After The Story broke up in 1994 Brooke went solo, first as Jonatha Brooke & The Story and then simply under her own name. Her first album, Plumb (1995) was followed by 10 Cent Wings (1997) and a harder-rocking album, Steady Pull (2001). In February of 2004 she released Back in the Circus, which marked a first collaboration with songwriter Eric Bazilian (from The Hooters), and a few creative covers. Back in the Circus was released in April 2005 in the UK combining tracks from Back in the Circus and Steady Pull.
2007 saw the release of Careful What You Wish For, on which she continued the collaborations, not only with Eric Bazilian, but also JC Chasez, Nick Lachey and Sally Dworsky (to whom she dedicated "Sally" on Back in the Circus). Her 2008 effort, The Works was a sort of collaborative effort with Woody Guthrie, returning to her folk roots by imbuing Guthrie's words with her own musical style, resulting in a whole that is infinitely greater than the sum of its parts.
She's also contributed to soundtracks (e.g. I'll Try and other tracks on Peter Pan: Return to Neverland), and released Emmanuel (a track that she and Kevin Gilbert were working on when he died), and has her own record label Bad Dog (presumably a reference to Dog Dreams).
Visit her website for current tour information.
www.jonathabrooke.com
Better After All
Jonatha Brooke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We have stopped to smell the roses
I am trying not to lose mine
The roses or my mind
You are going to break my heart
I can see it in your eyes and I can
Feel it when the rain starts
I will watch the rain fall harder
I will stay and you will go
I won't beg and I won't barter
I won't say I told you so
Oh, oh
You are stringing me along
You'll pretend that you're not going
Try and comfort me but you're gone
And there's another song
And this is better after all
I will keep the holy sweater
Tend the roses when the leaves fall
It's better after all
I will watch the rain fall harder
I will stay and you will go
I won't beg and I won't barter
I won't say I told you so
Oh, oh
I am trying to read your mind
You are going to break my heart
You are stringing me along
And this is better after all
Yeah this is better after all
It's better after all
The song "Better After All" by Jonatha Brooke encapsulates the emotions of a person desperately trying to understand the intentions of their partner. The lyrics describe the singer's anxiety and confusion about whether their relationship will withstand the challenges they are currently facing. She is actively attempting to read her partner's mind, desperate to hold onto the bond they share but at the same time feels like she is losing her own mind in the process. She knows that her partner will break her heart, and the impending devastation is causing her to lose hope in their relationship.
The singer mentions the symbolism of the falling rain, which reflects the melancholic mood and foreshadows the end of their relationship. The repetition of the line, "I won't say I told you so," conveys a sense of resolve on her part that she will not succumb to despair or anger, even though she has known all along that the relationship wasn't going to work out. The chorus, however, conjures hope and comfort, where the singer accepts the situation and appreciates the simple pleasures, symbolized by the "holy sweater" and the beauty of falling leaves. The final line of the song, "It's better after all," suggests that sometimes moving on is the only option, and things will turn out better eventually.
Line by Line Meaning
I am trying to read your mind
I am trying to understand what you're thinking and feeling
We have stopped to smell the roses
We're taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of life
I am trying not to lose mine
I am trying to keep my sanity
The roses or my mind
I'm not sure which one is harder to hold onto
You are going to break my heart
I can sense that our relationship is headed for heartbreak
I can see it in your eyes and I can
Your eyes are giving away your true feelings
Feel it when the rain starts
I sense sadness when it rains
Falling with my heart
My heart is sinking with the rain
I will watch the rain fall harder
I will endure the difficult times that are to come
I will stay and you will go
I will remain whereas you will leave
I won't beg and I won't barter
I won't plead or make deals to try and keep you around
I won't say I told you so
I won't rub it in your face when things fall apart
You are stringing me along
You're leading me on with false hope
You'll pretend that you're not going
You will try to convince me that you're not leaving
Try and comfort me but you're gone
You'll make an effort to console me but in reality, you're already gone
And there's another song
There will be other people in your life
And this is better after all
In the end, things will work out for the better
I will keep the holy sweater
I will hold onto the things that are important to me
Tend the roses when the leaves fall
I will continue to cherish life even during difficult seasons
It's better after all
Things will improve despite the current struggles
Yeah this is better after all
I am convinced that things will be better in the end
It's better after all
Things will improve despite the current struggles
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sooner74112
What a great song! I saw her live in Atlanta a years ago on the Ten Cent Wings tour. Wonderful show and a very classy lady and inspiring writer and singer!
Adam Kimmel
Great song, lovely video -- Jonatha is a fantastic singer/songwriter and a lovely person, so watch this and buy her CDs!!
Linda ben
been missing you sooooo much Johnatha...haven't seen you live for way tooo long....
dbcoll1957
I had the pleasure of seeing her live in Pittsburgh not to long after 'Steady Pull' was released... she is phenomenal! She has an amazing presence.
Dan Wayment
Geat Video! 1st I have actually seen that was not on one of her videos! Great isn't she? She has a new DVD/CD ooy on Sept 12 06 and will be at the Boston Hatshell at around 5 on Sept 9! Its free! She is even better live!
Chinietzche
oh ! JBro has little feet.
Joe Chris Morris
Chords?