Ungerleider played her first show under the name Oh Susanna at the Railway Club in Vancouver in July 1995, and released her first independent recording, a seven-song EP, in 1997. Around this time, she decided to relocate to Toronto after attending Blue Rodeo's Stardust Picnic festival. In 1999, she released her full-length debut, Johnstown, and toured Canada and the United States with fellow musicians Veda Hille and Kinnie Starr, in what they dubbed the "Scrappy Bitch Tour".
At the 19th Genie Awards in 1999, she won the Genie Award for Best Original Song, for her song "River Blue" from the film The Fishing Trip. She subsequently released eight more recordings, Sleepy Little Sailor (2001), Oh Susanna (2003), Short Stories (2007), Soon the Birds (2011), Namedropper (2014), A Girl in Teen City (2017), and Decemberly (2018) a holiday EP with Michael Johnston.
In 2021, she announced that she was retiring the Oh Susanna stage name after learning more about the complicated racial history of the song "Oh! Susanna". She is now releasing under her own name.
Discography:
Oh Susanna EP (1997)
Johnstown (1999)
Sleepy Little Sailor (2001)
Oh Susanna (2003)
Short Stories (2007)
Soon The Birds (2011)
Namedropper (2014)
A Girl in Teen City (2017)
Decemberly (2018) (with Michael Johnston)
Lucky Ones
Oh Susanna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People can say,
We're the lucky ones.
When they see us there,
Walking down the street,
Strolling arm and arm.
But they can't see,
We're the lonely ones.
No, they can't believe,
That together we,
Don't belong.
I always dreamed,
I always dreamed,
That our love affair,
Would always be,
Would always be,
Like a fairy tale.
But our love is gone,
I guess I was wrong,
But still we let it linger on,
We make believe,
But together we,
Don't belong.
People can say,
People can say,
We're the lucky ones.
But they can't believe,
That together we,
Don't belong.
So we make believe,
But together we,
Don't belong.
The song "Lucky Ones" by Oh Susanna seems on the surface to be a love song about two people strolling down the street arm in arm. However, the lyrics reveal that despite appearances, the couple is actually lonely and doesn't really belong together. People may look at them and think they are the lucky ones, but they can't see the truth behind the facade. The singer had always dreamed that their love would be like a fairy tale, but in reality, it has fallen apart.
The lines "we make believe, but together we don't belong" suggest that the couple is trying to hold onto something that isn't really there. They may be pretending to be happy for the benefit of others or even themselves, but deep down they know that their love has faded away. The theme of not belonging extends beyond just the relationship - it could be interpreted as a commentary on modern society, where people often feel disconnected from each other despite the appearance of being connected through social media and other means.
Overall, the song is a poignant reminder that things aren't always as they seem, and that even those who appear to be living the fairy tale may be struggling with loneliness and disconnection.
Line by Line Meaning
People can say,
Despite what others may say,
People can say,
Repeated for emphasis,
We're the lucky ones.
Some may see us as fortunate,
When they see us there,
Especially when they encounter us,
Walking down the street,
As we stroll along,
Strolling arm and arm.
Cheerfully linked together.
But they can't see,
However, they do not perceive,
No they can't see,
Reiterated for emphasis,
We're the lonely ones.
That we are quite solitary,
No, they can't believe,
Likewise, they cannot accept,
That together we,
The fact that combined, we,
Don't belong.
Do not fit in.
I always dreamed,
I used to imagine,
I always dreamed,
Once again, repeated for emphasis,
That our love affair,
Our romantic relationship,
Would always be,
Would remain consistent,
Would always be,
Again, repeated for emphasis,
Like a fairy tale.
Just like a storybook ending.
But our love is gone,
Nonetheless, our affection has ended,
I guess I was wrong,
I suppose I was mistaken,
But still we let it linger on,
However, we permitted it to endure,
We make believe,
We pretend,
But together we,
Yet when we are united,
Don't belong.
We still do not fit in.
People can say,
Once again, people may claim,
People can say,
Repeated for emphasis once more,
We're the lucky ones.
That we are indeed fortunate,
But they can't believe,
However, they cannot comprehend,
That together we,
That when we are combined,
Don't belong.
We do not belong.
So we make believe,
Thus we pretend,
But together we,
Although we are together,
Don't belong.
We still do not fit in.
Contributed by Riley K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@michaeldunn6690
Aww Suze you have such a sweet voice and Jim just compliments it sooo well. Much enjoyed!
@elparadisowellnesscentre
Great duet. Two amazing voices
@mymusic3790
beautiful song, she is so underrated, shes been amazing for years!
@smileybluegirl
One of the most beautiful songs ever!!! Way to go Susanna and Jimmy!!! :)
@ajalcorn
Listening to this again and it really is an amazing song... wow! This should be all over Nashville and the radio stations. You've got a hit here Oh Susanna!!
@freshfighter9
This song should be a classic. Get with it, radio! You're missing the boat.
@joelavoiemusic
great tune :)
@ginataylor7971
I adore this song. Love it more when she sang it with the Dutch guy
@smileybluegirl
This song is sooo amazing!!! ❤️👍
@oldfamilyxmasvideos8530
Beautiful, beautiful. Thank you.