Born in Windsor, Ontario and raised in France and Kelowna, British Columbia, Fellows lived in Toronto, Vancouver, Guelph and Montreal before settling in Winnipeg in 1992.
In 1993, she formed her first group, Helen, with Barry Mirochnick, Paul James, and Chang. Helen broke up in 1995, and in 1996 Fellows teamed up with singer-songwriter Keri McTighe, Barry Mirochnick, Keith McLeod and Peggy Messing, to form Special Fancy. The group released one album, King Me.
In 2000 Fellows released her debut solo album, 2 Little Birds. This was followed by The Last One Standing in 2002, Paper Anniversary in 2005, and Nevertheless in 2007. These albums feature Leanne Zacharias (cello), Jason Tait (drums, vibraphone), Barry Mirochnick (drums, vocals), John K. Samson (vocals, guitar), Keith McLeod (mandolin), Monica Guenter (viola), Greg Smith (bass), Ed Reifel (percussion), and Cristina Zacharias (violin).
Fellows has performed with the Rheostatics, Veda Hille, The Mountain Goats, Kim Barlow, Old Man Luedecke, and The Weakerthans. She is married to The Weakerthans' lead singer, John K. Samson.
In 2006, Fellows and Samson recorded The Old House, an album intended only as a Christmas gift for friends and family, although they released two songs, "Taps Reversed" and "Good Salvage", for airplay on CBC Radio 3 in early 2007. Fellows and Samson also performed live on the network on March 17, 2007, to mark the final night of the network's terrestrial simulcast on CBC Radio 2.
Fellows also composes music for dance, film and television. She scored part of Clive Holden's Trains of Winnipeg film series, as well as collaborating with Tait and Samson on the associated album. In 2007, she wrote several songs for a dance piece by choreographer Susie Burpee; they were later included on her fourth solo album, Nevertheless, which was released on November 6, 2007.
Fellows has also toured as a member of The Pan-Canadian New Folk Ensemble with Kim Barlow and Old Man Luedecke.
Recently, she was artist-in-residence at Le Musee de Saint-Boniface Museum in Winnipeg (2009), and she has been writing songs for a new solo album, scheduled for release on Six Shooter Records in fall of 2010.
A Day in the Road
Christine Fellows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Collared and disarmed. You're an accompliace don't you know.
Screaming in your ears for all eternity to hear.
Sentiments as pure as your intentions ought to be.
Suspend your disbelief.
For an instant why not be amazed.
Frozen in the road against the backdrop of our cause.
Mortifies us all when we are froced to disagree.
Raise your hand if you don't understand.
Extend your offerings. Maybe this is all we need to see.
The lyrics of Christine Fellows's song "A Day in the Road" appear to be discussing conformity and conflict. The opening lines "Raise your hand if you do what you're told" and "Collared and disarmed" suggest a passive obedience, while "Sentiments as pure as your intentions ought to be" implies a sense of conformity enforced by those in power. The following lyric "Suspend your disbelief" is a call to question the norm and shake free of established beliefs. The lyrics then take a turn, asking the listener to "raise a flag if you know why we're here" and expressing a commitment to a cause. The mention of being "frozen in the road against the backdrop of our cause" is a literal representation of the conflict inherent in any cause - stopping or obstructing progress for the sake of something larger. The line "mortifies us all when we are forced to disagree" underscores just how difficult conflict and disagreement can be, particularly when it arises among like-minded people with a shared purpose. The final line, "Extend your offerings. Maybe this is all we need to see," is a call to offer solutions and come together in understanding rather than letting our differences divide us.
Overall, the message of "A Day in the Road" seems to be one of empowering the individual to resist conformity, while still embracing a common cause. The song seems to be encouraging people to question authority, think for themselves, and work together to pursue a greater good despite the challenges that might arise.
Line by Line Meaning
Raise your hand if you do what you're told.
Are you blindly following orders or questioning authority?
Collared and disarmed. You're an accomplice don't you know.
Are you aware of your role in perpetuating oppressive systems?
Screaming in your ears for all eternity to hear.
Are you listening to the voices that are ignored or silenced?
Sentiments as pure as your intentions ought to be.
Are you truly acting on your values or just paying lip service?
Suspend your disbelief.
Can you open your mind to new perspectives and possibilities?
For an instant why not be amazed.
Can you allow yourself to be awed by the beauty and complexity of the world?
Raise a flag if you know why we're here and tell us all again.
Are you clear on your purpose and willing to lead others in the same direction?
Frozen in the road against the backdrop of our cause.
Are you taking action despite the obstacles in your path?
Mortifies us all when we are forced to disagree.
Are you able to handle disagreement and conflict in a productive manner?
Raise your hand if you don't understand.
Do you feel comfortable admitting when you need more information or clarification?
Extend your offerings. Maybe this is all we need to see.
Can you give generously of your time, resources, and talents to create positive change?
Contributed by Harper J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.