According to the The A Soft Place To Land Songfacts Edwards' father is Leonard Edwards, a former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. As a result she spent portions of her teenage years in Korea and Switzerland. Her blend of country, folk and pop music made her a favourite of music critics, and a rising star on radio in 2003 with her debut album, Failer, made popular by her hit singles "Six O'Clock News" and "Hockey Skates" Her style of music is sometimes placed in the music genre "alt-country".
In 1999, Edwards recorded a six-song EP entitled Building 55 and pressed 500 copies. By the fall of 2000, she was on tour across Canada managing her own gigs. In 2001 she wrote seven of the ten songs for her 2003 debut release Failer.
Edwards married musician and producer Colin Cripps in 2004. They later divorced.
In 2005, Edwards released Back to Me, which also garnered considerable critical acclaim, and led to the release of the singles "Back to Me" and "In State". The track "Summerlong" also featured on the soundtrack of the movie Elizabethtown starring Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst.
In 2006, she was nominated for Juno Awards for Songwriter of the Year and Adult Alternative Album of the Year for Back to Me.
On March 4, 2008, her new CD, Asking for Flowers, arrived to excellent reviews.
Her fourth album, Voyageur, was released on January 17, 2012.
The Cheapest Key
Kathleen Edwards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
B is for bullshit and you fed me some
C is for charity and now you're mine
D is for dollars, but you're counting dimes
E is the exit sign backstage at shows
F is my favorite letter, as you know
G is for God loves a patient man
You always write it in the cheapest key
You always blame it on the cheapest key
You always play me in the cheapest key
They say the start's always the hardest part
But like you know, baby, I'm all warmed up
Sometimes I wanna shout your name out loud
And let them in on what you're all about
You always write it in the cheapest key
You always blame it on the cheapest key
You always play me in the cheapest key
But don't get me wrong
Here comes my softer side and there it goes
'Cause I've been on the road too long to sympathize
With what you think you're owed
You always write it in the cheapest key
You always blame it on the cheapest key
You always play me in the cheapest key
The cheapest key, the cheapest key
In "The Cheapest Key," Kathleen Edwards spells out the alphabet, assigning each letter a meaning that relates to her relationship with a partner. The song title actually comes from the idea that Edwards' partner plays all of his songs in a G-C-D progression, which is a common and easily accessible chord progression for musicians. In contrast, Edwards' songs often use more complex and varied chord progressions, highlighting the differences between the two and possibly reflecting the ways they approach life and relationships.
The lyrics in the beginning of the song paint a picture of someone who has been silent about their feelings and possibly mistreated by their partner, who Edwards feels is being insincere by playing it safe and cheap with their music. As the song progresses, it seems that Edwards is becoming more vocal about her frustrations and, though she has a softer side, she's not willing to sympathize with her partner anymore because she's too worn out from being on the road. Perhaps the line "sometimes I wanna shout your name out loud" is a metaphor for Edwards wanting to speak up about her partner's cheapness or the lack of emotional depth in their relationship.
Overall, "The Cheapest Key" is a song that's simultaneously about music, relationships, and possibly even personal philosophies. It highlights the ways people can approach life differently and the challenges that come with partnering with someone who sees the world in a distinct way.
Line by Line Meaning
A is for all the times I bit my tongue
I've been quiet and held back my feelings many times
B is for bullshit and you fed me some
You've lied to me and I'm tired of it
C is for charity and now you're mine
I've been charitable towards you and now you owe me
D is for dollars, but you're counting dimes
You're being cheap and not valuing my time and effort
E is the exit sign backstage at shows
Leaving the stage and getting away from you is a relief
F is my favorite letter, as you know
I have my own preferences and opinions, despite what you think
G is for God loves a patient man
God rewards those who are patient, but you're selfish and egotistical
You always write it in the cheapest key
You take the easy way out and don't put in effort
You always blame it on the cheapest key
You make excuses instead of taking responsibility
You always play me in the cheapest key
You treat me poorly and don't value me
They say the start's always the hardest part
People say beginnings are tough, but I'm ready
But like you know, baby, I'm all warmed up
I'm ready to go, despite any doubts or obstacles
Sometimes I wanna shout your name out loud
I want to call you out for your actions
And let them in on what you're all about
I want others to know the truth about you
But don't get me wrong
I still have more to say, but I don't want to be misunderstood
Here comes my softer side and there it goes
I'm trying to be gentle, but it's not working
'Cause I've been on the road too long to sympathize
I've been through too much to care about your excuses
With what you think you're owed
You expect too much and don't appreciate what you have
The cheapest key, the cheapest key
You consistently take the easy, low-effort route
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: KATHLEEN MARGARET EDWARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bruce Whitehouse
This is an awesomely fun video, I just wonder why it doesn't have more views. Maybe it's because the song's written in a bargain key--why couldn't it have been in b-minor or G# or one of those fancier keys?
N Polansky
Lordy, this is a great song and video.
Desert Fox
And yet another good'un
tmertube
I've been wondering the same thing too!
Caelia Chapin
Did they really have to censor the word "bullshit?" Like anybody here doesn't know that word? I call bullshit.