Time of day I can't recall
The kind of thing that takes it's toll
Over years and over time
Over smiles and over wine
All in all it wasn't bad
All in all it wasn't good
But I still care

That's the problem with the days
They're never long enough to say
What it is you never said
All the books you never read
Throw myself into the wind
Hoping somebody will pick me up
And carry me again

Where are you now?
Do you let me down?
Do you make me grieve for you?
Do I make you proud?
Do you get me now?
Am I your pride and joy?

I believe this to be true
Is nothing sacred, nothing new?
No one tells you when its time
There are no warnings only signs
And you know that you're alone
Not a child anymore
But you're still scared

All your mountains turn to rocks
All your oceans turn to drops
They are nothing like you thought
The can't be something you are not
Life is not a looking glass
Don't get tangled in your past
Like I am learning not to

Where are you now?
Do you let me down?
Do you make me grieve for you?
Do I make you proud?
Do you get me now?
Am I your pride and joy?


Lyrics submitted by radiationvibe

Pride and Joy Lyrics as written by Timothy Jay Hanseroth Brandi M. Carlile

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Pride and Joy song meanings
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5 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    Well... I think wetch is pretty close. When I hear this song and think about what I know about Brandi Carlile, I think something slightly different. Brandi is a gay woman and she was raised in an minister's household. You can hear references to her background in "That Year" on Give Up The Ghost. To me this song could just as well be about her taking a risk and telling her parents who she really is, and wondering what their reaction will be (You can't be something you are not - Life is not a looking glass - Don't get tangled in your past - Like I am learning not to). Coming out to your religious family can be so difficult and you risk them feeling differently about you... or worse yet... having nothing to do with you. (Where are you now - Do you let me down - Do you make me grieve for you - Do I make you proud - Do you get me now - Am I your pride and joy) So that's what I've always thought the song was about. :-)

    rachiemcon November 23, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    oh jesus. i don't know if I'm pms-ing or what...but I just started crying while listening to this one..

    BettyHolly1950on August 19, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i think this can be applied to just going up in general, but being afraid to. you can get tangled in the past wishing you were younger, and when facing the world or hard situations you realize youre not nearly as strong as you were (all your mountains turn to rocks, all your oceans turn to drops, they are nothing like you thought, you cant be something you are not). its a really beautiful song

    mmf28on January 11, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I can't believe no one has commented this one.... its by far the most amazing BCB song on the new album. I love the fluidity of the song, to me it seems as though she is speaking to someone who didn't believe in her, and she's moving past that now but still wanting to feel accepted.

    Indigodifranco27on February 05, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    it's probably about her dad.. about all the feelings and things she couldn't tell him before his death.. and wondering if he'd be proud of her.

    eternalsolitudeon April 02, 2012   Link

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