She fronted the rock trio Crowsdell in the 90's, recording two albums, Dreamette and In the curve of an arm. Both featuring her intense writing, playing and singing.
Her first solo album, Flightsafety (1999) featured a gentle acoustic sound. Her next release, Maps of Tacit (2000) brought a more vocally aggressive approach. This was further developed on her next two albums, Dyed in the Wool (2001) and Over the Sun (2004), which were both recorded with Steve Albini.
After a collaboration with French musician Yann Tiersen (Yann Tiersen & Shannon Wright, 2004), the works that followed moved in a gentler direction, mixing warm folk and rock songs with moodier pieces. These albums included Let in the Light (2007), Honeybee Girls (2009), and Secret Blood (2010).
Her next album, In Film Sound (2013), incorporated more raw and harsh indie rock elements reminiscent of earlier works. Later, on Division (2017), she experimented with a fragile keyboard-based sound incorporating sampling and electronic beats. Her most recent release, Providence (2019), also has a haunting sound mainly based on piano.
She's a frequent road warrior, playing shows everywhere from South Dakota to Brazil. Her live shows are emotionally charged, unbridled pieces of rock and roll, featuring Shannon's trademark vocal howl and multi-instrumental palette. Shannon was handpicked by Sleater-Kinney and Nick Cave to open some of their US tour dates.
Defy This Love
Shannon Wright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You help me do the things I hold
Defy, defy our love
Defy, defy our love
And it's not the roles you play
And it's not the roles I play
Defy, defy our love
Defy, defy our love.
Oh, how they start
Little birds so gently
I give you all the love I've got
And let it shine right through me
Can we please forget the pain
Can we please forget today
Define, define our love
Define, define this love
Oh, how they start
Little birds so gently
I give you all the love I've got
And let it shine right through me
All the while
I still carry
The lullabies that you sing
Circle round angry on me
If only you would come for me
The lyrics to Shannon Wright's song "Defy This Love" seem to be speaking to the complexities and challenges of a romantic relationship. The repetition of the lines "You help me do the things I hold, defy, defy our love" suggest that while the two people in the relationship are a positive influence on each other, there are still elements of conflict and struggle that they have to overcome. The lines "And it's not the roles you play, and it's not the roles I play" hint at a sense of frustration around expectations and societal norms that might be affecting the relationship.
The chorus of the song, "defy, defy our love" has a kind of contradictory feeling to it. It's as if the singer is simultaneously asking their partner to resist the difficulties of their relationship, and also to rebel against the ease and comfort they provide. The second verse adds to this complexity, with the lines "Can we please forget the pain, can we please forget today, define, define our love, define, define this love." Here the singer seems to be searching for a way to fully understand and define the love that they have with their partner, while also wanting to move past any hurt or disappointment that might be lingering.
Overall, "Defy This Love" is a song that speaks to the complicated and multifaceted nature of romantic relationships. It acknowledges the struggles and conflicts that can arise, while also celebrating the ways in which two people can support and uplift each other.
Line by Line Meaning
You help me do the things I hold
You enable me to accomplish the things that matter to me.
Defy, defy our love
Rebel against our relationship and love for each other.
Defy, defy our love
Rebel against our relationship and love for each other.
And it's not the roles you play
It's not the parts you play that define you.
And it's not the roles I play
It's not the parts I play that define me.
Defy, defy our love
Rebel against our relationship and love for each other.
Oh, how they start
Oh, how relationships often begin so sweetly and tenderly.
Little birds so gently
Like vulnerable birds, our love started delicately and with care.
I give you all the love I've got
I offer you all the love I have to give.
And let it shine right through me
I allow that love to radiate from me and into the world.
Can we please forget the pain
Can we please move beyond the hurt we've experienced?
Can we please forget today
Can we please forget this difficult moment?
Define, define our love
Come to a clear understanding of our relationship and love for each other.
Define, define this love
Come to a clear understanding of this particular type of love.
Oh, how they start
Oh, how relationships often begin so sweetly and tenderly.
Little birds so gently
Like vulnerable birds, our love started delicately and with care.
I give you all the love I've got
I offer you all the love I have to give.
And let it shine right through me
I allow that love to radiate from me and into the world.
All the while
Despite everything that's happened over time.
I still carry
I'm still holding onto.
The lullabies that you sing
The soothing songs you once sang to me.
Circle round angry on me
They encircle me with anger and bitterness.
If only you would come for me
If only you would come back and reconcile with me.
Contributed by Kaylee E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Nomdecodezero
chef d'oeuvre absolu! la base!
@diegogrun5755
My wife and I were at the show (we can even be spotted at the front!). I don't think this was released as a dvd, but I would love to have it. Do you have the full concert or just a few songs? Thanks!
@meandmytwohorses
the best!!!
@rocknrollama
A moins qu'elle ait fait un concert secret en 2011, le Point Ephémère c'était le 30 septembre 2010!
@MrLadysweetlady
@zerbinoYoutbe En effet, je pensais qu'il s'agissait de la même tournée durant laquelle je l'ai vu au printemps 2011 (même musiciens, setlist...). Merci d'avoir relevé, c'est modifié!