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.
Occam's Razor
Meg Hutchinson Lyrics
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Sometimes the moths are fooled
And they try to fly to it
I say, "The simple answer isn't always true
Occam's razor can be cruel"
And I tell you what I'm gonna do,
soon as I get my wings
You tell me it's the darkest time of winter here
But we're closer to the sun than we've been in years
And I could chew on these impossibilities
Or I could shake this fear
Then I could fly
These days we're living on the meanest edge
And if we fly too far, the air it thins
But I'll be a girl of faith, not of science
Until the day I die
Then I'm gonna fly
In Meg Hutchinson's song Occam's Razor, there is a sense of searching for something more, something beyond what is seen on the surface. The title derives from the philosophical principle that the simplest explanation tends to be the correct one, but in the context of the song, it is seen as being "cruel", leading to oversimplification and missing out on the complexities and possibilities of life. The singer is seeking a deeper understanding of the world around her, willing to fly, to explore and to take risks, rather than being held back by fear or the limitations of logic.
The reference to moths flying towards the moon, despite it being an impossible destination, is a metaphor for the human desire to reach for what seems unattainable. The line "I'm gonna fly" is repeated throughout the song, representing the singer's determination to break free from the constraints of rationality and embrace the unknown. The reference to being a "girl of faith, not of science" implies a need for more than just objective analysis, but also a belief in something beyond the tangible, a sense of wonder and possibility that cannot be easily explained by logic alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Contributed by Ethan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.