As an adolescent Foster worked as a funeral and wedding singer, and aspired to become an opera singer. After her studies she began to record demos of her own songs, resulting in the early recordings There Are Eyes Above (2000), an album of ukulele accompanied songs strongly influenced by Tin Pan Alley, and an album of children's songs, Little Life (2001).
For several years she worked as a singing teacher in Chicago, recording and performing with a variety of musical acts on the side including Born Heller, a project with free jazz-bassist Jason Ajemian, and The Children's Hour, a pop band formed with songwriter Andrew Bar. In 2004, joined by her occasional backing band The Supposed (Brian Goodman on guitar and Rusty Peterson on drums), she released an album of psychedelic rock called All the Leaves Are Gone which has drawn comparison to Patti Smith and Jefferson Airplane.
The songs on her first solo studio album Hazel Eyes, I Will Lead You (2005, Locust Music) evoke American folk and blues forms of the early 20th century. A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, released in 2006, features unorthodox interpretations of 19th century German Lieder. This Coming Gladness, was released in 2008 and featured the contributions of Victor Herrero on electric guitar and percussion by Alex Neilson. In early 2009 she released an album of 27 Emily Dickinson song settings entitled Graphic as a Star with UK label Fire Records. Thereafter began her work in rural Spain with her husband Victor Herrero collecting and arranging collections of folk songs resulting in the recordings Anda Jaleo (a resetting of Garcia Lorca´s piano/voice transcriptions of Spanish songs) and Perlas (a selection of Spanish songs made by Foster herself) respectively.
In 2012 she returned to Colorado to record a new solo album Blood Rushing which took inspiration from local themes from her childhood such as the western geography, native rhythms, and imagined mythology. The album was recorded in a Boulder yoga studio by the Andrija Tokic and featured the ensemble of Victor Herrero on classical and electric guitars, Paz Lenchantin on bass, Heather Trost on violin, and Ben Trimble on pueblo skin drums.
Foster released a new full-length album, I'm A Dreamer on November 12th, 2013.
Good News
Josephine Foster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good news is a-gone
Good news, ya got me hummin'
Bad news, gets my song
Out of my ear
To the sewer in the sky-bo
Rocky cheer me lacky-lo
Rocky cheer me lacky-lo.
Give to the east
Give to the west
Give to the boy
Who treats you the best
Who troubles you less
Cleans up his mess
Doesn't get fresh
Who's patience-blessed
Got rhythm in his waist
And hair on his chest
Nothin' to confess
Puts your mind at rest
Puts your mind at rest!
Good news is a-comin
Good news is a-gone
Good news, sing along
Good news, got me hummin'
Bad news, when yer gone
'Cause I miss ya I just dried
My hankertissue
Can't you stick around a little bit
Until I sing my song
Can't you stick around a little bit
Until I sing my song
The song "Good News" by Josephine Foster is a beautiful and poetic meditation on the nature of news and its impact on our lives. The song is set up as a series of contrasts between good news and bad news, and the different ways that these two types of news can affect us. The opening lines of the song, "Good news is a-comin', Good news is a-gone, Good news, ya got me hummin', Bad news, gets my song" set up this contrast right from the start. The theme of good news and bad news continues throughout the song, with Foster exploring how these different types of news can both lift us up and bring us down.
The lyrics of "Good News" are full of powerful imagery and vivid language. Foster talks about tears going down the drain and to the sewer in the sky, Rocky cheering her on, and the importance of finding someone who puts our minds at rest. She also explores the idea of giving, both to others and to ourselves, and the importance of patience and forgiveness in our relationships. Ultimately, the song is a celebration of the power of music to uplift and heal us, even in the face of bad news and difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
Good news is a-comin'
There are positive events on the way
Good news is a-gone
The good events have passed
Good news, ya got me hummin'
Positive events make me happy
Bad news, gets my song
Negative events make me sad
And my tear down the drain
I'm crying and letting go of my sadness
Out of my ear
My sadness is leaving me through my ears
To the sewer in the sky-bo
My sadness is being washed away and forgotten
Rocky cheer me lacky-lo
I'm trying to stay positive and happy
Give to the east
Be generous towards the east
Give to the west
Be generous towards the west
Give to the boy
Be kind and generous to a boy
Who treats you the best
Choose to be with someone who treats you well
Who troubles you less
Be with someone who does not cause you trouble
Cleans up his mess
Takes responsibility for his actions and cleans up after himself
Doesn't get fresh
Does not act inappropriately or make unwanted advances
Who's patience-blessed
Be with someone who has patience and is understanding
Got rhythm in his waist
Has good dancing skills
And hair on his chest
Is mature and grown-up
Nothin' to confess
Has nothing to hide or be ashamed of
Puts your mind at rest
Makes you feel at ease
Good news, sing along
Join me in being happy about positive events
Good news, got me hummin'
Positive events make me happy
Bad news, when yer gone
I feel sad when you're not around
'Cause I miss ya I just dried
I'm crying because I miss you
My hankertissue
I'm drying my tears with a handkerchief
Can't you stick around a little bit
I wish you could stay with me a little longer
Until I sing my song
Until I finish expressing myself through music
Contributed by Bailey F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.