Andrew and Catherine grew up on opposite sides of the island of Newfoundland – Mount Pearl and Corner Brook respectively. It was in St. John’s where the pair met and began to sing together. One night in 2010, Andrew heard Catherine sing harmony with her brother at a private gathering in downtown St John’s. He had to sing with her. The next day he got up the nerve, left her a note, she acquiesced, and within 48 hours they were singing together on stage. While it was a road from that evening to the formation of Fortunate Ones in 2013, their beginnings are in keeping with one of the core messages they carry. That sometimes the most important decision you can make is to just say YES.
From a musical family, the Allan home was a constant eclectic flow of instruments, singing and the stereo. Catherine studied classical piano, taught herself guitar in secret, and discovered the accordion by chance when her brother brought one home over Christmas in 2011. Musical exploration was the norm. After moving to St. John’s, Catherine’s induction to the East Coast music scene was rapid – performing with Andrew, recording and touring extensively with JUNO award-winning songwriter Amelia Curran, and appearing at festivals with Curran and East Coast songwriter Don Brownrigg.
Andrew James O’Brien launched his music career with a well-received solo album Songs for Searchers (2011) – nominated for Best Pop Recording at the 2012 East Coast Music Awards. He toured heavily in Canada and the UK, opening for artists such as Sharon Shannon and Paul Brady. Catherine accompanied him. It was on a UK tour that they realized the direction their collaboration was taking. The appreciation shown by UK audiences bolstered the pair’s sense of purpose. Their music began to evolve to represent both of their sensibilities, skills and sounds.
Plain and simple, they consider themselves fortunate to pursue their dreams. Their name reflects shared experience with audiences. It is about connecting people of all kinds, to make strangers friends, to elicit feelings of joy, hope, sadness, and contemplation – and the spirit that we are all in this together.
Produced by multi-ECMA winner Daniel Ledwell, THE BLISS was recorded at Lake Echo in Nova Scotia during the winter of 2014, and features guest appearances by East Coast favorites Jenn Grant, Don Brownrigg, and Kinley Dowling. The Bliss was released on JUNO award winning songwriter Rose Cousins’ record label Old Farm Pony Records on February 10, 2015.
Lay Me Down
Fortunate Ones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brother, oh brother, is there any news today
My lover he is gone on a ship so far away
He took with him my heart when he left here on that day
Oh brother, is there any news today
Sister, oh sister, you know this to be true
Any word I heard I would surely pass to you
To ease your worried mind there ain't nothing I won't do
Lay me down by the river to the sea
Lay me down by the river to the sea
Lay me down by the river to the sea
Brother, won't you lay me down
Mother, oh mother, is there any news today
I begged, I cried, I pleaded, but I could not make him stay
The memory of his touch still haunts me when in bed I lay
Oh mother, is there any news today
Daughter, oh daughter, I need you to be strong
The crimson skies say he is safe they never will be wrong
Soon this war will end and he'll be back where he belongs
Oh daughter, now I need you to be strong
Father, oh father, is there any news today
My love is surely gone, my heart has been betrayed
Waves of fear are rising, I can't make them go away
Father, is there any news today
Daughter, oh daughter, I have heard some news today
The words of this letter, I can't bring myself to say
Your lover he fought bravely ‘fore he slipped beneath the waves
Oh daughter, I have heard some news today
They laid him down by the river to the sea
The song "Lay Me Down" by Fortunate Ones tells a story about a family who is struggling with the absence of a loved one who is far away on a ship. The members of the family each have their own fears and concerns, but they all share a sense of connection and a desire to support one another. The lyrics are full of powerful emotions as each family member voices their worries, hopes, and love for each other. The chorus of the song, "Lay me down by the river to the sea," is a poignant reminder of the final resting place of the loved one who never made it back home.
The song's lyrics are filled with powerful symbolism that captures the many facets of loss, longing, and hope. The river and the sea are recurring images throughout the song, symbolizing the journey of life, the passage of time, and the cyclical nature of existence. The family members turn to each other for comfort and support, illustrating the importance of community and human connection in times of distress.
The vocals are accompanied by a simple, yet effective instrumental arrangement that complements the reflective, melancholy mood of the song. There is a poignant sense of nostalgia and longing in the melody, which is reinforced by the emotional weight of the lyrics. The song is a beautiful representation of the power of music to connect people and express universal emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Brother won't you lay me down
Brother, will you please help me find peace in death?
Brother, oh brother, is there any news today
Brother, have you heard anything about my lover?
My lover he is gone on a ship so far away
My lover has left me, and is now on a distant ship.
He took with him my heart when he left here on that day
My lover took my love and happiness away with him when he left.
Oh brother, is there any news today
Oh brother, please tell me if you have any information about my lover.
Sister, oh sister, you know this to be true
Sister, you know that I will always be here for you and support you.
Any word I heard I would surely pass to you
I would tell you anything that I hear to make you feel better and less anxious.
To ease your worried mind there ain't nothing I won't do
I'll do whatever I can to make you feel better and reduce your stress levels.
Oh sister, don't you know this to be true
Sister, please believe that I will always be there for you.
Lay me down by the river to the sea
I want to be laid to rest by the river that leads to the sea.
Lay me down by the river to the sea
I hope to find peace in death and return to the sea from whence we came.
Lay me down by the river to the sea
I want to be free from this physical world and return to nature.
Mother, oh mother, is there any news today
Mother, have you heard anything about my lover?
I begged, I cried, I pleaded, but I could not make him stay
I tried my best to make my lover stay with me, but he had to leave.
The memory of his touch still haunts me when in bed I lay
I still remember the way he touched me and it lingers in my memory.
Oh mother, is there any news today
Mother, please let me know if you have any information about my lover.
Daughter, oh daughter, I need you to be strong
Daughter, I need you to be brave and resilient in this difficult time.
The crimson skies say he is safe they never will be wrong
The red-colored skies signify that your lover is safe and sound, and you can trust that.
Soon this war will end and he'll be back where he belongs
The war will soon be over, and your lover will return to you where he belongs.
Oh daughter, now I need you to be strong
Daughter, please be strong for me and for yourself as we wait for news about your lover.
Father, oh father, is there any news today
Father, do you have any information about my lover?
My love is surely gone, my heart has been betrayed
My lover has left me, and I feel betrayed and heartbroken.
Waves of fear are rising, I can't make them go away
I'm feeling overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, and I can't seem to get rid of them.
Father, is there any news today
Father, please let me know if you hear anything about my lover.
Daughter, oh daughter, I have heard some news today
Daughter, I have some news about your lover that I need to tell you.
The words of this letter, I can't bring myself to say
I'm finding it difficult to express the news I have in this letter.
Your lover he fought bravely ‘fore he slipped beneath the waves
Your lover fought bravely in war before he died tragically and drowned in the ocean.
Oh daughter, I have heard some news today
Daughter, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I have some news about your lover.
They laid him down by the river to the sea
He was buried by the river that leads to the sea, where he will return to nature.
Contributed by Noah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@inspirationworks8357
Canada has some wonderful things and this duo is another to add to the list ! I will never understand why we in the US have to go searching to the degree we do to find gems like this and Canada is our next-door neighbor ! :) I am just glad I found them.
@bn3256
These two are awesome no doubt! Cant get enuf of thr music...
@tomador64gaming93
love it. Listened to it at least 5 times sence friday.
@Ryanbaggarly
Export_A2 Gaming since
@getyuhmsup
Omg about 1 or 2 years ago these guys came to the river run centre and they were small time but now wow great job guys
@alegai44
I love this song...badly I love the sea 👊
@bambis46
I LOVE THIS!
@jonathanlemoine
I love that song. Now it has a video too. :). Good job guys!
@robertstocks5394
beautiful
@snqi6925
I LOVE THE MUSIC