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.
Proud Crowd Pride Cried
Ferron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To hear you say that I'm not your kind
It's a thin road before us, we're the wake left behind
It's sad and I fail to see what it had to do with you and me
But I guess that's like wondering what's a point to a line
There must be something I wanted more than wanting your love
'Cause you stood in my doorway and I stood in my glove
Most afraid to follow, a kingdom my stride
I thought of you often but I never could tell you
The 'you' that I cherished, something hurt me so bad
A few had come close, I couldn't take them in either
I guess the distance between us was my love never had
And though we live separate I keep two rooms open
One has you in it, the other does not
And I move in the middle, unsure and protected
And I trip on my rope, vaguely sensing I'm caught
A friend tried to find me and saw through to my wheel
She said you're now on the bottom, it's either that or the top
You can keep yourself tiny and bang on the big door
Or take the space saved for the queen of the hop
But you know queens have their problems too
And my size won't stay static
I like to think I never was one for the hoop anyway
And then that night I dreamed again of the far side of nothing
And trembling with terror I chose to come back this way
In the streets or the after, in the churches or in memory
The light that will guide you is the source of the flame
While stumbling the back alleys in search of right action
I fell and wept darkly and acknowledged your name
And the door to my prison dissolved right before me
But like a young fool I quick looked for a power to claim
And my wailing increased with the shock of the knowledge
That I often have needed something out there to blame
I give up my fisted touch, my thoughts strong like fences
My totem-pole stature, body chipped to the bone
I'm nobody's savior, and nobody's mine either
I hear the desert wind whisper, "But neither are we alone"
Sure I long to ask how you're doing, if you got to the lightness
That you wanted so fiercely when we drifted that way
There's no telephones ringing now, but I feel something calling me
And I'm ready to go, I just need time to say
Hearts are like meadows, with their weathered potential
With their reasons diluted by reason itself
I may be shivering at the foot of this slow-giving mountain
But the tiny spring flowers can look just like you
And I won't ask the purpose of all of my footsteps
And I won't let my eyelids cast down
I am looking for something outside of forgiveness
You might call it the jewel of the crown
"Proud Crowd/Pride Cried" is a deeply introspective and nuanced song by Ferron, which deals with themes of love, regret, loss, and personal growth. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and unresolved emotions, as the singer reflects on a failed relationship and grapples with her own feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt.
The opening lines suggest a sense of isolation and loneliness, as the singer is unable to reach out to her former lover and is left to ponder the reasons for their separation. The imagery of a "thin road" and a "wake left behind" evoke a sense of transience and impermanence, highlighting the fragility of human connections and the fleeting nature of love.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses a sense of ambivalence and uncertainty about her own identity and purpose. While she yearns for love and connection, she also recognizes the dangers of pride and ego, and the pitfalls of seeking validation from others. The lines "And I give up my fisted touch, my thoughts strong like fences / My totem-pole stature, body chipped to the bone / I'm nobody's savior, and nobody's mine either" suggest a willingness to let go of old habits and beliefs, and a commitment to finding a new path in life.
Overall, "Proud Crowd/Pride Cried" is a poignant and introspective song that explores the complexities of human relationships and the struggle for self-discovery and personal growth.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't call you from this place
I'm unable to reach out to you from where I stand
To hear you say that I'm not your kind
I don't want to hear you reject me
It's a thin road before us, we're the wake left behind
We're walking a fragile path and struggling with the aftermath
It's sad and I fail to see what it had to do with you and me
I'm confused and saddened by the situation between us
But I guess that's like wondering what's a point to a line
It's like questioning the purpose of something inherently meaningless
There must be something I wanted more than wanting your love
There must have been something else I desired more than your affection
'Cause you stood in my doorway and I stood in my glove
You were present in my life, but I kept myself guarded
Most afraid to follow, a kingdom my stride
I'm hesitant to pursue my goals and dreams with confidence
It's so telling what won't live with hunger and pride
It's revealing how unfulfilling and damaging greed and ego can be
I thought of you often but I never could tell you
I frequently thought of you, but couldn't express myself
The 'you' that I cherished, something hurt me so bad
The person I held dear caused me pain
A few had come close, I couldn't take them in either
I couldn't fully accept those who tried to get close to me
I guess the distance between us was my love never had
The separation between us was because I never truly loved them
And though we live separate I keep two rooms open
Even though we're apart, I hold onto two thoughts of you
One has you in it, the other does not
One thought is of you, the other isn't
And I move in the middle, unsure and protected
I'm indecisive yet secure in my emotional state
And I trip on my rope, vaguely sensing I'm caught
I feel like I'm trapped even though I don't fully understand why
A friend tried to find me and saw through to my wheel
I had a friend who understood my inner workings
She said you're now on the bottom, it's either that or the top
She told me I have to choose between staying stuck or making progress
You can keep yourself tiny and bang on the big door
I can stay small and hope to break into the mainstream
Or take the space saved for the queen of the hop
Or claim the spot reserved for someone of royal rank
But you know queens have their problems too
But being a queen doesn't guarantee a life without hardships
And my size won't stay static
My stature won't remain the same
I like to think I never was one for the hoop anyway
I prefer to believe I never cared much for popularity
And then that night I dreamed again of the far side of nothing
I had a recurring dream of emptiness and uncertainty
And trembling with terror I chose to come back this way
Frightened, I decided to turn around and return to reality
In the streets or the after, in the churches or in memory
Throughout my life, afterlife, and memory
The light that will guide you is the source of the flame
Guidance comes from within oneself
While stumbling the back alleys in search of right action
While searching for moral correctness in the darker parts of life
I fell and wept darkly and acknowledged your name
I experienced great pain and sorrow and thought of you
And the door to my prison dissolved right before me
The obstacles in my life suddenly dissipated
But like a young fool I quick looked for a power to claim
However, I foolishly searched for something to control
And my wailing increased with the shock of the knowledge
I became even more upset upon realizing my mistake
That I often have needed something out there to blame
I tend to blame external factors for my problems
I give up my fisted touch, my thoughts strong like fences
I let go of my defensive mindset and mindset of control
My totem-pole stature, body chipped to the bone
My previous state of inflexibility is now broken
I'm nobody's savior, and nobody's mine either
I can't save others and I can't be saved by others
I hear the desert wind whisper, 'But neither are we alone'
I understand that I'm not alone in my struggles
Sure I long to ask how you're doing, if you got to the lightness
I'm curious how you're doing and if you found happiness
That you wanted so fiercely when we drifted that way
The happiness you craved when we were together
There's no telephones ringing now, but I feel something calling me
No one's calling me, but I have a sense of purpose
And I'm ready to go, I just need time to say
I'm prepared for what's to come, but I need time to prepare
Hearts are like meadows, with their weathered potential
Hearts can flourish and endure despite adversity
With their reasons diluted by reason itself
Logic often muddles the emotional aspect of life
I may be shivering at the foot of this slow-giving mountain
I might be struggling at the base of a daunting challenge
But the tiny spring flowers can look just like you
Even small achievements can bring a sense of joy and remind me of you
And I won't ask the purpose of all of my footsteps
I won't dwell on the purpose of every action I take
And I won't let my eyelids cast down
I won't let myself get discouraged
I am looking for something outside of forgiveness
I'm searching for something beyond simply being forgiven
You might call it the jewel of the crown
It's a treasure that surpasses everything else
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Ferron Foisy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind