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.
Face Down Feet First
Christine Fellows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Decline to address definitions yet
The letters will light up to walk you through phonetics
Here's your prerecorded message
A series of clicks and long dash followed by all the great songs about food and sleep
They are meant to be sung while you take the stairs in one single leap to underscore
Or batteries dying mid sentence in leave you morning for more
Face down feet first
Remember the day you graduated to unusual from strange
Found these great reservoirs of language while immersed and circling the drain
Woke with your name on my lips
It's been a favorite for some time
The least and the best
It's a taste for living words
Face down feet first
Face down feet first
Face down feet first
The lyrics of Christine Fellows's song "Face Down Feet First" are complex and multifaceted. The opening lines "Come on, belly up, to this brave new language, decline to address definitions yet" suggest an invitation to embrace the unknown and unfamiliar. It encourages the listener to immerse themselves in language without trying to understand it immediately or impose specific meanings on it. The next lines, "The letters will light up to walk you through phonetics, here's your prerecorded message," reinforce this idea. The song seems to be about the experience of discovering new languages, or perhaps even new ways of thinking or processing information.
The following lines "A series of clicks and long dash followed by all the great songs about food and sleep, they are meant to be sung while you take the stairs in one single leap to underscore or batteries dying mid sentence in leave you morning for more" are more abstract, but still seem to explore this theme of embracing the unknown. The clicks and long dash might represent sounds or symbols in an unknown language, while the songs about food and sleep could be interpreted as universal human experiences that transcend language barriers. The idea of taking the stairs in one single leap or batteries dying mid-sentence both suggest a sense of urgency or impermanence--perhaps suggesting that the experience of discovering new languages or ways of thinking is fleeting and must be seized in the moment.
The song then takes on a more personal tone, with the lines "A heroine guided tour of your range of emotions, face down feet first" suggesting that the exploration of language is tied to self-discovery and emotional growth. The repetition of the refrain "Face down feet first" emphasizes the vulnerability and surrender required for this kind of exploration.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on, belly up, to this brave new language
Let's dive headfirst into this fascinating world of language
Decline to address definitions yet
Don't worry about precise meanings just yet
The letters will light up to walk you through phonetics
You'll learn pronunciation as you go
Here's your prerecorded message
I have some pre-written guidance for you
A series of clicks and long dash followed by all the great songs about food and sleep
You'll hear a mix of sounds and music about basic human needs
They are meant to be sung while you take the stairs in one single leap to underscore
Let the music inspire you to take bold actions
Or batteries dying mid sentence in leave you morning for more
Even unexpected interruptions can be opportunities to learn
A heroine guided tour of your range of emotions
You'll explore different emotions and moods like a brave protagonist
Face down feet first
Embrace new experiences boldly and without hesitation
Remember the day you graduated to unusual from strange
You've always been a little different, but that's not a bad thing
Found these great reservoirs of language while immersed and circling the drain
You discovered new ways of communicating when you were at your lowest
Woke with your name on my lips
You made a strong impression and became someone I can't forget
It's been a favorite for some time
You've impressed me for a long time
The least and the best
You're special in your own way, whether you realize it or not
It's a taste for living words
You have a talent for using words to express yourself in a vivid and powerful way
Face down feet first
Keep embracing life and new experiences with courage and enthusiasm
Face down feet first
Don't hesitate to take bold new steps in life
Face down feet first
Keep facing challenges with bravery and determination
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Christine Fellows
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind