‘Hands Of Time’ by Eric Church - Lyrics & Meaning

Eric Church took to social media to announce that despite news having "escaped from the machine" with the song leaking earlier in the week, ‘Hands of Time’ was to be the first single from The Chief’s upcoming album, Evangeline vs.The Machine.

The 8-track album is set to be released on May 2 and, with his last album, Heart & Soul, being a triple album, this might be a slightly smaller collection than we were expecting.

However, if ‘Hands of Time’ is representative of what Church has up his sleeve, then we’re in for a treat when May rolls around.

Reminiscent of some of Church’s biggest and best, ‘Hands of Time’ is fuelled by electric guitar with a slight bluesy feel keeping it loose. Influences from the songs he mentions work their way into the sound as we hear gospel elements, clocks ticking and a play-it-loud driving chorus.

‘Hands of Time’ really feels like a culmination of the ‘Springsteen’ fan’s favourite music, a result of a career of creativity and consuming influence from every avenue he takes, turning back time whilst pushing his own sound forward.

Despite the influences from artists around him, ‘Hands of Time’ is perhaps best described as being a ride back into Church’s own catalogue – a nostalgic return into one of country’s most well established current artists. Fans of ‘Chief’ and ‘Sinners Like Me’ might find themselves reminiscing on the memories they connect with Church’s older albums as the country singer seems to be returning to his older sound.

With lyrics made up of song references, lyrical easter eggs and artist shout-outs, a deep-dive into ‘Hands of Time’ sends the listener digging into a musical past. From Meatloaf to Frank Sinatra, gospel to classic country, Detroit to Carolina, the soundtrack of Church’s life comes together to create one killer single.

“Detroit built brakes so that they could make a Chevy slow down
And a just-right midnight sorry might turn goodbye around
Bloody Marys and aspirin will give a hangover one hell of a fight
But my remedy for handling the hands of time"

You can put the brakes on to slow down your truck, you can do your very best to fight off a hangover after a big night, but Church is letting us know that there’s only really one remedy to stop us from getting too caught up in the future: music.

As ‘Hands of Time’ unfolds, he’s giving us a look at his own soundtrack.

“Is Seger singing 'Hollywood Nights'
Even the losers get lucky sometimes
A paradise by the dashboard light
And I'm just fine, I'm doing alright
We ain't as young as we used to be
But young at heart is so easy
When you let some loud guitars and words that rhyme
Handle the hands of time”

The 1978 hit, ‘Hollywood Nights,’ from rockstar Bob Seger gets a shoutout before Church references the one and only Tom Petty’s ‘Even The Losers’. Throwing it all the way back to a Sinatra classic, Church’s musical influences come from far and wide.

Music holds a lot of power, putting on a specific song can transport us back to a time and place of the past. Perhaps the best way of visiting times-gone-by is by "some loud guitar and words that rhyme".

“My go-to game day jersey's always Carolina blue
When I need to find forgiveness, I find a little small town church pew, yeah
After work I like to put my elbows up on a bar
And girl, I turn to the speakers when I need to speak to this ol' heart”

It’s no secret that Church is a North Carolina boy, so hometown pride and faith in hometown sports are always going to see him wearing the University of North Carolina’s iconic blue.

When he needs some guidance, he heads to church, when he needs some comfort he heads to the bar. But when he needs to reminisce… he’s got a playlist for that.

"And it's 'Back In Black,' 'Shook Me All Night Long'
'Could You Be Loved,' 'Redemption Song'
'Luckenbach,' 'Home Sweet Home'
I'm 'Where I Belong,' 'Ain't Nothing Wrong,' yeah
We ain't as young as we used to be
But young at heart is so easy
When you let some loud guitars and words that rhyme
Handle the hands of time
Hands of time"

Although we might know Church as a country icon, he’s spinning some hard rock with AC/DC, and heading back to the '80s with a couple of Bob Marley reggae classics.

However, as predicted, it’s the classic country that Church finds "home sweet home" in with a reference to the outlaw legend Waylon Jennings closing the chorus.

"Tryin' to hang on as the song rolls
Like gravity pulls on the grains of sand
We take our licks, life takes its toll
We say thanks and we fold our hands"

A bridge that gets straight to the heart of the matter, Church is celebrating the fact that even through the hard times or when it feels like the days are passing too quickly to properly appreciate, we’ve got music.

Be grateful for what’s happening, take it all in your stride, but find comfort and memories in the sound of what’s come and gone.

"And it's 'Amazing Grace,' how sweet the sound
Sunday morning coming down
Tuesday's gone, green grass of home
I come to the garden alone, yeah
We ain't as young as we used to be
But until under that willow you bury me
I'm gonna turn up some loud guitars"

The final chorus sees the ‘Hell of a View’ singer taking it back to the songs that are somewhat universal.

'Amazing Grace' is referenced not just by name, but as a gospel style choir joins the country star, we’re transported to another location entirely.

The legendary Kris Kristofferson is celebrated on Sundays, some of country’s finest storytelling is mentioned as The Chief finds his own ‘Green Green Grass of Home’, and another hymn suggests that Church’s faith sits alongside his love for music.

Leaving us with a trip back to where many would say country started with The Carter Family, this soundtrack might have just come full circle.

As anticipation for the release of Evangeline vs The Machine builds, Church has shared that "an album is a snapshot in time that lasts for all time," and for his eighth studio-release, it’s looking like this will be a snapshot representative of The Eric Church. An artist who has his own soundtracks to life, but knows that he might be a part of other people’s, too.

"As I get older, I’m looking for things that make me feel not as old," he explains. "I can honestly say that when I hear music or see something from my past, I feel like I did then; I relate to what it was then."

The creative country single is a reflection on the power of music and its ability to transport listeners. It can be deeply personal or a part of a shared memory, but either way if you’re missing the past, all you have to do is turn back the ‘Hands of Time.’

As a committed country storyteller, Church commented that he’s "always let creativity be the muse" when it comes to making a record.

"The people that I look up to in my career and the kind of musicians I gravitate to never did what I thought they were going to do next – and I love them for it," he noted.

Detroit built brakes so that they could make a Chevy slow down
And a just-right midnight sorry might turn goodbye around
Bloody Marys and aspirin will give a hangover one hell of a fight
But my remedy for handling the hands of time

Is Seger singing "Hollywood Nights"
Even the losers get lucky sometimes
A paradise by the dashboard light
And I'm just fine, I'm doing alright
We ain't as young as we used to be
But young at heart is so easy
When you let some loud guitars and words that rhyme
Handle the hands of time

My go-to game day jersey's always Carolina blue
When I need to find forgiveness, I find a little small town church pew, yeah
After work I like to put my elbows up on a bar
And girl, I turn to the speakers when I need to speak to this ol' heart

And it's "Back In Black," "Shook Me All Night Long"
"Could You Be Loved," "Redemption Song"
"Luckenbach," "Home Sweet Home"
I'm "Where I Belong," "Ain't Nothing Wrong," yeah
We ain't as young as we used to be
But young at heart is so easy
When you let some loud guitars and words that rhyme
Handle the hands of time
Hands of time

Tryin' to hang on as the song rolls
Like gravity pulls on the grains of sand
We take our licks, life takes its toll
We say thanks and we fold our hands

And it's "Amazing Grace," how sweet the sound
Sunday morning coming down
Tuesday's gone, green grass of home
I come to the garden alone, yeah
We ain't as young as we used to be
But until under that willow you bury me
I'm gonna turn up some loud guitars
Turn up some loud guitars
Turn up some loud guitars
Crank some loud guitars
Crank up some loud guitars
Wanna hear some loud guitars
I'm gonna let some loud guitars and words that rhyme
Handle the hands of time

––

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