Raised in rural Nova Scotia, Crissi entered the music scene as a young teen, performing original folk & pop inspired works and releasing her first recordings as a senior in high school. At 18, a move to Halifax brought Crissi to the heart of the East Coast music industry, where she studied Music Business in Dartmouth, and performed also in scrappy indie-rock assembly Gamma Gamma Rays. At 21, Crissi released her first studio album, Darling, Darling (Aug 2010), recorded at Soma EMS in Chicago with guest performer Mike Kinsella (of Owen, American Football) and supported by funding from the province of Nova Scotia. By summer's end, Cochrane made the move to Southern Ontario, where she wrote and released the upbeat indie/folk EP Pretty Alright (Nov 2011) to warm praise by the likes of Grant Lawrence and the CBC Radio 3 community. Independent all the while, Crissi has shared stages with Owen, Joel Plaskett, Sarah Harmer, Rich Aucoin, and Jesse Cook.
Today, Crissi lives and breathes in the shadow of Motown: the hot and hard city of Windsor. The acquisition of a turntable and the inheritance of a vintage vinyl collection sparked a creative revolution in the young writer. Her recent works echo the classic languages of jazz, blues, bossa, and soul, backed with solid rhythm & groove from the Soul Brothers, bassist Mike Hargreaves and drummer Stefan Cvetkovic (both of Motown/rock trio The Walkervilles). Crissi's FACTOR- and OAC-funded album, Little Sway, debuts on January 27 2014.
Nobody's Bird
Crissi Cochrane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you've got something to say
you've been arguing with yourself all day
you come home tired,
though you got nothing done
and you're hardly fit to be with anyone
you won't fly away, but
you're nobody's bird
always in the mirror,
you don't know who you are
but everybody let you go this far
is this what your mother
made you to do?
time is taking everything from you
you're a bird in a cage
you won't fly away, but
you're nobody's bird
you're a bird in a cage
you won't fly away, but
you're nobody's bird
you're nobody's bird
you're a bird in a cage
you won't fly away, but
you're nobody's bird
The lyrics of "Nobody's Bird" by Crissi Cochrane suggest that the singer is feeling trapped and stagnant in their life. They seem to be struggling with self-doubt, feeling unproductive and exhausted. The line "you're a bird in a cage, you won't fly away, but you're nobody's bird" can be interpreted as feeling stuck and unable to break free from their current situation. The repetition of the line emphasizes the feeling of being trapped, and the addition of "nobody's bird" suggests that they feel they don't belong anywhere or with anyone.
The lyrics also suggest that the singer is struggling with their identity. The line "always in the mirror, you don't know who you are" suggests that they are constantly searching for themselves and struggling to define their sense of self. The line "but everybody let you go this far" implies that others have enabled their current situation, but crucially the blame is still placed on the singer, as they are the ones responsible for their own life.
Overall, the song is a poignant commentary on feeling stuck, trapped, and alone. The singer's struggles are relatable, making the song a powerful and emotive reflection on the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got a feeling
I sense that something is wrong
you've got something to say
You have something on your mind
you've been arguing with yourself all day
You are struggling with inner conflict
you come home tired,
You return fatigued
though you got nothing done
Despite accomplishing nothing
and you're hardly fit to be with anyone
You feel unprepared to interact with others
you're a bird in a cage
You feel trapped and unable to escape
you won't fly away, but
You lack the courage or means to leave
you're nobody's bird
You feel alone and unsupported
always in the mirror,
You constantly scrutinize yourself
you don't know who you are
You lack a clear sense of self
but everybody let you go this far
Others have allowed you to become lost
is this what your mother
Did your mother intend for you to
made you to do?
Do what you are doing now?
time is taking everything from you
You feel that life is slowly stripping everything away
you're nobody's bird
You feel isolated and unsupported
you're a bird in a cage
You feel restricted and confined
you won't fly away, but
You feel unable to break free
you're nobody's bird
You feel alone and unsupported
Contributed by Jordan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mrogers11
nice listening to you sing, wish you much success, nice seeing you perform on Sun
Anna-Klara Josefsson
I love how your voice is much softer in your live recordings! It goes so well with your songs!
One question, what did you intend "Pretty Words" to be about, if I may ask?
Anna-Klara Josefsson
Crissi Cochrane That's beautiful! I hope you feel better about it now, because I'm certain you deserved the love your husband felt for you.
Thank you so much for answering my question! I'll always be on the lookout for more live sessions and albums/singles (anything really)!
Crissi Cochrane
Hi Anna-Klara - thanks for your nice comment! I wrote "Pretty Words" about struggling to accept love at a time when I didn't feel deserving of it. I was so down on myself that if my husband said something nice about me, I couldn't help but wonder if he was lying ("you don't have to lie but you do it anyway... as if it's what you meant to say").
Sam Millen
Gorgeous song Crissi! You have a such a nice voice.
Crissi Cochrane
Thanks Sam! So glad you enjoyed :)
Maxime M.
Absolutely astonishing, the sound of your guitar and your voice brought me somewhere else thank you. :)
Crissi Cochrane
Thank you Maxime! :)
Nicolás Worsnop
First of all, thank you for existing and making music. The softness in your voice is beautiful and I love the arrangement in Pretty Words....oh, and the video: simple and powerful.
I wanted to ask you, if I may, what amp do you use with that Jaguar? Thanks!
Nicolás Worsnop
Crissi Cochrane Thank you for sharing that. I have recorded stuff with a VOX before, and yes, it is great.