From the recording Poor Girl (Seeking A Decent Life)
In a still - or renewed - patriarchal world, a woman is fed all the familiar clichés about dreams, hope and finding “the right man,” but her reality is four painful marriages and a life of sorrow and strife instead of the relief she was promised. As she sings her way down a “highway of bad times,” the song undercuts easy platitudes and shows how hard-won joy can make those old comforting phrases sound hollow and a cruel.
Lyrics
Life ain’t a bed of roses
There’s struggle and there’s pain
Still, there’s a simple solution
That keeps you happy to refrain
It’s timeless and universal
And based on common belief
Stay true to your elusive dreams
And in the end you’ll find relief
All the sadness and weeping
Never admit defeat
Try to share what’s in your soul
With someone who knows what you need
With a man who cares and understands
Loves you for who you are
That’s the way to keep your hopes up
Turn your heartaches into a scar
Just a poor girl seeking a decent life
Found nothing but sorrow and strife
Four weddings made a long-suffering wife
Just a poor girl seeking a decent life
Along a highway of bad times she sang her song
With a cry in her voice that went right to the heart
But the tears of pain became tears of joy
Now that you’re happy you don’t sound so smart
Just a poor girl seeking a decent life
Found nothing but sorrow and strife
Four weddings made a long-suffering wife
Just a poor girl seeking a decent life
Just a poor girl seeking a decent life
Found nothing but sorrow and strife
Four weddings made a long-suffering wife
Just a poor girl seeking a decent life
Poor girl seeking a decent life
Poor girl seeking a decent life
Poor girl