Catey Shaw (born Catherine Elizabeth Shaw; April 2, 1991) is an American si… Read Full Bio ↴Catey Shaw (born Catherine Elizabeth Shaw; April 2, 1991) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer. She gained prominence with her 2014 song "Brooklyn Girls", which went viral and was covered by numerous news media outlets. Shaw was born and raised in Virginia Beach, later moving to Brooklyn.Shaw moved to New York City in 2010 to attend School of Visual Arts where she studied painting before dropping out due to financial problems.

Shaw was discovered by her producer, Jay Levine, in the subways of New York City while busking to raise money for food and art supplies.

Shaw's 2014 song "Brooklyn Girls" went viral and received over 300,000 views on YouTube. Brooklyn Girls was widely criticised for its stereotypical portrayal of Brooklyn, and Shaw received several online death threats. NYMag described Brooklyn Girls as "the anthem nobody wanted" and predicted that it would be "a huge hit among suburban teenage girls and people who have never been to Brooklyn". Entertainment Weekly described it as "the most hated song on the internet".

Her follow-up single "Human Contact" shows her smashing a croquet club and curling her hair with bananas. The video was directed by Shaw and Bryan Russell Smith.

Shaw's song "Night Go Slow" is about two girls, Dylann and Jenny, who fall in love. She says that her sexuality "does a lot of good for [her] writing"; she is bisexual, having had relationships with both men and women.

Family
Catey Shaw Lyrics

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I am going back to my sister's house
through the mountains to the place
where I know I can take my weary soul and smile at a familiar face

and the roof that I'm standing on feels like an airplane
city streets below me moving far away
what I wouldn't give to be there now
I'll find my way to you somehow

so give me a blanket for my cold cold heart
you know that I've travelled far
and I'll give you back a warm warm hide
to keep with you when we're apart

we're family
family
we're family
family

sure I spent one long year since I've been down here
running in a concrete race
where I'm lonely but far from alone
just longing for a slower pace

and the roof that I'm standing on won't hide me from the rain
but I know that I will see you all again
what I wouldn't give to be there now
I'll find my way to you somehow

so give me a blanket for my cold cold heart
you know that I've travelled far
and I'll give you back a warm warm hide
to keep with you when we're apart

we're family
family
we're family
family

so give me a blanket for my cold cold heart
you know that I've travelled far
and I'll give you back a warm warm hide
to keep with you when we're apart

we're family
family

we're family
family

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Catey Shaw's song "Family" speak to the theme of finding a sense of home and belonging. The singer of the song is returning to her sister's house in a familiar place in the mountains where she knows she can take comfort and find a sense of belonging. The imagery of standing on a roof that feels like an airplane and watching the city streets move far below creates a sense of displacement and longing, but the sense of comfort and familiarity that comes from being with family is what ultimately brings her happiness. Shaw speaks to the idea that family is something that is always there for you, no matter how far you may travel or how long you may be gone.

The lyrics to "Family" are tinged with a sense of escapism and a desire to return to a simpler time when life was less complicated. The singer speaks of living in a concrete jungle and feeling lonely, but also acknowledges that she is not alone. The sense of community and connection she feels with her family is what helps her through the difficult times. The repetition of the phrase "we're family" serves as a simple reminder of the importance of belonging and connection in our lives.

Line by Line Meaning

I am going back to my sister's house
Returning to the home of a family member

through the mountains to the place
Traveling to a familiar location

where I know I can take my weary soul and smile at a familiar face
Finding comfort and happiness with loved ones

and the roof that I'm standing on feels like an airplane
Feeling high up and elevated

city streets below me moving far away
Leaving the city and its stress behind

what I wouldn't give to be there now
Longing to be with family

I'll find my way to you somehow
Determined to be reunited with family

so give me a blanket for my cold cold heart
Asking for emotional support from family

you know that I've travelled far
Acknowledging the distance traveled

and I'll give you back a warm warm hide
Willing to reciprocate the emotional support

to keep with you when we're apart
To maintain the strong bond even when physically distant