The band is fronted by songstress Lauren Mann who started playing live in and around Calgary in 2008. Shortly after, she began collaborating with local musicians and formed somewhat of a collective that became affectionately known as “Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk.”
At the end of 2010, Lauren decided to make her home the open road and began to pursue a full-time music career. She released “Stories From Home,” a collection of songs that had been recorded over the past four years, and booked a 65-day tour across Canada with shows in every province. Since then, Lauren and the collective of “Fairly Odd Folk” that have joined her on her journeys have developed a sound unlike anything else. In less than two years they’ve brought this sound and dynamic live show to audiences in every corner of North America, with over 375 tour dates and over 3400 albums sold.
Having just announced a signing to Wanderer Records, the group, now consisting of Lauren Mann (Lead vocals, piano, ukulele), Jay Christman (drums, guitar), Jessica Christman (bass, additional keys, BGV’s), and Zoltan Szoges (additional keys, percussion, glockenspiel), are excited to release their brand new album “Over Land and Sea” on April 9th 2013. “Over Land and Sea” was produced by Aaron Marsh (Copeland, Person L, Joshua Michael Robinson) in Lakeland, FL and illustrates Lauren’s gift of songwriting with a wide array of instrumentation, beautiful harmonies, and lyrics that tell of whimsical adventures.
Look for Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk on tour this spring in support of “Over Land and Sea,” and rediscover your love for music.
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“Lauren Mann may be one of the best indie-folk rockers that you’ve never heard of.”
--Moira E. McLaughlin, Washington Post
“Lauren Mann has the type of lyrics in which you can really lose yourself. Alongside joyous, breezy instrumentation, she philosophically explains the value of letting some of our comforts go and opening ourselves to new experiences and whimsical adventures.”
--Cait Lepla, Music Writer, BeatRoute Magazine
“Lauren Mann along with her Fairly Odd Folk are lovely. Lovely to hear and lovely to work with. We enjoyed having them at the 2011 Calgary Folk Music Festival. From what I’ve seen, it looks like she’s at the beginning of a promising career.”
--Kenna Burima, Calgary Folk Music Festival
"Lauren Mann brings a wisdom and reflectiveness to her brand of indie pop that tickles the listeners fancy with beautiful melodies and delightful charm."
--Kat Dornian, Music Director, CSJW 90.9
Fragile
Lauren Mann and The Fairly Odd Folk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are delicate to the touch
We are temporary at best
Unaware of what's next
We float through space and time
Transient hearts align
Keeping all but some to ourselves
Hear the call to abandon self
But we can't get outside ourselves
Fear of the undiscovered
Locks us inside
Leave all your inhibitions
Embrace this life
Leave what you once knew behind
Take what is left see what you'll find
The song Fragile by Lauren Mann and The Fairly Odd Folk speaks to the inherent vulnerability and transience of human life. The opening lines, "We are fragile needing much / We are delicate to the touch," remind us of our physical and emotional frailties and how we are often in need of tenderness and care. The chorus describes how we are "transient hearts" that "float through space and time." This suggests the fleeting nature of our existence and the way we can easily be carried along by the current of life without taking control of our own destiny.
The second verse is a commentary on our social and materialistic tendencies. We are "wealthy given much" but "keep all but some to ourselves," reflecting our tendency to hold on to our possessions and not share with others. The call to "abandon self" can be interpreted as an invitation to break free from self-centeredness and look beyond our own interests. However, the refrain "But we can't get outside ourselves" acknowledges the difficulty of truly shedding our egos and fears.
The bridge of the song encourages us to leave behind our fears of the unknown and take a chance on life. The line "leave all your inhibitions" suggests that we must let go of our hesitations and embrace the present moment. The final lines, "Leave what you once knew behind / Take what is left see what you'll find," encourages us to let go of our past and embrace the unknown future, to take chances and be open to new experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
We are fragile needing much
We as human beings are vulnerable and frail, we desire a lot for our survival and growth.
We are delicate to the touch
We as human beings are sensitive and easily impacted by various forces around us and by those with who we interact with.
We are temporary at best
Our presence, impact, and existence as human beings are ephemeral and can easily fade into oblivion.
Unaware of what's next
As human beings, we are uncertain of the future and what outcomes it brings, and thus we find ourselves unable to predict the uncertainty that comes with the future.
We float through space and time
As human beings, we traverse through different experiences and events in our lives in no particular order or aim, we simply exist with no certain destination.
Transient hearts align
Our emotions, feelings, and desires as human beings are temporary, fleeting, and subject to change or metamorphosis.
We are wealthy given much
As human beings, we are rich and abundant in the resources and blessings that we have been given to use for our good.
Keeping all but some to ourselves
However, instead of sharing and using these blessings for the betterment of all humanity, we tend to hoard and store them for selfish gain.
Hear the call to abandon self
A voice deep within us calls for us to let go of our egos, selfishness, and flaws as human beings.
But we can't get outside ourselves
Unfortunately, we find ourselves trapped within our own personalities, perspectives, and thoughts that hinder us from responding to the call for selflessness.
Fear of the undiscovered
As humans, we are fearful of exploring the unknown and dealing with uncertainty that comes with that exploration.
Locks us inside
The fear we hold inside us as human beings constricts and confines us to our limitations and makes us unable to evolve and grow beyond the present state.
Leave all your inhibitions
To break free from our fears, we must set aside all doubts, reservations, and apprehensions that hold us back from exploring the undiscovered.
Embrace this life
As humans, we are called to seize every moment, experience, and relationship life brings us and make the most of it.
Leave what you once knew behind
We must forget the illusions and preconceptions of the past, for it can't be changed, and focus ahead on what the future holds.
Take what is left see what you'll find
It's up to us to take charge of the present, use the resources at our disposal for the greater good and see what the future, a reflection of our choices, holds.
Contributed by Cameron T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.