After signing a contract with the Atlantic Records label Lava Records in 1994, his first major-label album, Honor Among Thieves, was issued in 1995. His second album, Misguided Roses, spawned I'll Be, a major single in 1998. Two more albums (Messenger and Far from Over) followed, but at the end of 2001, he split from Lava. In 2003 he released a collection of acoustic versions of songs both old and new called The Austin Sessions via ATC Records, a Nashville-based independent record label (at which McCain was the first artist signed following its creation in 2001). Mid-2004 saw the arrival of his first studio album in three years, entitled Scream & Whisper, which was released on another indie label, DRT Entertainment.
He has released two DVDs to date. The first was through ATC records in late 2002, called Mile Marker: Songs and Stories from the Acoustic Highway, and it consisted of interviews, live performances, and other material. The other was in late 2004, Tinsel & Tap Shoes. It was his first live concert DVD, recorded at The House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
A new CD was released in April, 2006 titled, Lost in America. Edwin recently signed a contract with Vanguard Records. This album (#8) is said to be a true "rock 'n roll" collection.
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Strange Angel
Edwin McCain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And still I catch myself a-wondering
What you would say if you were here
If you could somehow reappear?
You never do but I feel something
A half a flyer on a telephone pole
The Virgin Mary on a cinnamon role
You always send me a strange angel
That's how you let me know you're there
You always send me a strange angel
Then this must be an extrasensory affair
I was shutting down with blinders on
You snapped me out of my desperation
Would you believe you broke the spell?
And when I'm laughing to myself
I know you're in on the conversation
I used to think it was déjà vu
Now I know that it's just you
Playing a trick on my mind
You always send me a strange angel
That's how you let me know you're there
You always send me a strange angel
And this must be an extrasensory affair
I won't shake my head
And I won't rub my eyes
When you reveal yourself
In some beautiful disguise
You always send me a strange angel
That's how you let me know you're there
You always send me a strange angel
This must be an extrasensory affair
Strange angel
You always send me
You always send me
You've been gone about a year
The song "Strange Angel" by Edwin McCain explores the concept of a loved one who has passed away, but still sends signs that they are there in spirit. The lyrics talk about the lingering presence of the departed and the various forms they take in order to make themselves known. The singer begins the song by reminiscing about his loved one who has been gone for about a year. He wonders what they would say if they were still around and how they would react to what he has been experiencing. The singer then describes the different ways in which the presence of his loved one manifests itself. These include a half-flier on a telephone pole, the Virgin Mary on a cinnamon roll, and a face in a cab flying by. Despite the feeling of unease it may bring, the singer accepts the presence of his loved one and recognizes it as a sign that they are still with him in some way.
As the song progresses, the singer comes to understand that the signs he is seeing are not just coincidence or random occurrences, but messages from his loved one. He refers to them as strange angels, acknowledging their mysterious nature and the comfort they bring him. He sees them as a bridge between the living and the dead, connecting two worlds that are normally separate. The singer also reflects on how his loved one's presence has helped him to overcome his own struggles, lifting him out of a state of despair or desperation. He has come to appreciate the connection he still has with his loved one and the solace it brings him. Ultimately, "Strange Angel" is a song about the power of love and the ways in which those we have lost can still reach out to us, offering comfort and hope even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been gone about a year
It's been a year since you've been gone.
And still I catch myself a-wondering
I still find myself wondering about you.
What you would say if you were here
I wonder what you would say if you were here now.
If you could somehow reappear?
If there was any way you could come back.
You never do but I feel something
But even though you never do, I feel something from you.
A half a flyer on a telephone pole
I saw a half of a flyer on the telephone pole.
The Virgin Mary on a cinnamon role
I saw the image of the Virgin Mary on a cinnamon roll.
A face in a cab flying by
I saw a face quickly pass by in a taxi.
You always send me a strange angel
You always send me a strange sign that you're still here with me.
That's how you let me know you're there
It's your way of letting me know you're still watching over me.
Then this must be an extrasensory affair
This must be some kind of supernatural connection between us.
I was shutting down with blinders on
I was becoming closed off and oblivious to everything around me.
You snapped me out of my desperation
But you somehow managed to snap me out of my desperate state.
Would you believe you broke the spell?
Can you believe that you managed to break me out of that spell?
And when I'm laughing to myself
And now when I'm amused or happy by myself...
I know you're in on the conversation
I know that you're somehow involved in it, too.
I used to think it was déjà vu
I used to think that I was just experiencing déjà vu.
Now I know that it's just you
But now I know that it's actually just you all along.
Playing a trick on my mind
You're playing a trick on my mind, but I don't mind it.
I won't shake my head
I won't shake my head in disbelief.
And I won't rub my eyes
I won't rub my eyes in disbelief either.
When you reveal yourself
When you make yourself known to me in some way...
In some beautiful disguise
In some beautiful, mysterious form or appearance.
Strange angel
You're a strange angel, but I love it.
You always send me
You always send me these amazing messages that make me feel like you're still here.
Contributed by Riley A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.