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.
Seconds After
Christine Fellows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As terrified or falling still, at least you're here with me.
A sad day is as honest as it is long.
Might be nice to sift through life and pick the bits you like.
Might be nice to know you're stronger than you think you are.
The lyrics of Christine Fellows's song "Seconds After" suggest a sense of acceptance of life's uncertainties and struggles. The line "Don't think twice" is an instruction to not hesitate or worry about the unknown. The singer then describes their companion as "bottomless as the sky," which can be interpreted as infinite and complex. The following line, "As terrified of falling still, at least, you're here with me," continues the theme of comfort and companionship in times of fear and uncertainty, even if all that is achieved is simply standing still.
The next two lines introduce the idea that sadness can be a necessary and truthful emotion. The line, "A sad day is as honest as it is long," implies that sadness is not something to be avoided or ignored but rather a legitimate part of the human experience. The final two lines are thought-provoking statements about the self. The notion of wanting to "sift through life and pick the bits you like" suggests a longing for control and a utopian ideal, while "knowing you're stronger than you think you are" indicates the possibility for inner resilience and the ability to navigate challenges confidently.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't think twice. You're as bottomless as the sky.
Don't overthink things. Your potential is endless and vast, just like the sky.
As terrified or falling still, at least you're here with me.
Even if you're afraid or feeling stuck, it's comforting to know that we're together in this moment.
A sad day is as honest as it is long.
A day filled with sadness is sincere and truthful, and can feel like it stretches on forever.
Might be nice to sift through life and pick the bits you like.
It may be desirable to sift through the ups and downs of life and only hold onto the positive moments.
Might be nice to know you're stronger than you think you are.
It can be empowering to realize that you have inner strength and resilience beyond what you may have previously thought.
Contributed by Declan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.