Sometimes (2005) and Live (2007)
Green began releasing City and Colour songs on the Internet for fans to download in 2004. Eventually, he compiled and rewrote several of these songs to make his first album, Sometimes. The full length debut was released on November 1, 2005 to a good reception, described by one reviewer as "dynamically gentle and vulnerable". The cover art was designed by Scott McEwan, in a tattoo-esque style; Green "still may decide to have some of them inked at a later point in time". Sometimes was re-released on Vagrant Records on January 13, 2009, which was the first time the album was available in physical form in the United States.
Bring Me Your Love (2009)
Green's second album, Bring Me Your Love, was released on February 12, 2008 and features a wide array of instruments not used on his previous recordings (such as harmonica, banjo, drums and lap steel) giving it a more folk-influenced sound. The album also features collaborations with other musicians, such as Canadian musician Gordon Downie of The Tragically Hip on the track "Sleeping Sickness", and additional instrumentals done by Matt Sullivan and the members of Attack in Black. The lead single, "Waiting...", was released on Green's official MySpace page for the first time featuring a "making of" video. The album is named after a short story by Charles Bukowski. It is also a line sung in the closing track, "As Much As I Ever Could".
On September 26, 2008, City and Colour embarked on their first American tour, in support of Bring Me Your Love. On the tour, the band supported Tegan and Sara along with Girl in a Coma. This tour was followed by a headlining tour of the US in January 2009, with support from William Elliott Whitmore. In October 2008, Dine Alone Records announced a special 2-disc limited edition of Bring Me Your Love to be released on December 2, 2008. Only 6,000 copies are available; 5,000 in North America and 1,000 in Australia.[5] In Canada, when the record label put up the album on pre-sale on November 20, 2008, so many fans tried to pre-order it that the store's website crashed.
In January 2010, City and Colour embarked on an additional US headlining tour, again supporting Bring Me Your Love, with supporting act Lissie, and an additional UK tour in June 2010, supporting P!nk, along with Butch Walker, along with a few headlining dates. On these tours, Dallas Green performed two new songs by the titles of "Silver and Gold" and "O' Sister", as well as a couple of never-played-before covers - "Murderer", originally by Low, and "Grinnin' in the Face", originally by Son House.
Little Hell (2011)
On February 23, 2011, it was officially announced on the Dine Alone Records website that City and Colour's third album would be titled Little Hell and was set for release in June 2011. On March 23, 2011, the official track listing was posted on City and Colour's official website. On April 5, 2011, "Fragile Bird", the first single off Little Hell was released to the radio. The song had its world premiere on Australian radio station Triple J, where the band was touring at the time. The single became City and Colour's highest charting single, reaching No. 1 on the Canadian rock/alternative chart. On August 5, 2011, Alexisonfire announced their break-up. George Pettit wrote a message on the band's official website saying Dallas had been planning to leave to focus on City and Colour, as balancing the two bands had become too difficult.
The Hurry and The Harm (2013)
City and Colour announced the release of the new album entitled The Hurry and The Harm to be released on June 4, 2013. The song "Of Space and Time" was released on March 11, 2013 prior to the announcement of the new album. The song "Thirst"was released on April 1, 2013 on City and Colour's Soundcloud page.
If I Should Go Before You (2015)
City and Colour announced the release of the new album entitled If I Should Go Before You via Twitter and Facebook to be released on October 9, 2015. The sole lead single "Woman" was released exclusively on Beats 1 station on Apple Radio on July 15, 2015 hosted by Zane Lowe. Upon its release, the album garnered highly favourable reviews, with some suggesting it could be Green's finest work up to that point. Additionally, it achieved notable commercial success by securing the top spot as the band's first number one album on the Canadian iTunes Store. Furthermore, the album received multiple Juno Award nominations, including an Artist of the Year nod for Green, along with recognition for outstanding songwriting on tracks like "Blood", "Lover Come Back", and "Wasted Love".
Guide Me Back Home (2018)
In September 2018, City and Colour unveiled plans for a forthcoming compilation album titled "Guide Me Back Home (Live)" featuring live recordings from Dallas Green's 2017 "An Evening with City and Colour" solo Canadian tour. The digital release was scheduled for October 5, 2018, followed by a physical release on November 23, 2018, through Still Records, a record label established by Dallas Green himself as a subsidiary of Dine Alone. On September 21, 2018, three tracks from the album, namely "Casey's Song (Live in Banff, AB April 18th, 2017)", "Sensible Heart (Live in St. John's, NL May 14th, 2017)", and "As Much as I Ever Could (Live in Halifax, NS May 10th, 2017)" were made available for digital download. An additional trio of tracks, "The Girl (Live in Halifax, NS May 10th, 2017)", O' Sister (Live in Vernon, BC April 13th, 2017)", and "Lover Come Back (Live in Cornerbrook, NL May 15th, 2017)" were released one week later on September 21, 2018.
In April 2019, City and Colour had the privilege of being the opening act for Alice in Chains' Canadian tour, along with participating in three additional U.S. concerts in support of Alice in Chains' album Rainier Fog (2018) It's worth noting that Green has long been an avid fan of Alice in Chains and regards them as one of his early musical influences. During their joint performances, Green shared the stage with Alice in Chains for a rendition of their song "Nutshell," a track that Green often covered himself. These memorable collaborations took place at the Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario on April 23, 2019, and at the FirstOntario Concert Hall in Hamilton on April 24, 2019. Furthermore, Green joined the band to perform "Got Me Wrong" on April 25 in Rama, April 27 in Montreal, and April 28 in Quebec. An especially meaningful moment occurred when Jerry Cantrell, Alice in Chains' guitarist and vocalist, gifted one of his guitars to Green after their joint performance at the MTELUS in Montreal on April 27, 2019. Green has since expressed that this gesture from Cantrell played a pivotal role in igniting his passion for playing the guitar.
A Pill for Loneliness (2019) and Low Songs (2020)
On June 3, 2019, the band made a highly-anticipated return with their first new song in four years, titled "Astronaut." Alongside this exciting release, they also unveiled plans for a 22-date North American tour set to kick off in October 2019. Building on the momentum, they dropped another single, "Strangers," on June 21.
Then, on August 15, 2019, City and Colour officially announced their album A Pill for Loneliness (2019). Just after midnight on August 16, they treated fans to a third single, "Living in Lightning." Reflecting on the album, Dallas Green shared, "I wrote a lot of dark songs and wrapped them in the most beautiful sounds we could find. There are personal connotations, but they're also relatable. I'm thankful for the opportunity to create." The album was eventually released on October 4, 2019, to the delight of their fanbase. Notably, in January 2020, the album received a Juno Award nomination in the Adult Alternative Album of the Year category.
Additionally, on June 19, 2020, Dallas released a two-track EP (titled Low Songs)featuring covers of songs by the band Low. This release was part of Bandcamp's 24-hour Juneteenth fundraiser for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. A limited edition 7-inch physical version of the EP was also made available for pre-order through Dallas Green's webstore, with the proceeds going to the Black Youth! Pathway 2 Industry project.
The Love Still Held Me Near (2023)
On November 18, 2022, Dallas released a new single titled "Meant to Be" to critical acclaim. Shortly after, on January 22, 2023, he announced his seventh studio album The Love Still Held Me Near (2023)alongside the release of the second single off the album "Underground." The final single titled "Fucked It Up" released February 24, 2023. The full album released to streaming and physical on March 31, 2023 to critical acclaim.
Shortly after the start of 2023, Green and his band began his 2023 Australian Tour all around Australia for most of the spring. Then he started his 2023 "The Love Still Held Me Dear" Tour as he travelled all across the United States. In October, he performed a couple times in the UK as a part of the European leg of the tour. He has dates planned all throughout Winter 2023/2024 as a part of the Canadian leg of the tour.
www.cityandcolour.ca
www.myspace.com/dallasgreen
Thirst
City and Colour Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All I can think of is something you said
You said we were golden, bright like the sun
And now I am stranded
Knowing I'm not the one
An ocean of anger
Flowing through me
From when I fell to sea
And just like a snake charmer
You led me astray
Living in distress
Hoping help is on the way
In the midst of a storm
Searching for shelter
I came upon
One single feather
A half-hearted wish
For something better
Gracefully cursed, I thirst
Attached to the soil
I'm guiding the wool
As I am in my blood
Yet so venerable
But after I'm gone
Once I finally leave
You will be left alone
To the wolves and the thieves
In the midst of a storm
Searching for shelter
I came upon
One single feather
A half-hearted wish
For something better
Gracefully cursed, I thirst
Gracefully cursed, I thirst
Gracefully cursed, I thirst
I thirst
The lyrics of this haunting song by City and Colour, "Thirst," are deeply poetic and infused with a sense of pain and longing. The singer of the song appears to be reflecting on a relationship that has gone wrong, and the lines "All I can think of is something you said/ You said we were golden, bright like the sun" suggest that at one time, he had high hopes for the future of the relationship. However, he now feels stranded and abandoned, acutely aware that he is not the one the other person wants to be with.
The next set of lyrics seems to describe a state of intense anger and despair. The metaphor of an ocean of anger is powerful, and the image of being blood-stained and broken from falling into the sea is haunting. The singer describes feeling led astray, living in distress, and hoping for rescue. The final lines of the verse make reference to coming across a feather in the midst of a storm, which he sees as a symbol of hope, but it is a "half-hearted wish" that will not fully provide what he needs.
The final verse of the song speaks to the singer's sense of vulnerability and the fleeting nature of life. He speaks of being "attached to the soil" and yet "so venerable," and notes that eventually, he will be gone and the other person will be left alone. The repetition of the final line, "Gracefully cursed, I thirst," emphasizes the sense of longing and the feeling of being cursed by his desire for something he cannot have.
Line by Line Meaning
When I think of fates worse than death
Reflecting on the worst possible outcomes one could encounter
All I can think of is something you said
Remembering something hurtful that was said to me
You said we were golden, bright like the sun
Recalling a time when we believed our future was bright
And now I am stranded
Feeling lost and abandoned
Knowing I'm not the one
Realizing I am not the chosen one or the desired partner
An ocean of anger
Feeling consumed and overwhelmed with anger
Flowing through me
The anger is taking over my thoughts and emotions
Blood stained and broken
Reflecting on past pain and wounds
From when I fell to sea
Referring to personal struggles and failures
And just like a snake charmer
Feeling misled and tricked
You led me astray
Blaming someone else for personal disappointments and failures
Living in distress
Feeling trapped and hopeless
Hoping help is on the way
Yearning for someone to come to my aid
In the midst of a storm
Feeling overwhelmed by difficult circumstances
Searching for shelter
Looking for a way out or some kind of relief
I came upon
Stumbled upon
One single feather
Finding something seemingly insignificant or meaningless
A half-hearted wish
An unsure or doubtful desire
For something better
Wishing for an improvement in my life
Gracefully cursed, I thirst
Feeling blessed and cursed at the same time, with an insatiable longing for something more
Attached to the soil
Being grounded and rooted in my identity
I'm guiding the wool
Leading others in a certain direction
As I am in my blood
Being an innate part of who I am
Yet so venerable
Despite inner strength, still feeling vulnerable and exposed
But after I'm gone
In the future, after I am no longer here
Once I finally leave
When I am no longer alive
You will be left alone
Others will have to face life without me
To the wolves and the thieves
People with malicious intentions will take advantage
I thirst
I have an unquenchable desire for something more
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DALLAS GREEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marcpatry6817
"Thirst"
When I think of
Fates worse than death
All I can think of
Is something you said
You said we were golden
Bright like the sun
And now I am stranded
Knowing I'm not the one
An ocean of anger
Flowing through me
Blood-stained and broken
From what I failed to see
And just like a snake charmer
You led me astray
Living in distress
Hoping help was on the way
In the midst of a storm searching for shelter
I came upon one single feather
A half-hearted wish for something better
Gracefully cursed
I thirst
Attached to the soil
I'm dyed in the wool
There's iron in my blood
Yet so vulnerable
But after I'm gone
Once I finally leave
You will be left alone
To the wolves and the thieves.
In the midst of a storm searching for shelter
I came upon one single feather
A half-hearted wish for something better
Gracefully cursed
I thirst
Gracefully cursed
I thirst
Gracefully cursed
I thirst
I thirst
@cityandcolour
Get the new album "The Love Still Held Me Near" at cityandcolour.com ✌
@tonypolito6320
Another underappreciated great Canadian talent.
@xander2828
city and colour is always ahead of time. everything they do is cool even before the sleepers realize it. always excited when music is released.
@mierezsaturday5855
2021 and this is still a banger in the streets of Miami.
Respectfully
@chaseman12
Guy is good. Real good. Great writing.
@russkyespeng2939
:D You’re right, this deserve more views!!
@Amybayme
This music video takes me back to the great "Does Dallas look better with/without glasses?" debate of 2006.
@chimi24
God I love the distorted guitar in this
@WAMMO678
That is a bass I believe, if you're referring to the fuzzy-ish instrument that's quite prominent in the verse. That wouldn't be distortion though regardless, This is a folk song, distortion in a folk song would be very much out of place. But it is quite a cool effect :P
@yustinaaron
+WillyT you're insane if you believe this to be folk