Christine Fellows (born 1968) is a Canadian folk-pop singer-songwriter from… Read Full Bio ↴Christine Fellows (born 1968) is a Canadian folk-pop singer-songwriter from Winnipeg, Manitoba.

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.

Vertebrae
Christine Fellows Lyrics

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A photo essay of a family in mourning
Perforated ever-so-slightly
To better let the light seep through

Sunday traffic clears a path
We float inches above the road
Close our eyes and drive so slow
Like we never need to get home

To clear the doorstep of flowers
Throw open the blinds in his empty room
Avert our eyes from his fingerprints
Is there something I'm forgetting?

Fall to my knees in the hospital parking lot
On the way in arms full of branches
I am dead fall, dead fall

Last time I came here to visit him
I ran sunburnt through the halls
My arms full of tiger-lilies
I don't remember this
I was told to go home

Clear the doorstep of flowers
Throw open the blinds in his empty room
Avert my eyes from his fingerprints
Is there something I'm forgetting?

Why, when you know you should go
Is it so hard to leave?

Why, when you know you should go
Is it so hard to leave?

Why, when you know you should go

Came this far to say goodbye to set things right
Instead I fiddle with his blankets fetching coffee
No one will drink
I am not prepared

Through the hush of debts and the roar of engines
We'll struggle to recall
This is how it ended
This is how it ends

Home
Turn the key in the door and pause
For what seems like an awfully long time
There's something I'm both remembering and forgetting
A name on the tip of my tongue

Why, when you know you should go
Is it so hard to leave?

Why, when you know you should go
Is it so hard to leave?

Why, when you know you should go
Is it so hard to leave?

Why, when you know you should go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Christine Fellows's song Vertebrae describe the experience of a family in mourning. The opening line "a photo essay of a family in mourning" sets the tone for the song as a slow and introspective reflection on loss. The second line "perforated ever-so-slightly to better let the light seep through" introduces the idea that in times of grief, we may become more open to our surroundings, to the way light, sound, and other stimuli can affect our emotional states. The next verse, which describes a slow, aimless drive without the pressure of getting home, depicts the numbness and detachment that can accompany bereavement.

The central image of the song is the family's struggle to leave their deceased loved one's room. They go through the motions of clearing the flowers, opening the blinds, and avert their eyes from their loved one's fingerprints, but cannot bring themselves to let go. The line "is there something I'm forgetting?" hints at the confusion and disorientation that can come with losing a loved one. The final verse depicts the singer's attempt to confront their grief by saying goodbye and setting things right. However, they still find themselves unprepared, fiddling with blankets and fetching coffee that nobody will drink.

Overall, "Vertebrae" is a poignant and moving meditation on grief and loss. Fellows's lyrics are full of evocative images and subtle details, such as the "hush of debts and the roar of engines" that capture the feeling of being caught between the everyday world and the immense weight of grief. The song captures the complexity of the mourning process, and the way in which even the most mundane details of everyday life can take on a heightened significance in the face of loss.

Line by Line Meaning

A photo essay of a family in mourning
The song depicts a family in mourning, with each line of the song portraying an aspect of their grieving process.

Perforated ever-so-slightly / To better let the light seep through
The family is trying to cope with their grief by finding ways to let some light in, but it's a delicate process that must be done carefully.

Sunday traffic clears a path
The family is on their way to the funeral or some other significant event related to their deceased loved one.

We float inches above the road
The family is lost in thought and not fully present while driving.

Close our eyes and drive so slow / Like we never need to get home
The family is taking their time to process their grief and may feel like they have nothing else to go home to now that their loved one is gone.

To clear the doorstep of flowers / Throw open the blinds in his empty room / Avert our eyes from his fingerprints / Is there something I'm forgetting?
The family is still in the process of clearing out their loved one's belongings and trying to adjust to their absence. They may be struggling to let go.

Fall to my knees in the hospital parking lot / On the way in arms full of branches / I am dead fall, dead fall
The singer is overwhelmed by grief and emotional pain, as symbolized by falling to their knees while carrying a load of branches. The use of the term 'dead fall, dead fall' adds to the sense of defeat and hopelessness.

Last time I came here to visit him / I ran sunburnt through the halls / My arms full of tiger-lilies / I don't remember this / I was told to go home
The artist is remembering a previous visit to their loved one while they were still alive, but it feels like a distant memory and is clouded by the grief of their passing. They were told to go home, which may have left them feeling guilty or regretful.

Why, when you know you should go / Is it so hard to leave?
The family is struggling to move on and let go of their grief, even though they know they need to for their own well-being.

Came this far to say goodbye to set things right / Instead I fiddle with his blankets fetching coffee / No one will drink / I am not prepared
The artist came to the funeral to find closure or resolve something, but instead they find themselves unable to cope with their grief and engaging in meaningless activities to distract from their pain.

Through the hush of debts and the roar of engines / We'll struggle to recall / This is how it ended / This is how it ends
The family is struggling to come to terms with their loved one's death and may feel overwhelmed by the burden of their debts and the noise of everyday life. The repetition of 'This is how it ended' emphasizes the finality of their loss.

Home / Turn the key in the door and pause / For what seems like an awfully long time / There's something I'm both remembering and forgetting / A name on the tip of my tongue
The family returns home, but is unable to fully let go of their grief. The artist is experiencing memory issues related to their loved one, possibly forgetting their name or struggling to hold onto their memory.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Christine Fellows

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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