Emilie-Claire Barlow (born 6 June 1976) is a Canadian singer, arranger, rec… Read Full Bio ↴Emilie-Claire Barlow (born 6 June 1976) is a Canadian singer, arranger, record producer, and voice actress. She has released several albums on her label, Empress Music Group, and has voiced characters for animated television series. She performs in English, French, and Portuguese.

Barlow's first album, Sings, was released in 1998. She has received seven nominations for Canada's Juno Awards with her album Seule ce soir winning for best Jazz Vocal Recording in 2013 and Clear Day winning the same award in 2016. Seule ce soir also won Album of the Year – Jazz Interpretation at the 2013 ADISQ Awards. Barlow was also nominated for the Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award at the 2016 Juno Awards.

Barlow was named Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2008 National Jazz Awards. She has named as influences Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, and Stevie Wonder.

Barlow has voiced various characters for animated television series, including Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus in Sailor Moon, Courtney, Laurie and Ellody in the Total Drama series, Chrissy in 6teen, Mrs. Ridgemount in Stoked, Bunny in Almost Naked Animals and Theresa Falcone (MacDougall) in Fugget About It.

Born in Toronto to parents who were professional musicians, Barlow grew up in recording studios and by age seven had begun a career singing television and radio commercials.

She was encouraged by her parents to sing and study several instruments including piano, cello, clarinet, and violin. Barlow studied voice at the Etobicoke School of Arts and music theory and arranging at Humber College.

Barlow's grandfathers were ventriloquist Cy Leonard and actor Bob Homme (who played The Friendly Giant). Her father is award-winning jazz drummer Brian Barlow (aka Brian Leonard). Her mother, Judy Tate, is a composer, arranger and singer. Her uncle was Richard Homme, a Canadian jazz bassist who died 6 May 2011.

Surrey With the Fringe on Top
Emilie-Claire Barlow Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I take you out tonight with me,
honey, here's the way it's gotta be.
You will sit behind a team of snow white horses,
in the slickest rig you've ever seen.

Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry
when I take you out in my surrey.
When I take you out in my surrey with the fringe on top.

Watch that fringe and see how it flutters,
when I drive them high steppin' strutters.
Nosy pokes will peek through the shutters
and their eyes will pop.

The wheels are yellow the upholstery's brown.
The dashboard is genuine leather.
With isinglass windows you can roll right down,
in case there is a change in weather.

Two bright sidelights winking and blinking.
'Ain't no finer rig I'm-a-thinking.
You can keep your rig if you're thinking
that I'd care to swap,
for the shiny little surrey with the fringe on the top.

The sun is a swimmin' on the rim of a hill.
the moon is takin' a header.
And just as I'm thinking all the earth is still,
a lark'll wake up in the meadow.

Hush you bird, my baby is a-sleeping.
Maybe got a dream worth a-keeping.
Woah! You team, you just keep a-creeping
at a slow clip-clop.

Don't you hurry with the surrey with the fringe on the top.

Overall Meaning

The song Surrey With The Fringe On Top by Emilie-Claire Barlow is a classic love song that talks about the excitement of taking someone special out for a ride in a fancy carriage or surrey, pulled by a team of snow white horses. The lyrics describe the beauty of the surrey, with its yellow wheels and brown upholstery, and the impressive fringe on top that flutters as the horses move. The singer warns other animals to scurry out of the way when they come by, and notes how nosy pokes will peek through the shutters to catch a glimpse of the pair. The song is a joyful and romantic ode to enjoying life's simple pleasures with someone special.

As the surrey moves on, the singer observes the natural beauty around them, with the sun swimming on the rim of a hill and the moon taking a header. A lark wakes up in the meadow and the singer hushes it, wanting to keep the baby sleeping. The song ends with a plea to the horses to keep going at a slow clip-clop, as they enjoy the ride in the surrey with the fringe on top.

Line by Line Meaning

When I take you out tonight with me, honey, here's the way it's gotta be.
I have a clear plan for how our outing will go.

You will sit behind a team of snow white horses, in the slickest rig you've ever seen.
You'll ride in a beautiful carriage pulled by majestic horses.

Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry when I take you out in my surrey.
People and animals on the road had better get out of our way!

When I take you out in my surrey with the fringe on top.
Riding in my fancy carriage is going to be an unforgettable experience!

Watch that fringe and see how it flutters, when I drive them high steppin' strutters.
Check out how cool the fringe looks when the horses trot quickly!

Nosy pokes will peek through the shutters and their eyes will pop.
People looking out their windows will be amazed by our stylish mode of transport.

The wheels are yellow the upholstery's brown. The dashboard is made of genuine leather.
The carriage's details and materials are of the highest quality.

With isinglass windows you can roll right down, in case there is a change in weather.
We've prepared for any weather by adding windows that can be opened or closed.

Two bright sidelights winking and blinking. 'Ain't no finer rig I'm-a-thinking.
I'm convinced that no other carriage is as impressive as this one.

You can keep your rig if you're thinking that I'd care to swap, for the shiny little surrey with the fringe on the top.
I wouldn't trade my carriage for anything else, it's just that great!

The sun is a swimmin' on the rim of a hill. The moon is takin' a header.
The sun and moon are setting, creating a beautiful evening sky for our ride.

And just as I'm thinking all the earth is still, a lark'll wake up in the meadow.
Everything seems so peaceful, but then a bird's song breaks the silence.

Hush you bird, my baby is a-sleeping. Maybe got a dream worth a-keeping.
Quiet down, bird, because my loved one is sleeping and having a nice dream.

Woah! You team, you just keep a-creeping at a slow clip-clop.
Easy, horses, let's keep a steady pace and enjoy the ride.

Don't you hurry with the surrey with the fringe on the top.
Take your time, horses, we don't want the experience to end too soon!

Writer(s): HAMMERSTEIN OSCAR 2ND, RODGERS RICHARD

Contributed by Elijah V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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