Grassie's clever songwriting is supported by extensive classical training in both harp and voice. Her interpretations of traditional Scottish harp repertoire earned her first place prizes in five competitions and an invitation to perform at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival in 2001. In her youth, she sang with both national and regional ACDA honors choirs in such prestigious venues as Heinz Hall, Symphony Hall, and The National Cathedral.
Her debut, independent EP To An Unwitting Muse, released in June 2005, sold out of its original pressing and helped her cross over onto radio territory, receiving airplay on WXPN, and making the top ten in Q102's "Have a Great Gig" contest. Grassie's approach to the harp, which brings the instrument out of its traditional context and into a brand of indie pop that is both accessible and unusual, has inspired critics to call her "an innovator par excellence." [Ticket Magazine]
Her first full-length effort, Serpentine, was released in October 2007 and has received rave reviews, praised as “an album that belongs on every critic’s best of list not only for the year, but also the decade,” .
In 2009/10 she will be collecting musical and cultural impressions in France, Germany, India, Malaysia and Indonesia. So far (Nov 2009) she's had a busy schedule with concerts and musical collaborations in Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, and other places in Germany.
Mr. Houdini
Gillian Grassie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I called your number – you never called me back
If you don’t want to see me, well that’s fine but let’s cut with the crap
Boy, you better meet me, I’m not cutting you any slack
You’re a very diplomatic man
You offered me a white-gloved hand
Now I’m beginning to understand
Mr. Houdini and the trick of the Persian rug
He’ll wrap you tightly then leave you like a slug
He leaves loose ends, loose threads
and a very, very, very frayed woman
Oh, but I’m not an erotomanic
My expectations are based on fact
We weren’t some conjuring of your silk top hat
People don’t disappear that fast
I’m not asking you for commitment
I’m just asking you to do the right thing
You can hate me, hurt me, leave me
But don’t leave me hanging
In Gillian Grassie's song "Mr. Houdini," the lyrics suggest a woman who has been feeling ignored by a man named Mr.Houdini, who seems to have just vanished into thin air. The opening lines of the song reveal the woman has been trying to reach out to Mr. Houdini, but he never got back to her. The subsequent lyrics suggest that the woman respects his choice, but she wants him to be upfront about it. She directly asks Mr. Houdini to meet her, and she won't budge until she gets to hear his side of the story.
In the second verse, the lyrics suggest that Mr. Houdini is a charming and polite guy who knows his way around diplomacy. Specifically, he offers her a white-gloved hand, which could either be interpreted as a sincere gesture or an empty one that shows his ability to put up a facade. The woman then declares that she's starting to see who Mr. Houdini really is. He seems to be someone who doesn't want others to penetrate his personality or emotions, and he only puts on a "magic" show as a cover-up.
The chorus of the song is a metaphor for Mr. Houdini's evasiveness. The woman compares him to a magician who knows how to make people disappear and plays tricks that make them confused. She admits to feeling like a frayed woman who can't find proper closure, and yet, she's not delusional in her expectations. She knows Mr. Houdini is not a magician, and people shouldn't disappear that fast. The woman's last plea in the song is for Mr. Houdini to do the right thing, even if it means leaving, as long as he doesn't leave her hanging.
Line by Line Meaning
Mr. Houdini and the magic disappearing act
The singer compares the subject to Harry Houdini, implying that he has disappeared without a trace.
I called your number – you never called me back
The singer attempted to reach out to the subject, but he did not respond.
If you don’t want to see me, well that’s fine but let’s cut with the crap
The singer acknowledges that the subject may not want to spend time with them, but they do not appreciate being ignored or given false hope.
Boy, you better meet me, I’m not cutting you any slack
The artist demands that the subject meet with them and take them seriously.
You’re a very diplomatic man
The artist recognizes that the subject is skilled at handling difficult situations.
You offered me a white-gloved hand
The subject may have extended kindness or help to the singer, but she suspects there may have been ulterior motives.
Now I’m beginning to understand
The singer is coming to an important realization about the subject's behavior.
It was only so I couldn’t get under your skin
The artist believes that the subject was being kind to avoid dealing with her or her emotions.
Mr. Houdini and the trick of the Persian rug
The Persian rug is likely a metaphor for the way the subject has trapped and then abandoned the artist.
He’ll wrap you tightly then leave you like a slug
The subject is compared to a slug, which is slimy and leaves a trail. The artist believes the subject has left a mess behind.
He leaves loose ends, loose threads
The subject has left things undone or unfinished, leaving the singer to deal with the aftermath.
and a very, very, very frayed woman
The artist is distressed and upset by the subject's behavior.
Oh, but I’m not an erotomanic
The singer vehemently denies being an obsessive stalker, which may suggest she has been accused of this behavior before.
My expectations are based on fact
The singer believes that her expectations of the subject were reasonable.
We weren’t some conjuring of your silk top hat
The singer suggests that they were not just a prop or accessory for the subject's life or image.
People don’t disappear that fast
The artist expresses disbelief at how quickly and easily the subject vanished from her life.
I’m not asking you for commitment
The artist is not necessarily seeking a long-term relationship or marriage, but she does want the subject to be honest and accountable to her.
I’m just asking you to do the right thing
The singer wants the subject to behave responsibly, even if their relationship is not serious.
You can hate me, hurt me, leave me
The subject can end their relationship, but the singer wants to know why and have closure.
But don’t leave me hanging
The artist does not want to be left with unresolved feelings or unanswered questions.
Contributed by Xavier M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.