With guitar in hand, Craig can turn any setting into an intimate affair, infusing his music and lyrics with an uncompromising humanism rarely seen in today's production-heavy climate.
Craig makes it a point to keep the relationship with his fans personal, inviting and accepting any opportunity to make his audience as much a part of the performance as he is. Don't be surprised if one day you find yourself enjoying one of Craig's renowned shows in the comfort of your own living room.
In 2012, Cardiff was nominated for a Juno Award for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year: Solo, and for a Canadian Folk Music Award as Contemporary Singer of the Year.
For more information, tour dates, and music, please visit the official Craig Cardiff site.
Partick Artists
Craig Cardiff's Bandcamp page
Albion Hotel
Craig Cardiff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And made a life above the Albion Hotel
And it was hard to know if the angels had come, or if
Or if you'd come undone again
Troubles piled and problems they grew
And it was hardly ever me and hardly ever you
And I don't know now what to do
Do you know and do you know about it
Know about it
And I'm saying, don't tell me we're trying
When clearly nobody's trying here, oh
And what an ending to an otherwise perfect year
That couple downstairs, they always fight
One's always wrong and one's always right
I don't know now who is who
Do you know, do you know about this?
I had a dream where you'd holed up in Guelph
And you'd made a life above the Albion Hotel
And it was hard to know if the angels had come, or if
Or if you'd come undone again
Come undone again
Well that truth will set you free
And I tell you truthfully
Oh, this is all I can take
This is me at the end of the rope
But it's monsters alone
And waits by the phone
And when are you
I'm coming along
I had a dream where you'd holed up in Guelph
And you made a life above the Albion Hotel
And it was hard to know what you had done
Playing over those same old three chords
Don't tell me you're trying
When clearly nobody's trying here, oh
And oh, what an ending to an otherwise imperfect year
Don't tell me you're trying
When clearly nobody's trying here
And oh, what an ending to an otherwise perfect year
Oh, an otherwise
I had a dream where you'd holed up in Guelph
And you made a life above the Albion Hotel
And it was hard to know where you'd poured yourself
Over those three chords again
The song "Albion Hotel" by Craig Cardiff is a poignant and heartbreaking portrayal of a relationship that is falling apart. The song begins with a dream that the singer had where his partner had moved to Guelph and was living above the Albion Hotel. He doesn't know if the angels have come to help her or if she has come undone again. The singer talks about how they are both struggling to deal with the problems and troubles that have arisen in their relationship. He wonders if she knows what to do and if she knows how much he is hurting.
The song continues with the singer lamenting about the couple living downstairs who always fight, with one always being wrong and one always being right. He doesn't know which is which and wonders if she knows about it. The singer then talks about how he is at the end of his rope and how only monsters are left waiting by the phone. He wonders when she will come along and help him through this difficult time. The song ends with the singer repeating the dream he had about his partner living above the Albion Hotel, and how it was hard to know where she had poured herself over those just same old three chords again.
Overall, "Albion Hotel" is a powerful and emotive portrayal of a relationship that is in trouble. It shows the complexities of trying to salvage something that may be too broken to fix, and the pain and heartache that comes along with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a dream where you'd holed up in Guelph
The persona recounts a dream where their loved one secluded themselves in Guelph
And made a life above the Albion Hotel
The loved one thrived despite their seclusion and found a place to call home in the Albion Hotel
And it was hard to know if the angels had come, or if
The persona is unsure if the situation is a blessing or a curse
Or if you'd come undone again
The persona has doubts about the stability of the loved one's mental state
Troubles piled and problems they grew
There were countless issues to contend with
And it was hardly ever me and hardly ever you
The problems seemed to have a life of their own and were independent of the couple's own agency
And I don't know now what to do
The persona is at a loss on how to proceed
Do you know and do you know about it
They turn to their loved one for insight and guidance but don't know if they will be able to provide it
That couple downstairs, they always fight
The persona observes a couple constantly arguing
One's always wrong and one's always right
The couple's disagreements have no clear solution, and their arguments are fruitless
I don't know now who is who
The persona is unsure of the dynamics of the couple's relationship
Well, that truth will set you free
Honesty is the best policy
And I tell you truthfully
The persona emphasizes their point's sincerity
Oh, this is all I can take
The persona's emotional fortitude can't withstand any more strain
This is me at the end of the rope
They have reached the limits of their patience and resilience
But it's monsters alone and waits by the phone
Their anxieties and worries populate their mind and they wait for communication from the loved one
And when are you, I'm coming along
The persona is eager to join their loved one, but they need reassurance that the place they're headed to is worth it
And it was hard to know what you had done
The persona is uncertain of what the loved one accomplished while in Guelph
Playing over those same old three chords
The loved one may have found comfort and distraction in music
Don't tell me you're trying
The persona doesn't believe the loved one is putting enough effort into solving the problems in their relationship
When clearly nobody's trying here, oh
The issues seem insurmountable, and neither the persona nor the loved one is working towards a solution
And oh, what an ending to an otherwise imperfect year
The problems marred what could have been a better year
And oh, an otherwise
The persona acknowledges that the year could have been better, but it's too late now
And it was hard to know where you'd poured yourself
The persona doesn't know where the loved one put their energy or focus
Over those three chords again
The loved one may have retreated into music as a coping mechanism
Contributed by Keira T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Geoff Haigler
thanks for having this up on youtube. absolute gem of a recording.