Hands Of Time

Album

Evangeline vs. the Machine

Label

EMI Nashville

Genre

Country

Composer(s)

Eric Church;Scooter Carusoe

Entered Chart

Apr 26, 2025

Peak Date

May 17, 2025

Released

March 20, 2025

Recorded

January 16, 2024January 13, 2025 Studio Neon Cross Studio (Nashville, TN)

"Hands of Time" is Eric Church's punchy, foot stamping argument that music has the power to trick Father Time, or at least con him into looking the other way for a few minutes. Church contends that while he may no longer be the youthful renegade he once was, a well-placed power chord and a lyric with just the right amount of nostalgia can instantly teleport him back to a time when knees didn't creak and hangovers didn't last three days. To drive the point home, a ticking clock winds down the song, which is both thematically appropriate and slightly ominous, a reminder that no matter how much fun you're having, time will keep marching on. Church wrote the song with Scooter Carusoe (Kenny Chesney's "Better As A Memory," Taylor Swift's "You All Over Me") inspired by his own realization that, as the years go by, he finds himself gravitating toward music that makes him feel like he's back in his glory days. In his own words: "The older I get, the more I want to listen to things that don't make me feel that way. And that's what Hands of Time is. It's about nostalgia. It's about... those songs that just make you feel whatever you felt at 16 and 20 and 25, 30. And that's what music does. It evokes that emotion. It's one of the few things in the world that does that." What makes this song fun is that it plays an elaborate game of musical name-dropping. Hidden within the lyrics are references to an eclectic set of classics, including: "Hollywood Nights" – Bob Seger "Even The Losers" – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" – Meat Loaf "Back In Black"/ "You Shook Me All Night Long"– AC/DC "Could You Be Loved"/ "Redemption Song" – Bob Marley & the Wailers "Luckenbach, Texas" – Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson Home Sweet Home – Either the 19th century folk song or the Mötley Crüe power ballad (both wildly different vibes) "Amazing Grace" – Because what's a song about time without a nod to eternity? "Sunday Morning Coming Down" – Kris Kristofferson (later covered by Johnny Cash) "Tuesday's Gone" – Lynyrd Skynyrd "Green Green Grass Of Home" – Popularized by Tom Jones, ideal for those contemplating their mortality while also appreciating a nice lawn "In the Garden" – A traditional hymn, rounding out the list with a touch of the divine. Produced by Church's longtime collaborator Jay Joyce, "Hands Of Time" is a swirling blend of rock, blues and country, packed with horns, guitars, choral harmonies, and of course, Church's signature vocal swagger. It also features Church's longtime background vocalist Joanna Cotten and a choral quartet comprising Kristen Rogers, April Rucker, Armand Hutton and Jeremy Lister.

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 ("Amazing Grace")
Sunday morning coming down
Tuesday's gone, green grass of home (Tuesday's gone)
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 it up loud) Turn up some loud guitars
(Turn it up) Crank some loud guitars
Crank up some loud guitars (Turn it up, turn it up now)
Wanna hear some loud guitars (Turn it up, turn it up now)
I'm gonna let some loud guitars and words that rhyme
(Turn it up, turn it up now, turn it up)
Handle the hands of time