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
Brandon From Ithaca
Craig Cardiff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the coffeeshop to pour the people out
To drink all the coffee read through the papers
About the famous coming out
As I passed they just lay sleeping in
To one another the way birds cluster
Together when facing wind
Oh, and she was like a camera
And he a B film
Both pretty faced, but hard
From smoking too much
And waiting too long
And from all the things that life does to break your heart
I told you so - don't say I didn't tell you so
I listened to them all the way westbound
Wnder gold blankets and blue fields
With our sally ann jackets, pillows and backpacks
She turned into him like a shield
From the story of Santa Claus,
Drunk, stuck in the chimney
To the deer they lost making them fly
And how B.B. King rode the bus
To his gig because he was broke
And how sometimes its ok to cry
And I swear it rains there all the time, she says
First thing we'll find a room and keep dry
Oh, we'll find a bed and put us in it
And it will feel like home in no time
Oh, well, if there is not much more than this
Then i'd like to share it with you.
With your hundred dollars
And my hundred dollars
I'm sure, sure, sure that we'll pull through
I told you so,
Don't say I didn't tell you so
Well, i told you so, like i had to go
The song "Brandon From Ithaca" by Craig Cardiff tells the story about the singer's journey on a bus that takes a stop in Brandon, miles away from Ithaca. The singer observes the people in the coffeeshop, where the bus stops, and sees a couple who are asleep and holding each other. The couple is described as pretty-faced but hard, possibly from smoking too much and waiting too long. The singer then shifts to their own experience on the bus, sitting next to a person who they speak to about various topics such as Santa Claus, B.B King, and the rain. The singer expresses their desire to find a home and to share their hundred dollars with their companion.
The lyrics can be interpreted in different ways, but they seem to convey a sense of loneliness and longing for intimacy and human connection. The singer notices the couple sleeping and holding each other, and this perhaps makes them reflect on their own desires for companionship. The references to Santa Claus and B.B King add a layer of nostalgia and a reminder of past experiences. The repeated line "I told you so" can be seen as the singer's self-talk, perhaps a reminder of their own past mistakes or failures.
Line by Line Meaning
The bus stopped in Brandon, miles from Ithaca
We arrived in Brandon, which is far away from Ithaca.
At the coffeeshop to pour the people out
We stopped at the coffee shop to stretch our legs and get some coffee.
To drink all the coffee read through the papers
We drank our coffee while reading through the newspapers.
About the famous coming out
We read about a famous person coming out.
The couple two rows up from the left didn't move
There was a couple sitting a few rows ahead of us who didn't move.
As I passed they just lay sleeping in
They were both asleep and cuddling as I walked by.
To one another the way birds cluster
They cuddled up to each other like birds flocking together.
Together when facing wind
They stayed together and supported each other through tough times.
Oh, and she was like a camera
She had a sharp eye and was observant like a camera.
And he a B film
He was like a B-list movie, somewhat overlooked and not very well-known.
Both pretty faced, but hard
They were both attractive, but had a rough exterior.
From smoking too much
Their hardened appearance may have been due to smoking too much.
And waiting too long
Or from waiting too long for something that never came.
And from all the things that life does to break your heart
Their tough exterior may have been a result of heartbreak and difficult experiences in life.
I told you so - don't say I didn't tell you so
I warned you before that life can be tough.
I listened to them all the way westbound
I listened to their conversation throughout our journey westbound.
Wnder gold blankets and blue fields
We traveled through beautiful landscapes with gold blankets and blue fields.
With our sally ann jackets, pillows and backpacks
We were wearing our Sally Ann (Salvation Army) jackets and carrying pillows and backpacks.
She turned into him like a shield
The girl leaned on the guy for support and protection.
From the story of Santa Claus,
We talked about the story of Santa Claus.
Drunk, stuck in the chimney
We laughed about Santa getting drunk and stuck in a chimney.
To the deer they lost making them fly
We also talked about deer that could fly.
And how B.B. King rode the bus
We discussed how B.B. King had to ride the bus to his gigs because he was broke.
To his gig because he was broke
B.B. King had financial struggles that forced him to travel by bus.
And how sometimes its ok to cry
We also talked about the importance of expressing emotions and crying when necessary.
And I swear it rains there all the time, she says
The girl mentioned that it seems to rain in this place all the time.
First thing we'll find a room and keep dry
Our first priority is finding a room to stay and avoid getting wet.
Oh, we'll find a bed and put us in it
We will find a comfortable bed to sleep in.
And it will feel like home in no time
We will make ourselves at home and settle in quickly.
Oh, well, if there is not much more than this
If we don't have much more than what we have now...
Then i'd like to share it with you.
I'd still like to share it with you and make the best of it.
With your hundred dollars
We have a limited amount of money.
And my hundred dollars
We each have one hundred dollars.
I'm sure, sure, sure that we'll pull through
But I am confident that we will make it work.
Well, i told you so, like i had to go
I remind you again that life can be tough and unpredictable.
Contributed by Katherine P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.