Cochrane was born in Lynn Lake, Manitoba to Violet and Tuck Cochrane, a bush pilot. The family relocated to Etobicoke, Ontario in the West Deane Park area when Tom was four years old. He purchased his first guitar at age 11 by selling a toy train set. He attended Martingrove Collegiate Institute in the 1960's. In the early 1970s, he was performing in coffee houses across Canada. He eventually made his way to Los Angeles where he found a job writing theme music for My Pleasure is My Business, a Xaviera Hollander movie. Unable to find steady income from music, Cochrane returned to Toronto where he drove a taxi cab and later took a job on a Caribbean cruise liner to help pay the bills. Cochrane went back to Los Angeles in 1976, trying to sell his songs to publishers but without success, and returned to Toronto in 1977. Cochrane walked into the El Mocambo club one night in Toronto and came across a band of locals calling themselves Red Rider. After an audition, they agreed to Cochrane joining the band as lead singer and songwriter, a decision that would change their musical careers.
After the Red Rider era, Cochrane set off on his soloist path again. In 1990, Cochrane took his family to West Africa where he helped to raise awareness and money for the World Vision famine relief organization. That experience shaped his next album Mad Mad World which contained the internationally acclaimed hit single "Life is a Highway".
The three-CD box set Ashes to Diamonds, including material by both Red Rider and Cochrane as a solo artist, was released in 1993.
In 1995, he released Ragged Ass Road and followed that with a Canadian tour in 1996. The tour resulted in Songs of a Circling Spirit, a live CD and multi-media package of previously released material.
In June 1999, Cochrane was involved in a light plane crash in Montreal, after his plane's engine stalled just after take-off. Fortunately, no one was injured.
At the 2003 Juno Awards, Tom Cochrane was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The special award ceremony took place April 5, 2003 at Casino du Lac-Leamy in Gatineau, Quebec. According to the Life Is a Highway Songfacts, his other honors include seven Juno Awards, being an Honorary Colonel in the Canadian Air Force, and having been inducted onto the Canadian Walk of Fame. They take their rock stars seriously in Canada.
In December 2003 he was one of the musical guests on a CBC special called, Rick Mercer's Christmas in Kabul.
He currently lives with his family in Oakville, Ontario.
On July 2, 2005, Cochrane took part in the Live 8 concert series.
Cochrane's new album "No Stranger" recorded in rural Ontario was released in October 2006.
"Life Is A Highway" was re-made in 2006 by the country band Rascal Flatts for the motion picture "Cars" and became a successful country single.
Washed Away
Tom Cochrane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where time stands still
In the face of our foolish pride
We trade our love for ambition
And tell each other
We'll get it all back in time
But time moves on like a river
Like a summer rain
It all gets washed away, oh
Round and round and round we go
Where it stops, don't no one know
Find a love, you better let 'em know
You'll both get washed away
Round and round and round we go
Where it stops, don't no one know
Find a love, you better hold on fast or
You'll both get washed away
I watch the wind blow out there
Maybe hear some distant laughter
Look outside the hotel window
And my soul wanders off, babe
This is the town I met you in
And I won't soon forget that
Your proud beauty lingers on
Until the storm has lifted
Go find your fortune fast
It's cold outside but you'll make it
Don't trade your love for ambition
Or you'll get washed away, oh
Round and round and round we go
Where it stops, don't no one know
Find a love, you better let 'em know
You'll both get washed away
Round and round and round we go
Where it stops, don't no one know
Find a love, you better hold on fast or
You'll both get washed away
An old cliche
That you used to tell me
Some things might change
All things won't last
Do the best you can
It'll all work out
At the end of the storm
Live to love another day
Round and round and round we go
Where it stops, don't no one know
Find a love, you better hold on fast
You'll both get washed away
Round and round and round we go
Where it stops, don't no one know
Find a love, you better let 'em know
You'll both get washed away
Round and round and round we go
Where it stops, don't no one know
Find a love, you better hold on fast or
You'll both get washed away
Round and round and round we go
Where it stops, don't no one know
Find a love, you better hold on fast or
You'll both get washed away
Round and round and round we go (oh)
Where it stops, don't no one know
Find a love, you better hold on fast or (oh)
You'll both get washed away
Round and round and round we go
Where it stops, don't no one know
Find a love, you better hold on fast or
You'll both get washed away
The time we spend
As we pass this way
We might not ever be here again
Hold on tight to what you find
Then we're gone tomorrow, yeah
The song Washed Away by Tom Cochrane is a reflection on the transience of life and the futility of placing too much importance on materialistic pursuits like wealth and power. The lyrics describe a desolate desert town where inhabitants trade their love for ambition, only to find that time eventually catches up with them and takes everything away. Cochrane cautions against this way of life and urges the listener to hold on to what they find and cherish it, because everything else will eventually be washed away.
The first verse sets the scene for the song, describing the desert as a place where time stands still and people are trapped by their own foolish pride. The second verse references the relationship between the singer and a past love, highlighting the fleeting nature of life and the need to appreciate what one has while they still can. The chorus is an anthem for living in the moment and holding on to what really matters, reminding the listener that they, too, could be washed away at any moment.
Line by Line Meaning
We live out here in the desert
We live in a place where there is nothingness, nothing seems to change, and we don't see the movement of time itself.
Where time stands still
We live in a place where it feels like there is no progression or change.
In the face of our foolish pride
Despite the fact that we may be doing things that don't align with our true desires and values, we still choose what we think is right because pride can be blinding.
We trade our love for ambition
We might be sacrificing our love or relationships in pursuit of personal goals and success.
And tell each other
We use self-assurance and optimism to convince ourselves that our choices will eventually lead to happiness.
We'll get it all back in time
We believe that what we are sacrificing now will be obtained in the future.
But time moves on like a river
Time is always moving forward, never stops, and flows like a river.
Soon leaves us all behind
Life moves fast, and soon everything we have will become a distant memory.
Like a summer rain
Summer rain is a metaphor for how the things we thought were solid and present could disappear in an instant.
It all gets washed away, oh
Every single thing we are working towards can be lost in no time, leaving us with nothing.
Round and round and round we go
Life goes in a cycle with no end, hence the repetition of the phrase.
Where it stops, don't no one know
Nobody can predict the future.
Find a love, you better let 'em know
If you find love or the things that matter to you, don't hesitate to hold on to them tightly or communicate them.
You'll both get washed away
If you don't value what you have, it will all be lost in no time.
I watch the wind blow out there
The writer observes movement from afar, maybe as an observer, while things change or move on.
Maybe hear some distant laughter
There is some form of joy or happiness still out there, but it's not entirely accessible.
Look outside the hotel window
The writer is inside while things are happening outside; the world never stops.
And my soul wanders off, babe
The writer's mind drifts away to think about the world outside, possibly stressing the importance of not getting complacent.
This is the town I met you in
The writer has had some valuable experiences and feelings that may not feel as strong anymore.
And I won't soon forget that
The writer has some feeling of appreciation and gratitude.
Your proud beauty lingers on
The person being referred to brings a sense of beauty and pride that resonates strongly with the writer.
Until the storm has lifted
The feeling may not always stay since circumstances sometimes change for the worse.
Go find your fortune fast
Chase after what you want, time waits for no one.
It's cold outside but you'll make it
It might be difficult, but eventually, things will be okay and you will survive.
Don't trade your love for ambition
Don't allow yourself to compromise love or the things that matter to you in the pursuit of success.
Or you'll get washed away, oh
If you don't value what you have, it will all be lost in no time.
An old cliche
This statement might be a generally accepted truth.
That you used to tell me
Someone might have told this to the writer before, perhaps as a form of advice.
Some things might change
Change is inevitable.
All things won't last
Nothing lasts forever, including the things that we believe will sustain us infinitely.
Do the best you can
Put your all into what you do.
It'll all work out
Everything will end up falling in place at some point.
At the end of the storm
After any rough times, the situation has the likelihood of resolving or improving.
Live to love another day
No matter how hurtful or broken we feel today, we'll wake up tomorrow with renewed hope and a chance to love again.
The time we spend
The moments that we get to experience.
As we pass this way
Even though we are here today, we might not be here tomorrow.
We might not ever be here again
The reality of life is that things don't stay the same, and we might not have an opportunity to experience a moment twice.
Hold on tight to what you find
Cherish and protect the things that are valuable to you.
Then we're gone tomorrow, yeah
Life is unpredictable, we may exist today but gone tomorrow.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Thomas William Cochrane
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnnyz5095
Time moves on like a river . So leaves. Us all behind ... like a summer rain in august we all get washed away. 30 yrs.later this song is still awesome!
@tomcochrane4633
Thanks for subscribing to my Youtube page, I really appreciate the love and support you showered on me !!! Kindly send me a text here to talk better 615-667-9728
@satchmomoskow7665
I was rummaging through my neighbors garbage heap, and I found this gem at the bottom of the pile.
Blessed to have found this, one mans trash is another mans treasure.
@babyann604
I just loved your voice Tom, just awesome!
@rayray1405
I Grew Up On Tom....This Song Brings Back Some Good Memories, Kickass Album, Hell Of A Canadian Artist, Better Yet A Canadian Hall Of Famer, Tom Cochrane You ROCK FOREVER!!! See Ya In Edmonton, Canada. \m/\m/
@Himalyantiger
Just found his album on a CD stack. I feel blessed to have found it. Amazing
@tomcochrane4633
Thanks for subscribing to my Youtube page, I really appreciate the love and support you showered on me !!! Kindly send me a text here to talk better 615-667-9728
@Himalyantiger
@Tom Cochrane Hey man that's awesome. I sent you a text. I wonder if you also live in BC. I was glad to have known that you're from Canada. You got such an amazing vocals!! I wish I could sing :) been taking vocal lessons every week for nearly a year now and still barely any progress!!
@jamesaichholz9696
Great album from beginning to end. I picked it up once in a Goodwill store cuz I had some store credit and didn't know how to use it. Definitely have no regrets about picking it up.
@user-rl1qe6wc3z
Songs of a circling spirit cd. Tom cochrane accoustic. Best ever