Anniversary Celebration of The Soul Queen of New Orleans: " .
Times Have Changed
Irma Thomas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you could snap your fingers
And I'd come running
Running to you
But try it now
Come on, try it now
And you're gonna find
When you do
You can't hurt me like before
Times have changed
And I don't love you anymore
There was a time
When I would smile and take the pain
And you would tear my dreams apart
Or break my heart in two
But try it now Come on, try it now
And you're gonna find
That when you do
That times have changed
You can't hurt me like before
Times have changed
And I just don't love you anymore
Somebody new I met
Made me forget
The memories we knew
That broken heart I got from you
Try it now 'Cause you know that
Times haves changed
You know that times have changed
You know that times have changed
Oh, times have changed.
The lyrics for Irma Thomas's song "Times Have Changed" are about the singer moving on from a toxic relationship. The opening lines, "There was a time when you could snap your fingers and I'd come running to you," suggest that the singer was once deeply in love with their partner and willing to do anything for them. However, as the song progresses, we learn that the singer has grown tired of being hurt and no longer feels the same way about their partner. The lines, "There was a time when I would smile and take the pain, and you would tear my dreams apart or break my heart in two" hint at the emotional abuse the singer has endured.
In the chorus, the singer emphasizes that "times have changed" and that their partner can no longer hurt them like before. This suggests that the singer has found strength and moved on from their past relationship. They sing, "Somebody new I met made me forget the memories we knew. That broken heart I got from you" - indicating that they have found someone new who has helped them heal and move on from their past pain. Overall, this song is a powerful message of resilience and hope after heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a time
There was a time in the past
When you could snap your fingers
When you had control over me
And I'd come running
And I would do whatever you wanted
Running to you
I would come to you
But try it now
But if you try that now
Come on, try it now
Please try it now
And you're gonna find
You will discover
When you do
If you do that
That times have changed
Things are different now
You can't hurt me like before
You can't hurt me like you did in the past
Times have changed
Things are different now
And I don't love you anymore
I don't have feelings for you anymore
There was a time
There was a time in the past
When I would smile and take the pain
When I would tolerate the pain and pretend it didn't hurt
And you would tear my dreams apart
And you would shatter my hopes and aspirations
Or break my heart in two
Or cause me immense emotional pain
But try it now
But if you try that now
Come on, try it now
Please try it now
And you're gonna find
You will discover
That when you do
If you do that
That times have changed
Things are different now
You can't hurt me like before
You can't hurt me like you did in the past
Times have changed
Things are different now
And I just don't love you anymore
I don't have feelings for you anymore
Somebody new I met
I met someone new
Made me forget
They helped me forget
The memories we knew
The memories we shared
That broken heart I got from you
The emotional pain you caused me
Try it now
If you try that now
'Cause you know that
Because you're aware that
Times haves changed
Things are different now
You know that times have changed
You're aware that things are different now
You know that times have changed
You're aware that things are different now
Oh, times have changed.
Oh, how things have changed!
Contributed by James R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jesse Mueller
on These Honey Dos
Irma Thomas - These Honey Dos lyrics
V1/
Honey, do you see
While you're sittin' there
Two good legs, two good arms
Your butt stuck in that chair
It's get me this, reach me that
Fry the bacon, feed the cat
You're still in that chair, that's where yer at
C1/
I tried to satisfy
All your wishes and your wants
Soon these Honey Dos
Gonna turn into Don'ts
So honey you'd better choose
Do you want me, or these Honey Dos?
V2/
Honey, when I'm away
You always got to know
Who I see, what I do
And everywhere I go
And it's, while yer out, here's the list
Drop off that, pick up this
Yer still in that chair, that's where you is
C2/
Please don't make me try
To get away from you
I'm right here for ya, baby
But ya gotta give me somethin' too
Honey you'd better choose
Do you want me, or these Honey Dos?
B/
I'd do most everything
That I ever could do
All the love I got
I only give ta you
Honey, if you knew
A lover from a crutch
You'd know that everything yer doin'
Don't amount ta much
V1/
Honey, do you see
While you're sitting there
With two good legs, and two good arms
And your butt still stuck in that chair
It's get me this, reach me that
Fry the bacon, feed the cat
You're still in that chair, just gettin' fat
C1/
Tried to satisfy
All your wishes and your wants
Soon these Honey Dos
Are gonna turn into Don'ts
So honey you'd better choose
Do you want me, or these Honey Dos?
{Honey you'd better choose
Do you want me, or these Honey Dos?} ( 2x )
Spoken:
Honey do this, honey do that
Reach for this, reach for that
Now where is please?
Where is thank you?
Yer making a very large assumption
And you know what they say about the word assumption
Now you know you king of this castle
(As long as I'm in it)
But you gotta put a little please in there sometimes
And every now 'n' then think of some Honey Don'ts to say
Y'know? You got me
I wouldn't stay here, if I didn't love ya
But every now and then, put in some please and thank yous
Do ya Honey Do?
Turn 'em into Honey Don'ts
Moses Davis
on Hurt's All Gone
my goodness ump I cant get enough