The Cambridge, Ontario native lives in downtown Toronto amid a small mountain of musical instruments. "I have a pretty strange collection of instruments that I've borrowed, bought or that people have given to me as gifts. Right now, besides guitars, bass, drums and keyboards, I've got an autoharp, a theremin, a vibraphone, and a whole bunch of other strange little toys like mini steel drums, a melodica, toy pianos and stuff like that."
"I took guitar, piano and drum lessons but I never became a virtuoso or anything like that," he explains. "My older brothers would play Nirvana and Rage Against the Machine while I would jump on the bed beside them. When they went away to school, I inherited their instruments and started writing and recording my own songs."
Crosby's early songwriting efforts caught the ear of Toronto Sun music critic Darryl Sterdan. "Initially, the music I would record with my friends was this kind of grand-scale lo-fi stuff that was kind of funny and good-hearted. The first song my friend Andrew and I ever recorded was a cover of 'Monster Mash,' if that gives you an idea," explains Crosby.
"We had a recording project called Logs in high school, and we made this epic indie pop song called 'Fishstick Mountain' about a sailor who gets stranded on a floating garbage island and then befriends a monkey. I sent it to the Toronto Sun to get reviewed in this column called 'Garage Band Idol' and they actually liked it." Sterdan praised Logs' "dreamy, spaced-out flights of psychedelic noodling (think Flaming Lips meets Polyphonic Spree)."
Crosby continued to produce music while studying at the University of Ottawa. "I was living alone in Ottawa studying English literature and I had a solo project called Garbagio," he explains. "Those songs are a bit darker, but still pretty much lo-fi style pop tunes. I would send them to my friends who were all far away at the time. They sound pretty crummy, quality-wise, but I tried to make them catchy and fun. I was really influenced by Ariel Pink at that time and the whole DIY/bedroom rock thing."
When asked to elaborate on his musical influences, Crosby rattles off a list of over 35 favourite artists "in no particular order." It's a rambling and diverse list that includes Iggy Pop, Katy Perry, John Maus and Dolly Parton. "My musical influences change all the time and I can usually find some element I like in most songs. But I'm usually drawn to music with some kind of pop-y melodic element, like some kind of singable quality."
After leaving Ottawa, Crosby studied audio engineering at Toronto's venerable Harris Institute. "My new material is still home-recorded, but I've learned how to do things in a less haphazard way," he explains.
"O.T.O.T.W." is Crosby's first single released under his real name, James Wyatt Crosby.
"I had an early version of this song that sounded too much like James Taylor – super slow and acoustic – so I added drums and sped it up. I used a mix of real recorded drums and electronic drum samples because I felt the real drums gave it some feel and character, and the electronic drums helped make the drums clearer and punchier," he explains. "There's also an autoharp in the recording which has a really sweet strummy sound and glues the whole song together," he adds.
Most of the song's effects were intentionally printed to tape during the initial recording, adding an indelible atmospheric wash to the mix. Production-wise, it's a calculated risk that pays off. Crosby also pitched the song's vocals up, adding a sweet, dreamy edge to the track. "I sometimes like changing the pitch of a song because it lets me hear my voice in a different way. I can listen in a slightly more objective way and get new ideas."
Crosby's lyrics, delivered over a happy melody and lush dreampop arrangements, take a gloomy turn as the song drifts back and forth between bliss and melancholy.
"I wanted to make a song that explains the feeling of being in a really good place while knowing that it's fleeting and things will ultimately change," explains Crosby. "I was listening to The Smiths and Talking Heads a lot when I was writing and recording it. I feel those bands do a good job of making songs that are simultaneously happy and sad, and that's kind of what I was going for."
"O.T.O.T.W." by James Wyatt Crosby is available on June 8, 2015 on iTunes, Bandcamp, Spotify, Rdio and more. Visit: maisonneuvemusic.com
Lemonade
James Wyatt Crosby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want you to stay forever
Give me all your lemonade
Don't you tell me no I never
Don't you let it go to waste
You know I can go forever
Give me all your lemonade
I heard every word you said
Here I thought I knew you better
Just give me all your lemonade
Don't you tell me no I never
cll of your life
cll of your time
Trying to find
Trying to find
Come on baby play the game
(I've been feeling so ashamed)
(cll the things I couldn't say)
Come on baby pull the lever
(Nothing ever lasts forever)
(We were never good together)
Just give me all your lemonade
Don't you tell me no I never
In James Wyatt Crosby's song "Lemonade," the lyrics present a complex mix of emotions and desires. The recurring theme is the longing for someone to leave while also wanting them to stay indefinitely. This can be interpreted as a reflection of a love-hate relationship, where the singer is torn between wanting the person to be gone due to the pain they have caused, yet also desiring their presence because of the emotional connection they share.
The line "Give me all your lemonade, don't you tell me no I never" can be understood as a metaphor for the person's emotional vulnerability. The singer wants the other person to open up fully and share their emotions, as symbolized by the lemonade. They yearn for the other person to trust them enough to reveal their true thoughts and feelings, regardless of whether they are positive or negative.
The phrase "Don't you let it go to waste, you know I can go forever" suggests a plea for the other person to not let their emotional connection fade away. The singer is willing to invest as much time and effort as necessary in order to maintain and nurture the relationship, indicating a deep longing for their love and companionship.
Despite the desire for emotional depth, the lyrics also reveal a sense of disappointment and a realization that the person they thought they knew was not truly as they seemed. This is conveyed through the line "I heard every word you said, here I thought I knew you better." The singer recognizes that they may have been deceived or misunderstood the other person's intentions, leading to feelings of betrayal and a desire for clarity.
The repetition of the phrase "Come on baby play the game" highlights the singer's frustration and desire for the other person to participate fully in the relationship. They express feeling ashamed for not being able to express themselves fully and regret for the things left unsaid. The lyrics convey a sense of urgency, as emphasized by the line "Nothing ever lasts forever, we were never good together," indicating that the singer recognizes the unfulfilling nature of the relationship and is ready for change.
Overall, the lyrics of "Lemonade" delve into the complexities of a volatile relationship, where the desires to have and let go of someone are intertwined. The song captures the conflicting emotions and the struggle to find resolution, presenting a story of longing, disappointment, and a yearning for emotional connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I want you to go away
I desire for you to leave and be out of my life
I want you to stay forever
I wish for you to remain with me indefinitely
Give me all your lemonade
Provide me with all the positivity and joy you have to offer
Don't you tell me no I never
Refuse to deny me or reject my requests or desires
Don't you let it go to waste
Do not allow the good opportunities or experiences to be squandered
You know I can go forever
You are aware that I have the ability to persist or endure indefinitely
I heard every word you said
I listened attentively to everything you expressed
Here I thought I knew you better
I previously believed that I had a deeper understanding of who you are
cll of your life
The complete extent or entirety of your existence
cll of your time
The entirety of your available minutes and hours
Trying to find
Engaging in the act of seeking or searching for something
Come on baby play the game
Come on, my dear, participate in the activity or situation
(I've been feeling so ashamed)
(I have been experiencing a strong sense of guilt or embarrassment)
(cll the things I couldn't say)
(All the things I could not express or communicate)
Come on baby pull the lever
Come on, my dear, take action or make a decisive move
(Nothing ever lasts forever)
(No thing or situation remains eternal or everlasting)
(We were never good together)
(Our compatibility or synergy was never existent)
Just give me all your lemonade
Simply provide me with all the positivity and joy you possess
Don't you tell me no I never
Do not deny me or reject my requests or desires
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind