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.
the crossing
Meg Hutchinson Lyrics
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They've been working on it for years now
Just about finish up 'fore it occurs to anyone
They built that damn thing just about a foot off the ground
Way way higher than the road around
So if you happen down that highway, 'specially at night
Hit the bridge at fifty-five
Feel like you might just take flight
See my flying
I've found quiet in this room
Down by where the trains run
I've learned to hear the rumble, long before it
comes
And the things I'm working on
Are invisible to everyone
Something 'bout an empty hip or the angle of the sun
Every time the crossing comes as a surprise
See me flying
Maybe these stitches in my throat
Have just about dissolved
Like the sad moan of the drunkard
walking home from the bar
I hear the thin song of the fire house
when they sound the alarm
I hear the church bells on Sunday... ringing out
Used to be a town of dirt and horses
Now it's all liquor and cars
There's still a whole lot of nothing
up between those stars
Take the dog out for a walk
On the Episcopal church lawn
My God we're still tryin' to find a way
To get ourselves beyond
And every time the crossing comes as a surprise
See me flying
In Meg Hutchinson's song The Crossing, the first verse talks about a bridge just south of town that has been under construction for years. The bridge was not built to a reasonable height and is just about a foot off the ground, making it way higher than the road around it. This apparently makes for a dangerous trip across the bridge as drivers could end up feeling like they're about to take flight if they hit it at 55 miles an hour, especially at night. The bridge is so poorly constructed that every time it comes up, it takes the singer by surprise and she feels like she's flying.
The second verse is about finding peace and solace in a quiet room where the singer has learned to hear the train as it rumbles in the distance. It seems she's working on something that is invisible to everyone, perhaps something personal or emotional. Despite being invisible, it's clear that it's important to her. She notes that every time she's startled by the train, it feels like she's flying. The third verse is a commentary on the town the singer inhabits, which was once quaint and reliant on horses, but has transformed into a place of heavy drinking and cars. Despite this, there's still a sense of hope for the future as the singer walks her dog on the church lawn and the church bells ring out, reminding her that they're still trying to find a way to move beyond their current situation.
Overall, The Crossing is a song about navigating the unexpected and finding a sense of soaring freedom in moments of surprise. Whether it's the poorly constructed bridge that takes drivers by surprise, the rumbling train that breaks the silence, or the church bells that remind the singer of the community around her, every surprise becomes a moment of elevated spirit for the singer, accompanying her take off.
Line by Line Meaning
Bridge just south of town
Referring to a bridge which is located in the southern part of the town
They've been working on it for years now
The bridge has been under construction for a lengthy period of time
Just about finish up 'fore it occurs to anyone
The construction of the bridge is almost completed and it hasn't been noticed by anyone
They built that damn thing just about a foot off the ground
The bridge has been constructed almost a foot higher than the usual height of roads in the area
Way way higher than the road around
The height of the bridge's structure is significantly higher compared to the surroundings
So if you happen down that highway, 'specially at night
If one happens to be driving on the highway, particularly during night-time
Hit the bridge at fifty-five
The driver has to maintain a speed of fifty-five miles per hour while passing through the bridge
Feel like you might just take flight
It feels like the vehicle might take off or may jump in the air while crossing the bridge
And every time the crossing comes as a surprise
The experience of crossing the bridge is always unexpected
See my flying
The feeling of seeing oneself airborne, while crossing the bridge
I've found quiet in this room
The singer has found solace in an enclosed space
Down by where the trains run
nThe room is located near to where the trains pass by
I've learned to hear the rumble, long before it comes
The singer has developed the ability to listen to the sound of the train's rumble before the train arrives
And the things I'm working on
The singer is referring to the things that she is concerned or focused on
Are invisible to everyone
Nobody can see or understand what she is working on
Something 'bout an empty hip or the angle of the sun
The singer is working on something that relates to either a vacant space or the position of the sun
Maybe these stitches in my throat
The singer might be referring to the stitches in her throat caused either out of an illness or injury
Have just about dissolved
The singer's physical wound is almost healed completely
Like the sad moan of the drunkard walking home from the bar
The singer hears a sound like that of a sad moaning alcoholic walking home from a bar
I hear the thin song of the fire house when they sound the alarm
Referring to the sound made by a fire station when they sound the alarm
I hear the church bells on Sunday... ringing out
The sound of the church bells ringing out on a Sunday
Used to be a town of dirt and horses
The town was a rural one with dirt roads and horses in the past
Now it's all liquor and cars
The town is now more modernized with an influx of cars and alcohol
There's still a whole lot of nothing up between those stars
The space between the stars still seems to be empty
Take the dog out for a walk
Referring to taking a dog out for a walk
On the Episcopal church lawn
On the church turf belonging to the Episcopal denominational church
My God we're still tryin' to find a way
Emphasizes the struggle to find one's way
To get ourselves beyond
To transcend this limited mindset and move beyond our perceived limitations
And every time the crossing comes as a surprise
Every time the opportunity to cross over to a new perspective comes unexpectedly
See me flying
The singer feels like she is soaring through the air
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave
Written by: ANTHONY EARL BUTLER, BRUCE WILLIAM WATSON, MARK BRZEZICKI, WILLIAM STUART ADAMSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind