Performing Songwriter calls Hutchinson, "...A master of introspective ballads filled with understated yearning and an exquisite sense of metaphor." The twenty-six year old describes her style as "lyric-based, folk-pop, with a whole lot of small town idealism and one devastating break up thrown in for good measure." Among her influences she is quick to include poet Mary Oliver along with the likes of David Grey, Patty Griffin, Greg Brown and Shawn Colvin. Her songs are characterized by a weathered but unselfconscious optimism, a love of language and of the natural world. Having grown up in a town of 5,000 people, "just outside the National Historic District," her songs possess all the charm of Lake Wobegon, tempered by a sweet and timeless voice.
From the Start
Meg Hutchinson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the sad prairie
With the rain, smearing colors on the road
And the smell of the cattle cars
Steaming by me on the highway
Reminding me of the circus smells that day
How sharp my memories
The further I go, the more I fall apart
How bright these eyes in the bottom of my cup
How can I miss so many things,
I never had from the start
I dream I'm in a play that I've never read before
And in an hour it's being performed
And I have to wear this pink dress
And even when I'm sad I sing and dance
And I never know what line is coming next
The birds they clatter recklessly at windows
And the cars they just rattle on
But I hear lake water bumping up
against an old stone wall
And the voices of children playing on the docks
In the song "From the Start" by Meg Hutchinson, the singer reflects on the memories and emotions from a past experience that continue to haunt her. The first verse describes a long drive across a sad prairie, with rain smearing colors on the road and the smell of cattle cars reminding her of the circus smells on that day. The vivid description of her surroundings and memories emphasizes the lasting impact they have on her. The second verse describes a dream where she is in a play she has never read before and must wear a pink dress, even when she is sad. The dream represents the confusion and uncertainty she feels about her past and how it continues to affect her present emotions.
The chorus emphasizes the singer's sadness and confusion, with her heart feeling still and breaking apart the further she goes. She questions how she can miss things she never had from the start, suggesting that her emotions are tied to something undefined and unknown. The final verse brings back the description of sounds from the first verse, with birds and cars clattering around her but the voices of children playing on the docks prominent in her mind. This suggests a longing for a simpler, more innocent time and a desire to move on from the past.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm still haunted by that long drive across
I am still distressed by that long journey across the sad prairie
the sad prairie
an empty landscape that causes me to feel sorrow
With the rain, smearing colors on the road
Raindrops are blurring colors on the road
And the smell of the cattle cars
I can smell the strong odor of the cattle cars driving alongside me
Steaming by me on the highway
The cattle cars are billowing steam as they pass me on the highway
Reminding me of the circus smells that day
This reminds me of the smells of the circus on that specific day
How sharp my memories
My memories are very vivid
How still my heart
My heart is calm and unmoving
The further I go, the more I fall apart
As I distance myself, my emotional state deteriorates
How bright these eyes in the bottom of my cup
My eyes stare or reflect from the bottom of my cup, which is still full or empty and reflects the light in a bright way
How can I miss so many things, I never had from the start
How is it possible to long for things I never had in the first place?
I dream I'm in a play that I've never read before
I dream that I'm participating in a play I'm unfamiliar with
And in an hour it's being performed
In one hour, the play will be performed
And I have to wear this pink dress
I am obliged to wear a pink dress
And even when I'm sad I sing and dance
I continue to sing and dance, even when I'm feeling melancholic
And I never know what line is coming next
I am unaware of what will be said or happen next in the play
The birds they clatter recklessly at windows
Birds fly and knock their beaks into the windows without any caution
And the cars they just rattle on
Cars produce sounds as they rumble down the road
But I hear lake water bumping up against an old stone wall
I listen to the sounds of the lake water hitting an old brick wall
And the voices of children playing on the docks
I can hear the joyful sounds of children playing on the docks
Contributed by Jordyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Keith Wigley
Fine piece of song writing and vocal performance..keep the great sound acoming..