Meryn Cadell is a singer, wri… Read Full Bio ↴From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Meryn Cadell is a singer, writer and performance artist from Canada. He currently teaches the writing of song lyrics and libretto in the Creative Writing Program at University of British Columbia.
Cadell, a transsexual, achieved prominence as a female. A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, Cadell released an independent cassette titled Mare-In Ka-Dell in 1988 while active as a performance artist in Toronto, Ontario's Queen Street West scene.
Cadell soon signed to Intrepid Records, and recorded with Jim Creeggan of Barenaked Ladies, Bob Wiseman of Blue Rodeo and members of Rheostatics. Those sessions were released in 1991 as the album Angel Food for Thought, whose first single "The Sweater" became a surprise Top 40 hit in Canada in 1992. "The Sweater" is a monologue, with a musical backing track, revolving around a sweater left behind by a teenager’s crush and the thoughts it inspired.
In 1993, Cadell released a follow-up album, Bombazine, on Sire Records. This album featured guest appearances by Rheostatics, Ben Mink, Tyler Stewart, Anne Bourne and John Alcorn. Following that album, Cadell took a hiatus from music to do human-rights work with PEN Canada. Cadell also wrote an independent film, which was never produced.
In 1997, Cadell returned to music with the album 6 Blocks on the independent label Handsome Boy Records. Guest performers on this outing included Anne Bourne, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Chris Wardman and Jason Sniderman (Blue Peter), Paul Brennan (Odds) and Martin Tielli.
Following that album, Cadell retired from the music business. He publicly came out as transgendered on Bill Richardson's CBC Radio One program Bunny Watson on October 2, 2004, although he had already been out to friends and family for a number of years.
I Say
Meryn Cadell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need quiet time
If you don't believe me as I slide in the sea ...
It doesn't matter much to me.
I lie down and I float nowhere
I know why, because I lie,
Just hearing my mouth open
I feel the water on my skin
I scorn and shame you,
Berate and blame you
I beg you to come to me.
It's easy; you let me.
Don't leave me.
Now you won't come out tonight
Your clothes are clung to you with fright
How am I here again
I fear the mornings as they pull near.
I need violent dying
I need quiet times
Hear me, save me as I slide in the sea.
No hands, no one. No
light, just me.
The lyrics of Meryn Cadell's song "I Say" explore themes of depression, longing, and despair. The first two lines of the chorus, "I need violent dying, I need quiet time," capture the conflicting emotions that the singer experiences as they grapple with their psychological turmoil. They crave an end to their pain and suffering, yet also seek moments of solitude and introspection.
The final lines of the chorus, "Hear me, save me as I slide in the sea. No hands, no one. No light, just me," convey a sense of isolation and hopelessness. The singer feels alone in their struggles and sees no way out of their emotional abyss. The image of sliding into the sea represents a surrender to the overwhelming feelings of sadness and despair.
In the second verse, the lyrics turn to address another person. The singer scorns and shames them, but also begs for their company and support. The conflicting emotions are once again present, as the singer pushes away the person they need the most. The final lines, "I fear the mornings as they pull near," express a dread of facing another day and the harsh reality of their situation.
Overall, "I Say" is a poignant and powerful exploration of the dark and complex emotions that can accompany depression and mental illness.
Line by Line Meaning
I need violent dying
I am searching for a release from the turmoil within me and crave for an end to my inner sufferings.
I need quiet time
I need solitude and time to heal my wounds and gather my thoughts.
If you don't believe me as I slide in the sea ...
Even if you don't believe in me or understand the struggles I am going through, it doesn't matter because I am in this alone.
It doesn't matter much to me.
I have come to accept my solitary state and do not rely on external validation to heal my inner self.
I lie down and I float nowhere
I feel lost and directionless and my mind is clouded with chaos.
I know why, because I lie,
I am aware of my own tendency to deceive myself and evade the harsh realities of life.
Just hearing my mouth open
The mere act of speaking about my troubles is a release and brings me a sense of calm and relief.
I feel the water on my skin
The physical sensations of the water on my skin provide me with a temporary sense of comfort and connection to the natural world around me.
Dry.
However, despite the temporary relief, I remain emotionally parched and still crave for inner peace and contentment.
I scorn and shame you,
I am filled with anger and disappointment towards those who don't understand my struggles or dismiss my suffering as trivial.
Berate and blame you
I am quick to blame others for my inner turmoil and feel frustrated by their inability to alleviate my pain.
I beg you to come to me.
Despite my anger and frustration towards others, I still long for their love and support to help me heal my wounds.
It's easy; you let me.
I am willing to take any form of help or support from others, even if it means depending on them entirely, without taking responsibility for my own healing.
Don't leave me.
I fear being abandoned by those who I depend on for support and connection.
Now you won't come out tonight
I feel disappointed and let down by those who have promised to stand by me and support me, but have failed to do so.
Your clothes are clung to you with fright
I sense fear and hesitation in those who are meant to support me and feel that they are not strong enough to help me through my struggles.
How am I here again
Despite my efforts to heal and transcend my struggles, I find myself back in the same state of mind, and feel helpless and overwhelmed by my negative thoughts and emotions.
I fear the mornings as they pull near.
I dread waking up each day, as it means facing the same struggles and challenges that I have been running away from.
Hear me, save me as I slide in the sea.
I am crying out for help and support as I feel myself sinking into my emotional abyss, and fear drowning in my pain and suffering.
No hands, no one.
Despite my desperate cries for help, I feel alone and unsupported, and fear that no one will be there to rescue me from my inner struggles.
Contributed by Mason B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Robyn
on Barbie
Great song! Fun to sing along to.