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.
The Key
Crissi Cochrane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
if I need you, you run away
you leave me standing in the pouring rain
why do I wait for you?
I see you visited my friends
they're singing ballads of your compliments
if you're not coming soon around the bend
I'll be changing my tune
so if you come back looking for me, come fast -
tell me you won't run away no more
cause I'm a lock, baby
you're the key, I'm lost -
come and find me
cause I'm what you're looking for
so don't make me wait anymore
I saw you just the other day
but as I called to you, you walked away
oh I wanted to put you in your place
but you were nowhere to be found
and now my patience is worn out
from all your silence and all my doubt
but I would give it up to hear you out
oh how I miss the sound
so if you come back, looking for me, come fast -
tell me you won't run away no more
cause I'm a lock, baby
you're the key, I'm lost -
come and find me
cause I'm what you're looking for
so don't make me wait anymore
In Crissi Cochrane's song "The Key," the singer expresses frustration about a relationship where the other person always runs away when she needs them. She's left standing in the rain and feeling abandoned. The singer reveals that her friends have been singing the praises of her partner, adding to her confusion and frustration. Despite this, she still waits for them and hopes they'll come back, but her patience is wearing thin. She implores her partner to come back and not run away again, declaring herself the lock and her partner the key, and suggests that they are meant to be together.
The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship that is falling apart due to a lack of communication and trust. The singer wants her partner to show up and commit to their relationship, but they keep disappearing. The repeated line "cause I'm a lock, baby, you're the key" is particularly poignant, as the singer is essentially saying that she is incomplete without her partner. She is lost without them, and only they can help her find her way again.
Overall, "The Key" is a moving song that speaks to the universal desire for love, connection, and stability. It's a reminder that when we find someone who truly fits our hearts, we should hold on tight and not take them for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
why do you never stay?
I feel like you're always leaving me and I don't understand why.
if I need you, you run away
I feel like I can't rely on you when I need you most.
you leave me standing in the pouring rain
I feel abandoned and alone when you choose to walk away from me.
why do I wait for you?
Even though you never stay, I can't help but hold out hope that you'll return to me.
I see you visited my friends
I know you've been around, but you haven't come to see me.
they're singing ballads of your compliments
My friends are telling me how great you are and it only makes me miss you more.
if you're not coming soon around the bend
If you're not planning on returning to me anytime soon.
I'll be changing my tune
I will have to move on without you because I deserve better than constantly waiting for your return.
so if you come back looking for me, come fast -
If you decide to come back to me, don't hesitate because I've been waiting for you for too long.
tell me you won't run away no more
Promise me that you won't leave me again because I need to know that I can trust you.
cause I'm a lock, baby
I am guarded and hard to reach because I am afraid of getting hurt again.
you're the key, I'm lost -
You have the power to unlock my heart and make me feel like I belong.
come and find me
Take the initiative to come to me and work towards repairing our relationship.
cause I'm what you're looking for
I know deep down you want to be with me and that we are meant to be together.
so don't make me wait anymore
I can't handle any more uncertainty or waiting - it's time for us to either commit to each other or move on.
Contributed by Noah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Julián Ortega Martínez
This song is so perfect: catchy, nostalgic, sultry and sweet to listen to (can't stop listen to it). And the videoclip is so awesome and well made. Great work by Crissi and Mike!!!
Crissi Cochrane
Julián Ortega Martínez Thank you dear Julián!! 💕
jiong91
Hi Crissi! I love your music. You are an extremely underrated artist in my opinion! I've been listening to you since 'Little Sway' and its great to see that you are still posting content regularly. Looking forward to more music :) Sending love from Singapore.
Crissi Cochrane
Hey Jia! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave me such a nice comment! I appreciate it so much. It’s a hard time to be a musician, so it really means a lot to me to know that there are people out there who enjoy my music! I can’t wait to share some more music with you soon ❤️
robbijj
I heard this on CBC's Fresh Air this morning, while in a half sleep. Glad I woke up long enough to write down the title. Great song!
Crissi Cochrane
Awesome!! I didn’t know that they’d played me - thank you for finding me and letting me know, and thank you for your kind words! Hope you have a great weekend ☺️
Jason AppleJuice
Amazing work from you and Mike. Gonna be listening to this nostalgic vibe on repeat!
All the love from Windsor <3
Crissi Cochrane
Jason AppleJuice Thank you!! ☺️
Dwi Panria
and still we move and sleep in the wild help me through my years of college while being away from my family. thank you! and I love this! 💙
Dwi Panria
@Crissi Cochrane I am so grateful for you too! your music is amazing! I thank you too 💙