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.
Trust
Christine Fellows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only windows
All thrown open, am I
One last look
Is all it took
To give it a name
Falling
I fall in your arms when your head is turned
Shot straight from the sky into your heart
When slings for your limbs and a breaking fall
Are all you need
Paper thin
Turning over and over again
You've been spared but barely there
I fall in your arms when your head is turned
Shot straight from the sky into your heart
When slings for your limbs and a breaking fall
Are all you need
The song "Trust" by Christine Fellows is a haunting and poetic reflection on falling in love and the trust required to give yourself over completely to another person. The opening lines, "The first night, only windows all thrown open, am I," set a dreamy and slightly surreal tone, as if the singer is unsure of even her own existence in this new relationship. The following lines, "One last look is all it took to give it a name, falling," suggest that despite her uncertainty, the singer recognizes the powerful force of love and is willing to take the plunge.
The repeated refrain "I fall in your arms when your head is turned" reinforces the idea of surrendering oneself completely to the object of one's affection, even when it feels risky or dangerous. There is a sense of both exhilaration and vulnerability in these lines, as if the singer is both thrilled and a little bit scared by the intensity of her feelings. The image of being "shot straight from the sky into your heart" is particularly evocative, suggesting a supernaturally powerful force - perhaps even fate itself - that has brought the two lovers together.
The final stanza of the song, with its reference to being "paper thin" and "barely there," brings a note of melancholy to the proceedings. Despite the intensity of the singer's feelings, there is a sense that she is also aware of the fragility of love and the possibility of being hurt. Ultimately, though, she seems willing to take the risk, as long as she can trust in the person she has fallen for. It's a beautiful and poignant exploration of the complexities of love and trust, and one that will resonate with anyone who has ever put their heart on the line.
Line by Line Meaning
The first night
On the first night, at the beginning of a new experience or relationship.
Only windows
The only way to the outside, the outside world from my perspective.
All thrown open, am I
I am open and exposed to the world, nothing left to hide.
One last look
A final glance, a farewell to a part of oneself.
Is all it took
All it took was that one last look to solidify a feeling or emotion.
To give it a name
To define or label a previously undefined or unnamed feeling or emotion.
Falling
The sensation of falling into something or someone, letting go of control.
I fall in your arms when your head is turned
My guard is lowered, I surrender myself to you when you are not looking.
Shot straight from the sky into your heart
The intense and sudden feeling of connection or love.
When slings for your limbs and a breaking fall
Everything needed to soften the impact of the fall and protect oneself from getting hurt.
Are all you need
The feeling of safety and security found in the arms of another person.
Paper thin
Fragile, delicate, and translucent in nature.
Turning over and over again
The feeling of being tossed around and not in control.
You've been spared but barely there
Surviving the impact of a fall, but being left in a vulnerable state.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: Christine Fellows
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind