There are 2 artists listed on the Last FM page as Jerry Burns. Albums for t… Read Full Bio ↴There are 2 artists listed on the Last FM page as Jerry Burns. Albums for the Scottish female singer songwriter Jerry Burns are Angel, Pale Red and Crush.

You don’t listen to Jerry Burns as much as eavesdrop on a private conversation, a confession or a secret. She quietly offers these fragile, intimate songs while remaining enigmatic, yearning but never pleading.

Like a secret diary or a found photograph, Jerry’s music conjures the personal, inviting us to reconnect with the painful spikes on our own timelines; the places lived in, the people loved, the possessions lost. Angel, underwritten by an accompaniment of sombre shifting strings is cinematic in scale, a poised, elegiac backdrop for Jerry’s heartrending vocal. It is music carved in stone, etched in memory. Hers is a voice in the tradition of the best chanteuse: seductive, yet always on the edge of breaking.

To date Jerry’s career is measured less by a ruthless gameplan than a free-floating trip with liked-minded talents. Hailing from a family steeped in blues, jazz, traditional Irish folk and country, Jerry was raised on songs of love and murder. Her first album, Jerry Burns, released on Columbia/Sony Music, fused the talents of world-class producers, Stephen Hague and Bob Clearmountain along with co-songwriter/
musician, Bobby Henry and included two singles, the haunting Pale Red and the enchanting Completely My Dear. Her song, Wings of Desire featured on the motion picture soundtrack of Walking and Talking for Miramax Films.

Jerry’s collaboration with composer, Craig Armstrong, on his first solo album for Virgin, The Space Between Us, resulted in This Love, performed by Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins and subsequently covered by artists, Nick Warren, Bryan Ferry and Sarah Brightman. The song also features on Armstrong’s Filmworks, his first major compilation of movie compositions and on the soundtracks of La Femme Nikita, Cruel Intentions and on Gilles Mackinnon’s Tara Road, performed by Jerry.

Signed to Monument Music, sister company of Melankolic, Jerry’s next collaboration with composer Sally Herbert produced a series of gorgeous orchestral tracks, including Angel, featured on the film soundtrack of Crush. Working with various members of Massive Attack, including Horace Andy, she co-wrote After All for his album, Living In The Flood. Later, working in Paris with Luc Besson on the film La Turbulence Des Fluides, directed by Manon Briand, Jerry collaborated on the track Close My Eyes.

Jerry’s most recent work continues to cross artistic borders, currently co-writing with Craig Armstrong on his latest project, Winona. Her long love affair with dance includes choreographic workshop pieces for Scottish Ballet, most recently in 2008 with Angel, choreographed by Leigh Alderson, with previous works, Map Of The Human Heart, choreographed by Luc Ahmet and Oliver Rydout and Wings of Desire choreographed by Catarina Lappin. Jerry’s latest project is a new album, working with various writers and reuniting her with composer, Sally Herbert.

Like a private view, the tracks featured here provide a fitting soundtrack for those of us who’ve ever loved and lost. Jerry’s songs, elegantly wrought and timeless, speak to every wounded heart and dispossessed soul that wanders in the night searching for some kind of consolation, the comforting words of a stranger, a place to call home. They are longing to be found.

Crossing Over
Jerry Burns Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Crossing over
Looking sideways
Killing time
Cherished notions
Left alone
I do alright

But I can't trust myself with you,

No

And all the cars tonight
Are on the bridge tonight
Crossing over

Painted skylines
Passing over me
Like a breeze in my hair
A breeze in my hair

And all the cars tonight
Are on the bridge tonight
Crossing over,
Over

I can't trust myself with you,
No
I can't trust myself with you,
No

And all the cars tonight
Are on the bridge tonight
And all the cars
Crossing over

Yeah, Crossing over

Still passing over me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jerry Burns's song "Crossing Over" convey a sense of melancholy and hesitation. The singer seems to be in a state of introspection, contemplating their own vulnerability and the risks of engaging with someone they cannot fully trust. The title phrase, "Crossing Over," refers to the image of cars passing over a bridge, which is evocative of transition, change, and uncertainty. The singer is caught in a liminal space, neither here nor there, wondering whether they should take the leap or stay on the safe side.

The opening lines suggest a feeling of restlessness and boredom, with the singer "looking sideways" and "killing time." They seem to be detached from their surroundings, lost in their own thoughts and memories. The phrase "cherished notions left alone" implies a sense of loss, as if the singer has given up on some of their dreams or ideals. However, they are quick to reassure themselves that "I do alright," perhaps trying to convince themselves that they are content with their current situation.

The main theme of the song is revealed in the chorus, where the singer confesses that they cannot trust themselves with someone else. This may be due to past experiences of betrayal, or simply a general feeling of insecurity and self-doubt. The repetition of this line emphasizes the internal conflict that the singer is facing. They simultaneously desire and fear intimacy, unsure of whether they are ready to "cross over" and commit to another person.

The second verse adds more detail to the metaphor of the bridge and the passing cars. The singer describes the skylines painted on the bridge, which suggests a sense of artificiality and facade. They also mention the cars passing over them "like a breeze in my hair," which could be interpreted as a symbol of fleetingness and transience. The final lines of the song repeat the chorus, emphasizing the unresolved tension between the singer's longing and their fear.

Line by Line Meaning

Crossing over
Moving from one side to the other, shifting from one state of being to another

Looking sideways
Glancing around, feeling uncertain about what's ahead

Killing time
Wasting moments, getting lost in idle activities

Cherished notions
Ideas and beliefs that were once held dear and close to the heart

Left alone
Feeling abandoned, as if there's no one to turn to

I do alright
Despite the difficulties, making it through

But I can't trust myself with you, No
Awareness that being with the other person can lead to self-destructive behavior

And all the cars tonight Are on the bridge tonight Crossing over
The landscape is filled with people on their own journeys of transformation

Painted skylines Passing over me Like a breeze in my hair A breeze in my hair
The changing scenery of life sets the stage for new experiences and fresh starts

I can't trust myself with you, No I can't trust myself with you, No
The repetition highlights the importance of self-preservation and maintaining healthy boundaries

And all the cars tonight Are on the bridge tonight And all the cars Crossing over
The convergence of so many travelers suggests a common destination, despite each person's unique path

Yeah, Crossing over
Embracing the journey and all its uncertainties

Still passing over me
The changes keep coming, constantly shaping and molding each individual

Contributed by Brayden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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