Iris DeMent - Easy's Gettin' Harder Every Day Lyrics






Standing barefoot on a cold wood floor
Looking out the window of my back door
If it keeps on raining I think the whole damn house is gonna float away
The alarm was buzzing at the break of dawn
My husband's asking, "Is the coffee on?"
And easy's gettin' harder every day

I'll drop the baby off at school at nine
And bust the lights to get to work on time
Where I'll be staring at the clock just waiting to knock off another day
When supper's done we'll watch some TV show
Of a bunch of folks who've never heard of Idaho
Where easy's gettin' harder every day

I had a garden but my flowers died
There ain't much living here inside
Lately, I don't know what I'm holding on to
Wished I could run away to Coeur d'Alene
Take nothing with me, not even my name
'Cause easy's gettin' harder every day

We make love and then we kiss goodnight
He rolls over and he's out like a light
But I ain't mad about it, we got nothing to talk about anyway
The lights are blinking on the radio tower
And I lie awake and stare at them for hours and hours
'Cause easy's gettin' harder every day

I had a garden but my flowers died
There ain't much living here inside
And lately, I don't know what I'm holding on to
But I'll never make it up to Coeur d'Alene
There ain't no chance of me forgetting my name
And easy's gettin' harder every day
And it feels like easy just keeps on gettin' harder every day





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Iris DeMent Easy's Gettin' Harder Every Day Comments
  1. k.... f....

    we need national treasures in this wasteland America is gne baby kiss it goodbye

  2. T.... H....

    What voice and song . ! .

  3. J.... T....

    The ultimate duet would be Iris Dement, and Haley Reinhart...

  4. C.... N....

    Water ur garden! :)

  5. G.... E....

    Crushingly brilliant. Saw her in Preston in the mid-nineties - unique talent.

  6. B.... B....

    Music for when life kicks you in the balls. Thank you, beautiful Iris.

  7. N.... N....

    I,love you Iris DeMent your music has saved me many times I’m sure 😊♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

  8. D.... H....

    A true angel godis all the way home .she tares me up ,so sweet.

  9. E.... W....

    Beautiful song. Recorded way before depression was "acceptable" in the public domain. As someone else wrote, courageous. Truly courageous.

  10. M.... V....

    Beautiful..

  11. L.... M....

    Beautiful Thank you🌺💋🔥💃💥😘🍀☘️😍💥

  12. L.... M....

    Beautiful thank You 💞💋❤️💃🍓💋🍒🌺🍷💯💃🍓❣️💖❤️💝💝

  13. R.... B....

    i just LOVE iris dement!

  14. C.... F....

    Thanks for this what a gorgeous song

  15. L.... S....

    ❤😢

  16. J.... N....

    It's relaxing and peaceful listening to her beautiful voice. She is a gift.

  17. m.... ....

    I love Iris Dement- and have since 1992, but the line about her husband rolling over after making love, and is out like a light,after kissing good night  without a word(but I ain't mad about it, we ain't got nothin' to talk about anyway)is absolutely the most ridiculous line I've heard. Most couples don't even make long or even sleep in the bed after many years- and he kisses her, no less! She should be grateful

  18. R.... M....

    A big part of my play/listen/adore music list is determined by uniqueness of voice. I favor the females 'cause they sound better to me, and a singer like Iris? Say, it just doesn't get better than her. the Radman

  19. D.... D....

    She's so different....

  20. r.... n....

    Peerless, this is the track i want played on the day when i can no longer listen, My gift to the others, Thankyou Iris

  21. V.... E....

    Iris reminds me of days in the early 1950s, when I was but a child. I would attend the Saturday night dance at the dance hall, where I sat by watching and listening while my parents danced. Our town was only 450 people, but as I recall, the house would be mostly full. During breaks the band would allow singers to come and sing before the next "set." The kind of voice that Iris has is very much like what I heard then. It warms my heart in a special way.

  22. G.... T....

    Thanks John Prine.

  23. G.... T....

    Wow she is great

  24. S.... M....

    LOVE IRIS! Cannot believe i never heard of her till this year. Beautiful! THANKS YOU TUBE!

  25. R.... E....

    So so many sleepless nights blessed listening to Iris, what a talented woman.x

  26. J.... B....

    So many emotions in this song. It's hard not to sympathize with the writer channeled by Iris DeMent. The acceptance of one's lot in life is especially depressing, but the loyalty to one's family is touching. It made me cry (a tough 76 year old veteran).

  27. R.... A....

    Iris - This one song has made me a fan for life.

  28. r.... ....

    Love the song, but the images don't really work with it. They're nice images, but they don't evoke much of Iris' lyrics. My favorite lines:

    The lights are blinking on the radio tower.
    And I lie awake and stare at them for hours and hours
    .

  29. M.... B....

    Iris! You are the music! 👍💘

  30. A.... K....

    Great Montage Mel.
    Sepia always hits the spot.
    Why not just to stick to landscape and Flora ?
    Not the Taj Mahal please .
    Looks like a Tourist Trip,with Iris .

  31. p.... d....

    Can't n belive she is from the same country as trump!

    p.... d....

    Have you heard Iris' song 'Livin' In The Wasteland Of The Free'? She's truly an incredible singer/songwriter!

  32. c.... t....

    thank you = hugs

  33. D.... O....

    So much brutal truth in these songs.

  34. W.... ....

    Wonderful. One of her first and one of her best. Ranks right up there with "When My Mornin' Comes Around." Iris is an American original and treasure.

  35. g.... ....

    I heard Iris on mountain stage awhile ago

  36. T.... M....

    Beautiful voice and song

  37. S.... ....

    💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

  38. g.... ....

    feels that way to me

  39. J.... P....

    vile - if I were Iris I would sue.......just stop

  40. K.... W....

    I Love this Iris ❤️❤️❤️

  41. T.... M....

    Heard Iris for the first time on Prairie Home Companion way back in the early '90s. Hard to believe it's been almost 25 years now. We've seen her several times in Asheville. Such an American treasure. Such a beautiful soul.

  42. p.... t....

    I am a real fan of this lady. I just heard her this year. I wish I had heard her long ago.

  43. I.... B....

    If something doesn’t reach deep inside you, grab your heart and twist it, wrench it, squeeze it, pound it flat then smash it back inside you and say, “Best o’ luck, sucker,” then you ain’t heard a real song that means something.

    And I feel sorry for those who ain’t.

  44. J.... S....

    wonderful music

  45. D.... H....

    Easy is not live.Live is not easy. Watch.think.act. LOVE

    D.... H....

    Daniel Huber Is not “live” you say? Well, something is really wrong here then.

  46. T.... M....

    I'm in love with iris dement, beautiful voice

  47. R.... R....

    Iris should be declared a national treasure, she's wonderful, many many songs.

    R.... R....

    Ok I'll do it. I declare that Iris Dement is a national treasure.

    R.... R....

    Unfortunately, she as with many others will never get their due credit...
    This generation wants too erase and forget all those that came before...
    Ironically, easy is getting harder everyday...

  48. D.... H....

    Easy. Know the line. Follow. never sayd this was easy

  49. d.... ....

    I have loved this song from the very first time I heard it, but the slideshow....oh my, those images are so incredibly unrelated to the lyrics that is is almost funny!

    d.... ....

    You’re the second comment with the same thoughts. I’m speaking for myself here, but I have no idea what the two of you are seeing - or not seeing.

  50. G.... J....

    When I painted the image of my daughter reading by the water (that appears in the last frame of this song) her life was so much like this song. So hard. Doing better now. Good to see her smile again.

  51. L.... L....

    That last frame is from a picture that my mother painted. Her name is Georgia Janisse. gjanisseartist.com It was unexpected to see it. That is my sister in the image. One of my favorite songs. Just thought that my mom should get a credit for the art. I enjoyed this video. I love Iris Dement.

    L.... L....

    Linda Long My mom was an artist, painted all her life, taught classes til she couldn’t wrap her head around things anymore. It was sad, especially at the beginning when she first noticed it. “I believe I’ve lost my touch,” she said. “I don’t see colors right anymore.” That wasn’t long before she died. Her paintings are in houses from coast to coast. I’m glad you pointed out your mom’s work. That makes me smile. Here’s to moms and their paintings, and to songwriters, who paint our hearts, and write about our lives whether we think we want that or not. Turns out we always really do, else life would suffer no meaning at all.

  52. J.... H....

    Beautiful. Thank you Iris

  53. A.... V....

    Why is it always knocking on the door of midnight when discover such sad wonderful things like this?

  54. B.... H....

    When i'M dePreSSed===
    i listen to thiS to enJoY iT eVeN MoRE......
    ToTaL ResignaTioN!
    The Chord Changes bring Me To TeaRs Every Time.

    B.... H....

    Bill Hirr Your keyboard seems to be acting up, but I managed to read what you - typed. Wasn’t easy. I’d be investing in a new one, but that’s just me.

  55. J.... H....

    I am reluctant to add a comment,nothing I can write will do justice to her greatness. Thank You Iris for being so wonderful!!

  56. J.... F....

    One of the finest songs ever written....

  57. M.... L....

    Greatest, saddest song ever. So WTF do these pictures have to do with something so heart-rending?

    M.... L....

    Michael L Hays Everything.

  58. c.... ....

    this song hits home in every way

  59. Y.... E....

    Standing barefoot on a cold wood floor,
    Looking out the window of my back door.
    If it keeps on raining I think the whole damn house is gonna float away.
    The alarm was buzzing at the break of dawn.
    My husband's asking: "Is the coffee on?"
    And easy's gettin' harder every day.

    I'll drop the baby off at school at nine,
    And bust the lights to get to work on time.
    Where I'll be staring at the clock just waiting to knock off another day.
    When supper's done we'll watch some TV show,
    Of a bunch of folks who've never heard of Idaho,
    Where easy's gettin' harder every day.

    I had a garden but my flowers died.
    There ain't much living here inside.
    Lately, I don't know what I'm holding on to.
    Wished I could run away to Couer d'Alene,
    Take nothing with me, not even my name.
    'Cause easy's gettin' harder every day.

    Instrumental break

    We make love and then we kiss goodnight,
    He rolls over and he's out like a light.
    But I ain't mad about it, we got nothing to talk about anyway.
    The lights are blinking on the radio tower.
    And I lie awake and stare at them for hours and hours,
    'Cause easy's gettin' harder every day.

    I had a garden but my flowers died.
    There ain't much living here inside.
    And lately, I don't know what I'm holding on to.
    But I'll never make it up to Couer d'Alene.
    There ain't no chance of me forgetting my name.
    And easy's gettin' harder every day

    And it feels like easy, just keeps on gettin' harder every day.

    Y.... E....

    Sorry, as an incorrigible proofreader I must submit that the correct spelling is "Coeur d'Aline". Thanks for posting the lyrics! Iris DeMent is the best.

  60. J.... W....

    Demented Iris she is a good singer

    J.... W....

    Iris Dement is a wonderful Blue Grass , Americana ,Country singer !
    I really love her songs too much !
    Hannelore Antes Germany

  61. E.... H....

    ~ My cup runneth over.

  62. J.... C....

    Just nice

  63. A.... M....

    I think this has to be one of my favourite songs by Iris.

  64. G.... ....

    ...I am sorry to Iris's husband but I am madly in love with Iris. She is a fantastic singer and tells beautiful stories. I just discovered her at the end of the re-make of "true Grit".

    G.... ....

    Me too!

  65. D.... C....

    I didn't discover 'IRIS' until I was 50 years old, and now that I'm well into my 70's I look back and see her music bringing me right along through all those years. Iris is like a good wine or a loving dog, always bringing me back to having both feet on the ground at the same time. Thank you for the years Iris...

    D.... C....

    Same with my dad, luckily I was 16 and I am 42 now. Our Town breaks me every time. That the song I listened to when I was leaving Mississippi for Katrina.

    D.... C....

    Dennis Collet same for me Dennis

  66. W.... M....

    OMG I die every fucking time I hear this song....   I.......da......ho

    I had a garden but my flowers died.
    There ain't much living here inside.
    Lately, I don't know what I'm holding on to.
    Wished I could run away to Couer d'Alene,
    Take nothing with me, not even my name.
    'Cause easy's gettin' harder every day.

  67. m.... ....

    Genius. She describes boredom in such a compelling way!

    m.... ....

    matonguitar It’s not “boredom.” You’ve missed a lot.

  68. m.... ....

    Genius. She describes boredom in such a compelling way!

  69. y.... s....

    so nice to listen to this beautiful song,and see a message board that's not full of negative comments! Iris dement fans are awesome

    y.... s....

    There's a whole choir in this Angel 's voice love her .

  70. K.... O....

    So very beautiful voice beautiful lady

  71. C.... B....

    Iris is an amazing artist and great song writer who can tell a story in melodic blessed heart sincerity every time.

    C.... B....

    Chris Bowen is the first

  72. T.... O....

    Well, make me an angel that flies from Montgomery and I'll be bound for easy or I'll be bound for glory. Whichever way it goes will be my row to hoe, don't ya' know? Already had a long, hard one, so easy can't be much further along...

    T.... O....

    Tim O' Flea I’ll fly along with you then. Matter of fact, I already took off a long time ago.

  73. s.... ....

    I wish these lyrics didn't sound so familiar to me.

  74. M.... G....

    Love Iris.. What a voice and emotion!

  75. G.... P....

    I Love this beautiful voice - her songs are so true to life !!

  76. B.... W....

    Love you.

    B.... W....

    Bill Widner Love you too, honey.

  77. T.... V....

    One of the best songs ever. This should be considered a classic.

    T.... V....

    It is a classic.

  78. E.... W....

    Come to the UK please Iris - don't make me beg ! Steve Roth's comments from a couple of years ago are spot on.

  79. d.... ....

    It made me cry. It's pure country.

  80. c.... ....

    amazing Lady

  81. R.... T....

    Fantastic slide show and something about the voice is just out of this world !!! Thanks so much !!!

  82. M.... C....

    Also heard Iris the first time on the Leftovers, I have googled all her songs since, and I have discovered John Prine too. Where have I been?. Love it. They are coming to the Shubert in Boston in April. I am there!

    M.... C....

    If you haven't already, you should give Steve Earle a listen .. Guitar Town, Hillbilly Highway, Oxycontin Blues, Copperhead Road .. and about 899 more.

    M.... C....

    Mark Collins I saw john and iris a few years ago in vegas. totally worth it. one of the hest shows I've ever been too.

    M.... C....

    Never would have heard of her without being a big John prine fan

    M.... C....

    Mark Collins easy

  83. L.... T....

    Thanks to NPR I just learned about Iris. She is beautiful and her way with a song is indescrible. Im would love to see her in concert. I believe the reason I like her so much is that I so identify with those haunting lyrics.

  84. M.... S....

    just surrender

  85. J.... E....

    what a voice my wife was watching The left overs in one room and I was in the kitchen when I first heard this girl and I can't get enough of her now

    J.... E....

    +John Emery same here! Heard "Let The Mystery Be" on Leftovers and been hooked ever since!

    J.... E....

    +Wayne Mills I also discovered her watching the Leftovers. I Googled her up and fell into a treasure trove of some of the best songs and singing I ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Like you I can't get enough of Iris. This may sound nuts but I must have my daily fix of Iris or the day just isn't right.

    J.... E....

    I really like Iris DeMent. I seem to be on a voyage to hear all of her music. I particular like "Living in the Wasteland of the Free"

  86. p.... ....

    Iris is now touring... what a wonderful evening of honest soul searching music !

  87. l.... ....

    there aint no chance of me forgettin my name..

    l.... ....

    lwinders1 Ain't that a grand way to put it?

  88. D.... B....

    There isn't much more to say, when it's like this. love the Iris. and, you should too

  89. W.... ....

    I love Iris's songs and her singing style...and these are excellent photos!

    W.... ....

    Maybe the most underrated song writer in country music.

  90. s.... ....

    Great song Iris!!!!

  91. P.... ....

    "I had a garden, but my weed all died....I just sat there and cried and cried"

  92. J.... J....

    I forget how very much I love this True Country Singer.....until I hear her again then I'm hooked AGAIN AGAIN!

  93. J.... K....

    Another painted canvas of my life in a beautiful song.

  94. C.... ....

    Beautiful, really beautiful...song and images

  95. g.... ....

    She's a treasure.  Voice like that is made for understatement.  Unique like Blossom Dearie's voice was.  Loved Iris singing in remake of True Grit.  Perfect choice for that movie.

    g.... ....

    @gilded-slippery I was so touched by her performance in True Grit, glad I wasn't the only one.

    g.... ....

    @gilded-slippery I was so touched by her performance in True Grit, glad I wasn't the only one.

    g.... ....

    +gilded-slippery A National Treasure !

  96. H.... N....

    A voice that cuts you up ........  snif

  97. d.... ....

    I just love her. She's a courageous writer.  She sings about things you're not supposed to sing about anymore.  

    d.... ....

    It may be someone sang about the same things sometime before, but I don't know of anybody that has defined those things as well or communicated them as well. She has done us all a great service. Thank you, Iris.

  98. e.... i....

    This woman expresses what we all feel when life just gets to be too much

  99. i.... n....

    What a wonderful "world has gone to hell song. We all have days like this.

    i.... n....

    Sometimes it’s what makes things go ‘round. Telling you what you’re riding, and whether to get off - or to stay on. Sometimes we just need a fresh horse, sometimes we need to get one shod.