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
Wild Dog 2
James Wyatt Crosby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Different size a different shape
No I'm not like any other one
I'm not living my life in no cage
Do you remember where we began?
Stayed up at night
We'd sleep in the day
Now would you say that things have changed?
cnd I know that you're feeling so hard for me
But the problems are lying just beneath
‘Cause there's something I keep hidden way down deep
I'm a wild dog a wild wild dog
It's the things that I think before I sleep
cnd the promise I made that I just can't keep
cnd you know in your heart that it just can't be
‘Cause I'm a wild dog a wild wild dog
Please don't ask me to change and I won't ask you to change
Wild dog a wild wild dog
Please don't ask me to stay and I won't ask you to stay
Wild dog a wild wild dog
You're not like the other ones
The love you have a love that sustains
Ya you were different from those other ones
See in your face that you're in pain
You had my back I was the lucky one
No one will ever love me the same way
I turned my back now I'm the only one
I tell myself it's better this way
cnd I wish that it didn't have to be
Something that disappeared so easily
It's so hard to describe but can't you see
I'm a wild dog a wild wild dog
cnd it isn't to say that there can't be
Some fine day far away where we could see
But for now there just can't be no in between
For a wild dog a wild wild dog like me
In "Wild Dog 2" by James Wyatt Crosby, the lyrics express a sense of uniqueness and individuality. The singer emphasizes their distinctiveness, stating they are not like anyone else in terms of size, shape, and mindset. They refuse to conform to societal expectations and reject the idea of living a confined life. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for rejecting limitations and choosing to live authentically.
The lyrics also touch upon the memories and changes that have occurred in the singer's life. They reminisce about the past, staying awake at night and sleeping during the day. This could symbolize a time of rebellion or nonconformity. However, they also acknowledge that things have changed, implying a shift in their mindset or circumstances. There may be a sense of longing for the past and reflecting on the differences between then and now.
The second paragraph reveals a hidden vulnerability within the singer. While acknowledging that someone has strong feelings for them, they allude to internal struggles or personal issues that are kept hidden deep within. This could represent emotional baggage or a secretive nature. The singer portrays themselves as a "wild dog," suggesting an untamed and unpredictable nature. They mention the things they think about before sleep, implying a restless mind. Additionally, they make a promise they cannot keep, which may reflect their inability to fully commit or fulfill expectations.
The refrain "Please don't ask me to change, and I won't ask you to change" emphasizes the singer's resistance to conforming or changing for others. This stubbornness stems from their self-proclaimed identity as a wild dog. They value their freedom and reject societal pressures to conform. By not asking the other person to stay, they imply a desire for independence and a belief that their paths are inevitably separate.
In the final paragraph, the lyrics shift the focus to the other person addressed in the song. The singer acknowledges that this person is different from others, and their love sustains them. However, the singer recognizes the pain that the other person carries, possibly due to the singer's own actions. They describe a situation where the other person had their back, indicating a supportive presence in the singer's life. Yet, the singer turned their back on them, believing it to be better this way.
The lyrics express a longing for a different outcome and suggest that the connection between the singer and the other person can't be easily revived. They convey a sense of regret and a desire for a future where maybe there could be a chance for reconciliation. However, for now, there is an unbridgeable gap between their realities, symbolized by the notion of being a wild dog. This signifies that the singer's untamed nature and their perception of themselves as different and unique prevent any middle ground or compromise from being possible.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not like the other ones
I don't conform to the norms or expectations set by others
Different size a different shape
Unique and distinct in my own way
No I'm not like any other one
I refuse to fit into any predefined category
I'm not living my life in no cage
I am not constrained or restricted by societal norms or expectations
Do you remember where we began?
Recalling the starting point of our relationship
Stayed up at night
Spending long hours awake together
We'd sleep in the day
Choosing unconventional schedules and routines
Do you remember how it all began?
Reflecting on the origins and early stages of our connection
Now would you say that things have changed?
Asking if our current circumstances differ from the past
And I know that you're feeling so hard for me
Understanding that you have strong emotions towards me
But the problems are lying just beneath
Recognizing that there are underlying issues or challenges
'Cause there's something I keep hidden way down deep
Concealing a deep-rooted aspect or part of myself
I'm a wild dog a wild wild dog
Describing myself as untamed and unpredictable
It's the things that I think before I sleep
The thoughts and contemplations that occupy my mind before sleep
And the promise I made that I just can't keep
Acknowledging a promise I am unable to fulfill
And you know in your heart that it just can't be
Recognizing that you understand the impossibility of the situation
'Cause I'm a wild dog a wild wild dog
Emphasizing my untamed and unpredictable nature
Please don't ask me to change and I won't ask you to change
Requesting acceptance without the need for transformation
Please don't ask me to stay and I won't ask you to stay
Preferring not to demand commitment or permanence
You're not like the other ones
Highlighting your uniqueness and individuality
The love you have a love that sustains
Expressing that your love is enduring and nurturing
Yeah, you were different from those other ones
Acknowledging your distinction from previous experiences or relationships
See in your face that you're in pain
Perceiving the anguish and suffering in your expression
You had my back I was the lucky one
Feeling fortunate to have had your unwavering support
No one will ever love me the same way
Believing that no one else will possess the same depth of love for me
I turned my back now I'm the only one
Having rejected your support, I am now left alone
I tell myself it's better this way
Attempting to convince myself that this is the preferable outcome
And I wish that it didn't have to be
Expressing a desire for a different outcome
Something that disappeared so easily
Referring to something that vanished without much difficulty
It's so hard to describe but can't you see
Admitting the difficulty in explaining, yet hoping for understanding
I'm a wild dog a wild wild dog
Reiterating my untamed and unpredictable nature
And it isn't to say that there can't be
Acknowledging the possibility of a future different from the present
Some fine day far away where we could see
Envisioning a potential time in the distant future when clarity may emerge
But for now there just can't be no in-between
Recognizing the current impossibility of finding middle ground or compromise
For a wild dog a wild wild dog like me
Explaining why finding a balance or reconciliation is challenging due to my wild nature
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind