Ferron is featured in the documentary on women's music, Radical Harmonies 2002.
Ferron's rough-hewn voicing, chewy phrasing, and poetic songwriting has brought many favorable comparisons, including Kitty Wells, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen (cf. Stephen Holden 1994). One wit aptly summed up Ferron's legendary status by calling her "the Johnny Cash of lesbian folksinging" (Bett Williams 2000).
She learned to play guitar at age 11, and left home at 15. Ferron attended Total Ed, an alternative high school in Vancouver, graduating in 1973 (Thomas 2002). She made her professional debut in 1974, playing the song "Who Loses" at a benefit for the Women's Press Gang. She subsequently established her own record label, Lucy Records, and released her debut album in 1977. The album, Testimony, was her first professionally produced record, and brought her much interest in the United States, particularly in the women's music community.
Her 1984 album Shadows on a Dime received a four-star review (highest rating) from Rolling Stone magazine. Awarded a Canada Arts Council grant to further develop her musicianship, she took several years off from touring, returning in 1990 with Phantom Center. The album featured backing vocals by a then unheard of Tori Amos, and consequently is highly sought after by collectors. It was re-released with a duet with The Indigo Girls on the first track.
Between 1992 and 1994, Ferron released three albums on her own Cherrywood Station label. Driver was then picked up by Earthbeat! Records, and was highly acclaimed by critics as a masterwork and nominated for a Juno Award in 1995. Warner Bros. Records signed Ferron which gave her great freedom in the studio to produce Still Riot with db Benedictson. She received an Outmusic Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Gay & Lesbian American Music Awards in 1996.
As a benefit for the Institute for Musical Arts (IMA), Ferron released Inside Out (1999), covering well-known tunes from the 1950s-1970s. She published a handmade book, THe (h)UNGeR POeMs, while she was teaching classes at IMA. She gathered some of her earlier, then out-of-print recordings to create Impressionistic (2000), a retrospective double album with a 24-page, autobiographical booklet.
Ferron continues to tour and teach master classes in writing, and in 2004 she returned to the very island where some of her earliest recorded songs were written to create Turning Into Beautiful produced by db Benedictson.
Ain't Life a Brook
Ferron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I get to thinking our love's a polished stone
You give me a long drawn look
I know pretty soon you're going to leave our home
And of course I mind
Especially when I'm thinking from my heart
But life don't clickety-clack down a straight line track
It comes together and it comes apart
To make you feel obliged
To go ticking through your time
With a pained look in your eyes
You give me the furniture, we'll divide the photographs
Go out to dinner one more time
Have ourselves a bottle of wine
And a couple of laughs
And when first you left
I stayed so sad I wouldn't sleep
I know that love's a gift, I thought yours was mine
And something that I could keep
Now I realize that time is not the only compromise
But a bird in the hand could be an all night stand
Between a blazing fire and a pocket of skies
So I hope I'm not the kind
To make you feel obliged
To go ticking through your time
With a pained look in your eyes
I covered the furniture, I framed the photographs
Went out to dinner one more time
Had myself a bottle of wine
and a couple of laughs
And just the other day
I got your letter in the mail
I'm happy for you, its been so long
You've been wanting a cabin and a backwoods trail
And I think that's great
I seem to find myself in school
It's all okay, I just want to say
I'm so relieved we didn't do it cruel
But ain't life a brook
Just when I get to feeling like a polished stone
I give me along drawn look
It's kind of a drag to find yourself alone
And sometimes I mind
Especially when I'm waiting on your heart
But life don't clickety-clack down a straight line track
It comes together and it comes apart
'Cause I know you're not the kind
To make me feel obliged
To go ticking through my time with a pained look
In my eyes
I sold the furniture, I put away the photographs
Went out to dinner one more time
Skipped the bottle of wine
Had a couple of laughs
And wasn't it fine
The song Ain't Life a Brook by Ferron is a poignant reflection on relationships and the passage of time. The song begins with the singer watching her partner read a book, and it prompts her to think about their relationship. She realizes that love is not a straight line and that life has its ups and downs. She is upset by the thought of her partner leaving, but she knows that life is not always predictable. The singer recognizes that she is the type of person who would make someone feel obliged to stay, and she does not want to be that kind of person.
The second verse of the song reflects on the aftermath of her partner leaving. The singer is sad and feels like she has lost something important. However, she also recognizes that time is not the only compromise in life. She realizes that sometimes, a bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush. Despite the heartbreak, she chooses to look at the situation positively and is grateful that they did not end things poorly.
In the final verse, the singer receives a letter from her ex-partner and realizes that they have both moved on with their lives. She feels nostalgic but also acknowledges that life continues to flow like a brook, bringing change and new experiences. She reflects on the memories they shared but is also happy that they both have new paths to follow.
Overall, the song is a profound reflection on the nature of love and relationships. It acknowledges that life has its twists and turns, but ultimately, it is important to appreciate the moments of joy and laughter that come along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
I watch you reading a book
As I observe you immersed in your book, I begin to ponder about our love and realize that it too is like a shiny, polished stone.
You give me a long drawn look
I notice the melancholic expression on your face and I know that you will soon be leaving our home forever.
But life don't clickety-clack down a straight line track It comes together and it comes apart
Contrary to popular belief that life is constant and stable, it is unpredictable and fluctuates constantly.
You say you hope I'm not the kind To make you feel obliged To go ticking through your time With a pained look in your eyes
You hope that I will not become a burden for you and make you feel compelled to suffer in my presence.
And when first you left I stayed so sad I wouldn't sleep
When you first left, I was so miserable that even sleep became elusive to me.
But a bird in the hand could be an all night stand Between a blazing fire and a pocket of skies
Choosing between something that you currently have and something that may only last for a night is like choosing between a safe bet and a tempting, but fleeting possibility.
And just the other day I got your letter in the mail
Recently, I received a letter from you in the mail.
But ain't life a brook Just when I get to feeling like a polished stone I give me along drawn look It's kind of a drag to find yourself alone
Life can be compared to a stream that ebbs and flows, and just when I begin to feel content and secure, the reality of being alone hits me like a ton of bricks.
And sometimes I mind Especially when I'm waiting on your heart But life don't clickety-clack down a straight line track It comes together and it comes apart
Occasionally, I feel agitated, especially when I am waiting for your heart to respond to mine, but I know that life is capricious and unpredictable.
I sold the furniture, I put away the photographs Went out to dinner one more time Skipped the bottle of wine Had a couple of laughs And wasn't it fine
I got rid of our shared possessions, stowed away our photographs and had one more meal with you. Even though we skipped the wine, we still had a great time together.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Ferron Foisy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind