Rose Cousins is a Canadian bluegrass/folk singer-songwriter. Born and raise… Read Full Bio ↴Rose Cousins is a Canadian bluegrass/folk singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Prince Edward Island, she is currently based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Beginning in 2002, she released two EPs prior to her full-length debut, If You Were for Me, in 2006. The album garnered her a nomination for best solo artist at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. She was also a winner in the 2007 Mountain Stage Newsong Contest, as well as winning best folk recording from both the Nova Scotia Music Awards and the PEI Music Awards, and Female Recording of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards in 2008.

She followed up with The Send Off in 2009. The Send Off was produced by Luke Doucet, and features guest musicians including Kathleen Edwards, Melissa McClelland, David Myles, Jenn Grant and Tom Wilson.

In 2012, Rose released We Have Made a Spark. The album has 9 tracks, including 2 bonus tracks. It was produced by Zachariah Hickman and engineered by Matt Malikowski, Sean Cahalin and Roni Pillischer. The album was released on her own label, Old Farm Pony Records, the same label that houses her last two albums The Send Off and Miles to go.

Cousins has also appeared as a guest musician on albums by Grant, Joel Plaskett, In-Flight Safety, Two Hours Traffic, Matt Mays, Catherine MacLellan, Jill Barber, Matt Epp, Old Man Luedecke, Ruth Minnikin, The Olympic Symphonium and Craig Cardiff, and has performed live with Royal Wood, Daniel Ledwell, Rose Polenzani, Anne Heaton and Laura Cortese.

Official website: www.rosecousins.com

Chains
Rose Cousins Lyrics

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Hmm
Black is the devil, dark is the night
Stealing every shine of light
Holding hostage, the fire's bright
Black is the devil, dark is the night

You have told me it's no use
You have told me I'm a fool

And I keep dragging these chains you made

Chains
Chains
Chains

I drag my legs through the dirt and the mire
Got two heavy pegs on a tightrope wire
My guts are all with the lines of a liar
I drag my legs through the dirt and the mire

You have told me it's no use
You have told me I'm a fool
And I keep dragging these chains you made

Chains
Chains
Chains
Chains
Chains
Chains
Chains
Chains

I keep dragging these chains
Ooh, hmm

Overall Meaning

In Rose Cousins's song Chains, the lyrics describe the feeling of being shackled to someone else's negativity and criticism. The opening lines "Black is the devil, dark is the night, stealing every shine of light, holding hostage, the fire's bright," paint a picture of a dark and oppressive environment, where any light or hope is being extinguished. The repeated phrase "Chains, Chains, Chains" highlights the weight and burden of these negative feelings, and how they are like heavy chains around the singer's neck.

The second verse elaborates on the struggle of trying to break free from this heavy burden: "I drag my legs through the dirt and the mire, got two heavy pegs on a tightrope wire, my guts are all with the lines of a liar." The image of the tightrope wire emphasizes the precarious balance between staying stuck in this negative situation versus taking the risk to break free. The reference to "the lines of a liar" speaks to the idea that the singer may be believing falsehoods about themselves or their situation that are keeping them trapped.

Ultimately, the chorus emphasizes that despite knowing that these chains are not helpful, the singer continues to feel weighed down by them. The repeated phrase "And I keep dragging these chains you made" suggests that perhaps the singer feels they owe something to the person who has caused them this pain, or that they are stuck in a form of self-punishment.

Line by Line Meaning

Black is the devil, dark is the night
The night is dark and black is devilish, it takes everything away including light.

Stealing every shine of light
The night is so dark that it takes away any shine of light that tries to break through.

Holding hostage, the fire's bright
The darkness is so strong that it takes the fire's light captive.

You have told me it's no use
Someone has already told the artist that there is no use in trying.

You have told me I'm a fool
It seems like people have been calling the artist a fool for trying.

And I keep dragging these chains you made
Despite being told that it's hopeless, the singer continues to drag the chains that someone else made.

I drag my legs through the dirt and the mire
The singer puts in a lot of effort to keep going, but it's difficult and they are stuck in the dirt and muck.

Got two heavy pegs on a tightrope wire
The artist feels like they are stuck in a delicate balance, with heavy weights dragging them down.

My guts are all with the lines of a liar
The artist feels like they are being deceitful, likely to themselves, and it's taking a toll on their emotions.

I keep dragging these chains
Despite it being difficult and often tiring, the artist will not stop dragging the chains.

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Andrew Combs, Jeffrey Randall Bowman, Rose Cousins, Jeffrey Bowman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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