She grew up in Norristown, Pennsylvania, studied in Washington, D.C., and finally relocated to Los Angeles, where she started seriously writing her own songs. Her first album, Catherine Feeny was produced by fellow singer/songwriter Joe Purdy and was released in the UK in January 2003. Shortly later, she met producer Sebastian Rogers who then produced her second album: Hurricane Glass, which was released in the UK in June 2006. It includes the single Mr Blue which features in the 2006 film Running With Scissors, starring Annette Bening and Gwyneth Paltrow and based on the Augusten Burroughs book of the same name. For several years she lived in Norwich before moving to Oregon in 2008, where her third album, entitled People in the Hole, was recorded and made available to fans at www.catherinefeeny.com. She also released the album "Remember where you are" as part of the group Come Gather Round Us.
She was originally signed to UK indie Tallgrass Records before signing to EMI in 2007. She is published by Warner-Chappell.
She has toured with Hal, Aberfeldy, Martha Wainwright, Dr. John, John Prine, Suzanne Vega, and The Hotel Cafe Tour. She has accompanied Kelly Jones of the Stereophonics on the "Only The Names Have Been Changed" tour.
Her passion for music was evident early on. She sang as a child, took classical voice lessons and played both the piano and the violin. It wasn't until she started singing in bands as a teenager that the guitar became her instrument of choice. "I took it up because I could play songs that I loved right away. In fact, I stole my Dad's guitar when I started playing."
Influenced by a variety of genres and artists including Joni Mitchell, The Smiths, PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth and Sinead O'Connor, Catherine's musical tastes have clearly encouraged her own creative style. "I've always loved a well-written song," she comments. "When I'm in the zone, writing is the most satisfying thing in the world. It can be so magical."
Album highlights include the heart-on-sleeve opening track Touch Back Down, the Lucinda Williams-esque Hurricane Glass, the politically weighted Unsteady Ground and Mr Blue with its immaculate pop streak.
"It's a struggle for me to be honest sometimes because I like to please people, but I think I'm pretty honest with myself. It's strange when you encounter people who aren't. That 'disconnect' inspired Touch Back Down. Unsteady Ground is about the crap the government and the media were feeding us before we attacked Iraq, while the title track 'Hurricane Glass' is about the death that comes before a rebirth."
"Performing live is something I work very hard at. There are many distractions to the little creative voice that whispers in my ear and makes me who I am as an artist, but I enjoy rising to a challenge - it let's you know you're alive."
Mr. Blue
Catherine Feeny Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I told you that I love you
Please believe me
Mr. Blue
I have to go now
Darling don't be angry
I know that you're sour and sick and sad
For some reason
So I'll leave you with a smile
Kiss you on the cheek
And you will call it treason
That's the way it goes
Some days a fever comes at you
Without a warning
And I can see it in your face
You've been waiting to break
Since you woke up this morning
Mr. Blue
Don't hold your head so low that you can't see the sky
Mr. Blue
It ain't so long since you were flying high
Mr. Blue
Mr. Blue
Mr. Blue
Mr. Blue
I told you that I love you
Please believe me
The song "Mr. Blue" by Catherine Feeny is a poignant ballad about saying goodbye to someone you love. The opening lines, "I told you that I love you, please believe me," set the tone for the rest of the song. It is a desperate plea to the titular Mr. Blue to trust and accept the singer's love before she leaves him. She acknowledges his struggles and tries to console him, even as she leaves him behind: "I know that you're tired, I know that you're sour and sick and sad for some reason."
The singer tries to ease some of Mr. Blue's pain by leaving him with a smile and a kiss on the cheek, but she knows that he may feel betrayed by her departure. She acknowledges that "that's the way it goes," but recognizes that Mr. Blue has been struggling to keep himself together, "since you woke up this morning." The song ends with a repetition of the opening lines, a final plea for Mr. Blue to understand that the love they shared was real.
Overall, "Mr. Blue" is a tender and heart-wrenching song about a difficult goodbye. It explores themes of love, loss, and the pain of letting go. The lyrics are poetic and deeply emotional, and Catherine Feeny's haunting voice adds to the depth of feeling conveyed in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Mr. Blue
The song begins by addressing a person named Mr. Blue, who is likely feeling down and dejected.
I told you that I love you
The singer reminds Mr. Blue that she loves him and wants him to believe it.
Please believe me
The singer pleads with Mr. Blue to trust her and her feelings.
Mr. Blue
The chorus repeats, emphasizing the importance of the addressee.
I have to go now
The artist is leaving, potentially for a long period of time.
Darling don't be angry
The singer reassures Mr. Blue that she isn't leaving because of him, and that he should not be upset.
I know that you're tired
The singer acknowledges that Mr. Blue is feeling exhausted, both physically and emotionally.
I know that you're sour and sick and sad
The artist recognizes Mr. Blue's negative emotions, including sadness and bitterness.
For some reason
The artist is unsure what is causing Mr. Blue's turmoil.
So I'll leave you with a smile
Despite the difficult circumstances, the artist tries to leave Mr. Blue with a positive memory.
Kiss you on the cheek
The singer displays affection for Mr. Blue by giving him a kiss on the cheek.
And you will call it treason
Mr. Blue may feel guilty or betrayed by the artist leaving, despite the positive gesture.
That's the way it goes
The singer acknowledges that sometimes, things don't go according to plan.
Some days a fever comes at you
Occasionally, negative feelings or circumstances can overwhelm a person like a fever.
Without a warning
The singer notes that these negative feelings can arise seemingly out of nowhere.
And I can see it in your face
The artist notices Mr. Blue's sadness and that he is struggling to keep it hidden.
You've been waiting to break
Mr. Blue has been trying to hold it together, but he is about to reach his breaking point.
Since you woke up this morning
Mr. Blue has been feeling sad and struggling to cope all day, likely for an extended period of time.
Mr. Blue
The chorus repeats to remind Mr. Blue that he is significant to the singer and that she cares about him.
Don't hold your head so low that you can't see the sky
The artist encourages Mr. Blue to keep his head up and look for the positive in life.
It ain't so long since you were flying high
The artist reminds Mr. Blue that he has had positive experiences in the past and will again in the future.
Mr. Blue
The song ends as it began, with the emphasis on Mr. Blue and his situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dewayne Blackwell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind