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."
The Shape You're In
Catherine Feeny Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Haven't been around
You aren't looking so good
Tell me why you're slipping down
You call me loaded
Singing in the phone
If i hear voices in the backround
Go sing at your own discretion
On down to the bitter end
Do it the hard way, learn your lesson
I'll worry about the shape you're in
You can run around the block
You can wait for it to stop
You can pray you'll wake up somewhere else
And you can drink until you drop
And theres an ocean i wanted
Swimming in your eyes
You can't contain it
I don't see why you try
Go sing at your own discretion
I wonder where this road will end
Do it the hard way, learn your lesson,
I'll worry about the shape you're in
Please don't make a joke
When you open up your mouth
Please just tell the truth
It's dying to get out
Go sing at your own discretion
On down to the bitter end
Do it the hard way, learn your lesson
I'll worry about the shape you're in
I'll worry about the shape you're in
I can't worry about the shape you're in
The lyrics of Catherine Feeny's "The Shape You're In" is a song about a person who is struggling with something in their life while the singer is expressing her concern and care for the person. The opening lines imply that the singer has not seen the person for weeks and that they are not looking good. She wonders why they are slipping down, indicating that there is something wrong with them. The person calls the singer but sounds alone even though there are voices in the background. The singer expresses her concern that the person is not doing well.
The song's chorus reveals that the person is free to do what they want and that the singer won't hold them back, but she will worry about the shape they are in. The person can go down to the bitter end if they want or learn their lesson the hard way, but the singer will always be worried about them.
The final verse implies that the person is hiding something and not telling the truth, and the singer wants them to open up and reveal what's going on. Overall, the song's lyrics express empathy and concern for someone who is going through a tough time, while acknowledging that they need to find their own way through it.
Line by Line Meaning
Haven't seen you for weeks now
It's been a long time since we've met each other
Haven't been around
I haven't been present in your life lately
You aren't looking so good
You don't seem to be doing well
Tell me why you're slipping down
I'm concerned about why you seem to be falling apart
You call me loaded
You accuse me of being drunk
Singing in the phone
Talking unintelligibly on the phone
If i hear voices in the background
I can hear others talking in the background
Why do you always sound alone?
But you still sound lonely despite all that
Go sing at your own discretion
Do whatever you want, regardless of my advice
On down to the bitter end
Keep doing it until it inevitably crashes and burns
Do it the hard way, learn your lesson
It might be a difficult lesson, but you'll learn from it
I'll worry about the shape you're in
But don't worry, I'll be there to help you
You can run around the block
You can try to run away from your problems
You can wait for it to stop
Or you can wait for things to get better
You can pray you'll wake up somewhere else
Or you can hope that things magically change overnight
And you can drink until you drop
Or you can drown your sorrows in alcohol
And theres an ocean i wanted
I see glimpses of something beautiful in you
Swimming in your eyes
Perhaps it's your eyes that reveal it
You can't contain it
But you're struggling to keep it under control
I don't see why you try
Why do you even bother hiding it?
Please don't make a joke
Please don't deflect or avoid the truth
When you open up your mouth
When you finally speak your mind
Please just tell the truth
Please be honest with me
It's dying to get out
Because I can sense that there's something you need to say
Contributed by Mila M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.