Pratt was raised by her mother, who exposed her to a broad range of artists, including Tim Buckley, X, and the Gun Club. She learned to play the guitar around the age of 15, after her older brother gave up playing his Stratocaster. She took his guitar and started practising with the T. Rex album, Electric Warrior. She was soon able to play the guitar parts of the whole record. She eventually began recording songs at the age of 16, using her mother's Fender guitar amp and microphone.
After she moved to San Francisco, she was introduced to Tim Presley's solo project, White Fence, through Presley's brother, who was her roommate for three years. In the following years, Presley heard Pratt's demo songs through her then-boyfriend, who had posted her songs on Facebook. He eventually contacted her to release her music.
Pratt's self-titled debut album was released in 2012 through Presley's label, Birth Records. Produced by Craig Gotsill, the album featured the songs that were originally recorded in 2007 over analogue tape. The initial 500 pressings of the sold out in less than two weeks. It received attention from many music websites and magazines, including Pitchfork (website), Consequence of Sound[3] and PopMatters.
In January 2014, she revealed the studio version of a new track, "Game That I Play."
In October 2014, Pratt announced her sophomore album, On Your Own Love Again.
In October 2018, she announced her third album, Quiet Signs, and released a video for a new track, "This Time Around." Pitchfork reviewed the song, giving it the Best New Music designation and noting a stylistic shift, comparing it to "a Tropicalia version of a Christmas song, or a ’60s jukebox standard playing in a beach town diner during the off-season."
According to Philip Cosores of Consequence of Sound, Pratt's music "displays a lyrical and musical range without straying from a palette of picked acoustic guitar and raw, bending vocals" and nods to "60′s folk, California classic rock, and the early 2000′s freak folk." She is compared to various folk artists, including Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Sibylle Baier, David Crosby and Karen Dalton. She also expressed admiration for Ariel Pink.
Crossing
Jessica Pratt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To sing along, I sing it all the day
And you stole my singin'
And you say that you ought to be strong, poison all, all
Oh, did I be seen along and all the way eternal
Though, you saunter on
Long again, I know
Hiding on before they sing together, song tonight
Here, how, adding on to blame
Hating all that you've done, and know it's all too long
And it's all too long, I leave too long
And it's all too long, it seem too long
Hey, dum-di
Hey, hey, hey, hey
I'm singing too long tonight
I sing along, I sing it all the day
And you stole my singin'
And you say that you ought to be strong, poison all, all
Here did happen song and now I'm rolling on the sand
Beyond the song, tonight
Long again, I know
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Ahh, ah-da, ahh
Oh, oh, oh
In Jessica Pratt's song, "Crossing", the singer sings about someone stealing her singing and poisoning all. The song appears to be an introspective one, where the singer explores how she feels about herself and the world around her. She tries to sing along and maintain a positive attitude, but someone takes away that joy from her. The phrase "poison all" seems to refer to the negativity that surrounds her, taking away her happiness and leaving her feeling disillusioned.
The line "Here did happen song and now I'm rolling on the sand" suggests that the singer is stranded on a beach or has become disconnected from her surroundings. The phrase "rolling on the sand" may represent the loneliness and discomfort that she feels. The line "Beyond the song, tonight" may be a reference to something beyond the superficial pleasure that singing brings. Pratt may be suggesting that there is something more profound that the singer is seeking, beyond the song.
While the lyrics of "Crossing" are somewhat cryptic, they suggest that the singer is struggling to maintain a positive outlook on life. The song is both melancholic and hopeful, with a dreamlike quality that keeps the listener engaged.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been singing along to try
I've been singing along to try and feel better
To sing along, I sing it all the day
To cope, I sing all day long
And you stole my singin'
You took away my joy of singing
And you say that you ought to be strong, poison all, all
You say that you need to be strong, but it's killing us both
Oh, did I be seen along and all the way eternal
Did I walk this path alone forever?
Though, you saunter on
You continue to move forward without me
Long again, I know
It feels like a long time since we've been together
Hey, hey
An expression of frustration and sadness
Hiding on before they sing together, song tonight
Avoiding confrontation before we sing together tonight
Here, how, adding on to blame
Here we are, adding more blame to the mix
Hating all that you've done, and know it's all too long
I'm resentful of everything you've done and it feels like it's been going on for too long
And it's all too long, I leave too long
It's been too long and I need to leave
And it's all too long, it seem too long
It's been so long that it feels unbearable
Hey, dum-di
An expression of frustration and longing
Hey, hey, hey, hey
An expression of frustration and sadness
I'm singing too long tonight
I've been singing for too long tonight
Here did happen song and now I'm rolling on the sand
Something significant happened and now I'm lost and alone
Beyond the song, tonight
Beyond this song, tonight
Ahh, ah-da, ahh
An expression of sadness and longing
Oh, oh, oh
An expression of sadness
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Jessica Pratt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Wyeth Miller
Jessica's music makes me feel like I'm in a dream I would have had in an alternate version of the 1970's. It's fun to walk around the park to.
Raffy Rillo
Hauntingly beautiful, awashed with undeniable melancholy I loved.
Seb Guilmette
Thank you Jessica, this is beautiful, tinged with melancholy but so soothing.
Mat L
She is so underrated, my favourite song on this album
VioletCrush
This song is outstanding!
sianxrich
One of my favourites, this needs to be used in a movie 🎥
Mat L
She is too underrated!
Ms Ann Thrope
This song perfectly captures the sun going down behind the trees in a gray and amber sky on a Sunday evening.
D
This song sounds quite literally the word, “enough.”
jackkcaj78
So good! What is it that the chorus reminds me of?!?! It’s killing me!