Armatrading has mixed eclectic musical styles over decades of recording and performing. She has had several British hit singles, the biggest of which were "Love & Affection", "Me Myself I", and "Drop the Pilot". Her music is generally pop, with forays into rock, folk, jazz, and even reggae. Her popularity is primarily as an album artist.
She gained a new audience following her writing and performing "The Flight of the Wild Geese", which was used during the opening and end titles for the 1978 film The Wild Geese.
Armatrading first performed in a concert at Birmingham University for her brother at the age of about 16 (circa 1966). She only knew her own songs, but her brother asked her to perform something that would be familiar to the audience; she chose "The Sound of Silence".[9] She then performed her own songs around the local area with a friend from school, and played bass and rhythm guitar at local clubs.
In These Times
Joan Armatrading Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tears fill the back of your eyes
These are the times
The birds migrate
Across the skies
These are the times
What hope you had you forget
You're bound to feel
All sanity is lost
In these times everyone needs love
In these times do you pray to God
In these times everyone needs comfort
And would welcome a hand to hold
Compassion is the fire
That burns the hurt
That pains the soul
And though my eyes are so polluted
By the sight of lost desires
I can see you standing by
This is my fear
That distance will come between us
And it could mean nothing
Nothing
To get from here to there
We own the world
And everything that's in it
Let our love shine
Like glistening raindrops
Resting on a rose
In these times celebrate our love
In these times let's be thankful of
All the days we can spend together
And I'm happy to hold your hand
Your passion is the food
That feeds the hunger in my heart
And now my eyes are clearly open
No more longing for the past
Now I have you in these times
In these times everyone needs love
In these times do you pray to God
In these times everyone needs comfort
And would welcome a hand to hold
Your passion is the fire
That burns the hurt
That pains the soul
And though my eyes are so polluted
By the sight of lost desires
Good to have you in these times
The song "In These Times" by Joan Armatrading is a reflection of the chaos and uncertainty of the present times. The lyrics signify the emotional turmoil that people go through during these times of unrest. The artist talks about the tears that fill the back of your eyes, the feeling of hopelessness, and loss of sanity. The world seems to be in a state of disarray, and people are looking for comfort and reassurance, someone to hold their hand and offer them hope. The birds migrating across the skies symbolize the transience of life, and the inevitability of change.
The chorus emphasizes the need for love, compassion, and comfort during these tumultuous times. In the midst of destruction and despair, love can be a beacon of light that shines through the darkness. The artist expresses her fear of distance coming between loved ones, causing them to lose touch. Still, she urges people to celebrate their love and be thankful for every moment they can spend together. The song concludes with the artist saying that she is happy to have someone in her life during these times of chaos and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
These are the times
The present is a challenging and difficult period
Tears fill the back of your eyes
The struggle is overwhelming and causing emotional distress
The birds migrate
Across the skies
Nature continues to operate unaffected, despite human turmoil
These wicked times
You're bound to feel
All sanity is lost
The chaos of the times causes one to feel that their mind is slipping away
In these times everyone needs love
Love becomes a necessary and healing force
In these times do you pray to God
In search of hope, faith becomes a comfort
In these times everyone needs comfort
And would welcome a hand to hold
Human connection and support are crucial for survival
Compassion is the fire
That burns the hurt
That pains the soul
Kindness and empathy have the power to heal emotional wounds
And though my eyes are so polluted
By the sight of lost desires
I can see you standing by
Despite past disappointments, the artist is grateful for the current relationship
This is my fear
That distance will come between us
And it could mean nothing
Nothing
The artist is afraid of losing the connection they have in the future
We own the world
And everything that's in it
Let our love shine
Like glistening raindrops
Resting on a rose
The power of their love is immense, and can influence and brighten the world around them
In these times celebrate our love
Despite the difficulty, the artist wants to acknowledge and appreciate the love they have
In these times let's be thankful of
All the days we can spend together
And I'm happy to hold your hand
The singer is grateful for the moments they share with their partner, and cherishes their connection
Your passion is the food
That feeds the hunger in my heart
The intensity and depth of their partner's love nourishes and sustains the singer
And now my eyes are clearly open
No more longing for the past
Now I have you in these times
The singer's vision has cleared, and their focus is on the present and future, with their partner by their side
Good to have you in these times
The artist is glad to have their partner for support during the difficult present
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOAN ANITA BARBARA ARMATRADING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cha Z
These are the times
Tears fill the back of your eyes
These are the times
The birds migrate
Across the skies
These are the times
What hope you had you forget
These wicked times
You're bound to feel
All sanity is lost
In these times everyone needs love
In these times do you pray to God
In these times everyone needs comfort
And would welcome a hand to hold
Compassion is the fire
That burns the hurt
That pains the soul
And though my eyes are so polluted
By the sight of lost desires
I can see you standing by
This is my fear
That distance will come between us
And it could mean nothing
Nothing
To get from here to there
We own the world
And everything that's in it
Let our love shine
Like glistening raindrops
Resting on a rose
In these times celebrate our love
In these times let's be thankful of
All the days we can spend together
And I'm happy to hold your hand
Your passion is the food
That feeds the hunger in my heart
And now my eyes are clearly open
No more longing for the past
Now I have you in these times
In these times everyone needs love
In these times do you pray to God
In these times everyone needs comfort
And would welcome a hand to hold
Your passion is the fire
That burns the hurt
That pains the soul
And though my eyes are so polluted
By the sight of lost desires
Good to have you in these times
tortillamiracle aka Shelly Mendoza
In these days of Quarantine, “it’s good to have you in these times.” Thank you Joan Armatrading.
Be well friends.❤️🕯❤️
Stephanie Sullivan
I LOVE you, Joan Armatrading!!! You are a wonderful songwriter...a soulful singer...and the right kind of activist for our times. God bless you!
Jason Carpp
I agree. This song is just as relevant today, in 2020 as it was back in 2003, when it was first released.
travelmouse
We desparately need this song to be re-released in these times !
BahamaWynters
We need this to be re-released in these times--2022.
Victoria Reel
One of my favorite songs of hers. It captures every ordinary day in everyone's life. Her words, lyrics and her voice is a true gift.
Jason Carpp
So true.
Savyra Meyer-Lippold
Beautiful. Had never heard this. And when one hears it, it's as though one has always known it.
Lynn Landry
This has become my song to go to when I need comfort. Thanks. Joan.
Victoria Reel
I do the same. I find comfort in this song as well. It captures it all. It clearly shows hope and the world is surely in need of hope these days.