Born a fledgling pseudo-solo project of young songwriter Kat Burns, Forest City Lovers took flight in 2006 with the independent release The Sun and the Wind. The band grew up into a fully-realized collaborative outfit and in 2008 launched their critically acclaimed sophmore album Haunting Moon Sinking (Out of This Spark), a collection that bolsters FCL’s signature tunefulness with talented musicianship, strong guitar lines, and swelling string arrangements.
Phodilus and Tyto, a 7” vinyl released at the end of 2009 paved the way for the full-length follow-up, Carriage, being released July 2010 on Out of This Spark. Carriage picks up where Haunting Moon Sinking left off, carrying forward with arrangements and melodies that go from accutely vulnerable to downright sinister. A collection that drifts sonically across decades, Carriage laces 1970s whimsy and elaborate string arragements (Mika Posen) into contemporary pop gems to keep your feet tapping as you go singing down the sunny street.
While Burns and the other Lovers make their home in Toronto, they tour frequently across Canada, the US, and Europe, drawing inspiration for their songs from these migratory ventures into foreign urban and rural environments. With their new album on the horizon, keep an eye out for this unique band of songsters in your hometown.
Doorsteps
Forest City Lovers Lyrics
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What was I supposed to say
I got off the phone went upstairs and I cried
Forty years had gone away
Now we'll gather round the photos
Children smile and laugh at times better than these
And we are caught without pretension
I got off work at a quarter after nine
Headed over straight away
On a crowded subway thought I overheard
Did you read the stats today?
Now we'll gather round the photos
Children smile and laugh at times better than these
And we are caught without pretension
No one's here to show us how it's supposed to be
And we could prepare
For darkness followed by my doorsteps
And we could not prepare
For darkness followed by my doorsteps
The hauntingly beautiful song "Doorsteps" by Forest City Lovers tells a story of loss and grief that becomes universal in its realness. The song opens with a phone call that tells the singer of the death of someone close to them. The line "What was I supposed to say" is relatable as we have all been in situations where there is nothing we can say to make a tragedy any better. The immediate reaction of crying and grieving is also realistic and takes us into the realm of the singer's emotions. We then see a time jump to a gathering where photos are being viewed and memories are shared. The line "No one's here to show us how it's supposed to be" underscores how everyone is just trying their best to navigate grief, and no one really knows the right way to do it.
The second verse takes us on a journey on a subway ride, where the singer overhears something that suggests bad news. The line "Did you read the stats today?" implies that something terrible has happened on a larger scale, perhaps a tragedy or a disaster. The connection between the news and the singer's personal loss is left to the listener's interpretation. The song ends with the repetition of the powerful lines "And we could prepare for darkness followed by my doorsteps, and we could not prepare for darkness followed by my doorsteps." This leaves us with a sense of unpredictability and vulnerability in our lives, where anything could happen at any moment, and we must be ready to face whatever comes our way.
Line by Line Meaning
It was six o'clock when I found out you died
The singer received the news of the death at six o'clock.
What was I supposed to say
The singer was confused about how to react to the news.
I got off the phone went upstairs and I cried
The singer felt sad and went to cry.
Forty years had gone away
The artist spent forty years with the deceased before they passed away.
Now we'll gather round the photos
People will gather together to look at pictures.
Children smile and laugh at times better than these
Despite the sadness, children are still happy and positive.
And we are caught without pretension
People are not trying to be anything other than themselves.
No one's here to show us how it's supposed to be
There is no one to teach or guide them.
I got off work at a quarter after nine
The artist finished work at 9:15 pm.
Headed over straight away
The artist went directly to a place after work.
On a crowded subway thought I overheard
While on a crowded train, the singer heard something unclear.
Did you read the stats today?
Someone may have asked this question on the train.
And we could prepare
The people could have prepared themselves for something.
For darkness followed by my doorsteps
A bad situation came suddenly or unexpectedly.
And we could not prepare
The people were not able to prepare for something.
For darkness followed by my doorsteps
A bad situation came suddenly or unexpectedly.
Contributed by Kaelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.