Combining elements of both rock and folk music, along with disturbingly personal sentiments, dark humor, and a voice able to channel both the falsetto highs of Neil Young and the wavering raspy low tones of Leonard Cohen, Toronto's Hayden Desser has spent his career creating uniquely affecting music.
The critically-acclaimed musician first appeared in the early '90s armed with only his four-track tape recorder, his unexpectedly low vocal range, and an extremely detuned guitar. Going simply by the name Hayden, he recorded his self-released cassette, In September, in 1994, and much of the material included evolved into his first proper LP, 1995's Everything I Long For. Initially self-released on his own Hardwood Records, the debut disc toed the line between beautiful and horrifying, touching on simple details of human interaction as well as delving into macabre tales that still retained an oddly personal edge. After a year of touring Canada, E.T.I.L.F. was picked up by Outpost Recordings (Geffen) and was released worldwide in early 1996. Tours of the U.S., Europe and Japan took up most of 1996, as well as writing and recording the title track to the Steve Buscemi-directed Treeâs Lounge. Haydenâs second full-length record. The Closer I Get (1998) was recorded in Toronto, Bearsville, N.Y., Seattle and Los Angeles. After another year of touring, Hayden closed the book on chapter one of his musical endeavors.
The next couple of years went by without any performances, but during 2000, Hayden began writing and recording in his Toronto home. The self-produced collection of songs was titled Skyscraper National Park and was released in 2001 to worldâwide critical acclaim.
The following year, a live concert double CD was released, Live at Convocation Hall, a glimpse, for the listener, into what makes Haydenâs appearances such a favourite among his ever devoted fan base. His natural rapport with the crowd, along with an honest demeanour, has continued Haydenâs reputation as a unique and charming performer.
In 2004, Hayden released his 4th studio album. Elk-Lake Serenade continued in the direction of Skyscraper with itâs collection of warm and memorable recordings. 2004 also heralded Haydenâs return to the road with several tours that took him as far as Australia and New Zealand.
After a long period of writing and recording, Hayden returned in early 2008 with his 5th full-length studio record. In Field & Town is his most musically diverse and textured record to date. It captures his penchant for self-referential fiction and emotionally heavy songs and laces them with sharp hooks and smart lyrics. After supporting The National in Europe in November of â07, Hayden completed a sold-out theatre tour of Canada as well as spring and fall North American tours supporting Feist. In Field & Town was released on Fat Possum in the U.S.A. and November saw the release in Europe via the Affairs of the Heart label, combined with Nov./Dec. dates in the UK, France, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium and Germany.
www.hardwoodrecords.com
www.myspace.com/hayden
My Wife
Hayden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're looking right at my wife like she's part of the dinner we're serving you
You told me yourself over beers how you felt when you let her go
When the coice was between a family and the way things were
But nothing remains the same once decisions like that are made
You're treating both of my kids like a prize that was taken away from you
You roll into town
Live off your sound and do what you need
You live for the chase
Just getting a taste of whatever you please
Then you stay at my place and realize the choices you made were mistakes
So look one more time at my love and you'll find that it's here to stay
Your stupid lines and the thoughts just behind are not working today
Get back on that bus
You'll forget about us in a week or a lay
You're looking in on my life and I don't think I like you around here
The lyrics of the song "My Wife" by Hayden depict a situation where the singer is being confronted by someone from his past who is trying to rekindle his connection with the singer's wife. The singer makes it obvious that he is uncomfortable with the individual's presence and is wary of the person's intentions. The individual in question, who is portrayed as a wandering musician, openly expresses how he regrets leaving his family behind for a life on the road. The singer is angered that the individual seems to be treating his wife and kids as a fallback option now that his music career isn't going as planned. The song serves as a reminder that one cannot simply dip in and out of people's lives as they please, without facing the consequences of their actions.
The lyrics, while simple, are filled with emotion and depth. They raise questions about loyalty, regret, and acceptance. The singer is torn between his own feelings of insecurity and jealousy, and his desire to protect and cherish his wife and family. The wandering musician is a character who represents a life of adventure, freedom, and spontaneity, yet his actions are at odds with his words. The song serves as a warning against making hasty decisions and leaving people behind, only to return when the going gets tough.
Overall, "My Wife" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that highlights the complexities of human relationships and the importance of taking responsibility for one's actions.
Line by Line Meaning
You're looking in on my life and I don't think I like you around here
You're being nosy about my personal life and it's not welcome
You're looking right at my wife like she's part of the dinner we're serving you
You're staring at my wife like she's an object and it's disrespectful
You told me yourself over beers how you felt when you let her go
You confided in me that you regret breaking up with my wife
When the choice was between a family and the way things were
When you had to choose between starting a family with my wife or continuing your carefree lifestyle
But nothing remains the same once decisions like that are made
Once you make a decision like that, things can never go back to the way they were
You're treating both of my kids like a prize that was taken away from you
You're acting entitled to my children, as if they should have been yours
You roll into town
You come into town
Live off your sound and do what you need
You rely on your music to make a living and do whatever you want
You live for the chase
You enjoy pursuing whatever you desire
Just getting a taste of whatever you please
You're only interested in experiencing things for your own fleeting pleasure
Then you stay at my place and realize the choices you made were mistakes
But when you stay with me, you realize that the decisions you made in the past were wrong
So look one more time at my love and you'll find that it's here to stay
If you take one more look at my relationship with my wife, you'll see that it's stable and secure
Your stupid lines and the thoughts just behind are not working today
Your attempts to swoon my wife with cheesy pick-up lines and insincere thoughts are not effective
Get back on that bus
Leave town and go back to your travels
You'll forget about us in a week or a lay
You'll move on and forget about us in a short amount of time
Lyrics Š Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Hayden Desser
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind