Behind the Song: Your Sister Cried
(by Fred Eaglesmith)
I stared out of the windshield into the rain so light
I turned on my dims and somebody flashed me their brights
And I reached over and turned the radio way down low
Your sister cried all the way home
Lightening crashed and the road shone like a mirror
A dog came out of the ditch then he disappeared
I remembered a conversation we once had on the phone
Your sister cried all the way home
I’ll never know how you got into such a mess
Why do the bridesmaids all have to wear the same dress?
Everybody said you looked real good
But I think you looked stoned
Your sister cried all the way home
Listen to a clip of the song:
Your Sister CriedThis song floored me this first time I heard it, with its brilliant combination of humor and sadness. The dialogue is fantastic; we don’t know who is speaking, or to whom they are talking, but it works perfectly anyway, against all odds. This song is a rule breaker. It has so much mystery in it! Who is saying your sister cried all the way home? Who is the “you” in your sister? We can’t know, and it doesn’t matter because we are right there with him/her anyway. It could be anyone, a family member a, friend, insert any two people in that car talking to each other and the dialogue words works beautifully. Amazing.
The next question is who just got married? Is the bride in trouble, or is it a groom? For that matter, are there two brides? Two grooms? No way to know from the lyrics, but the songs work brilliantly for every scenario. Doesn’t even seem possible that this song would work, but Fred Eaglesmith has a way of pulling rabbits out of his hat. Most of us have been to a wedding where we wondered if it was a such a great idea for the couple to be tying the knot, and this song captures that queasy feeling of “Hh oh…..I hope I’m wrong about this, but…..”
Anyway, it’s brilliant songwriting, and a fantastic song.
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Mary, you know how to pick ‘em. This song has everything: a story, mystery, and feelings we all can relate to. And I Iove hearing your voice interpreting it. Just brilliant all the way around. Thanks.
Thanks Mary for this great song. Maybe Fred could answer all those questions. For me, I think it’s the sister herself singing the song as she drives home alone in her car after the wedding.
Please Mary try…. Thank you for your music and for sharing the stories you intertwine into music for the souls of your listeners.
I thought it was the babysitter… Fred does have a way of telling a story and leaving it up to you!
Mary, listening it seems like seeing an old flame that I had not seen or heard from in years. Suddenly she is right in front of me, in sight and in my head. I realize I still love her. My heart throbbed with every lyric and flowed with the melody. Love this song, still a huge fan…
Cannot wait for the CD to come out! Love it!
Like Gretchen Peters & Barry Walsh put in on their wedding day blog: “Mary is a hidden gem.” Not for long!
This song was my introduction to Fred. I first heard it on your album Mercy Now, noticed the songwriting credit and been a fan ever since. Seen Fred twice now and cant wait to see you live. Thanks Mary!
One of my favorite songs.
I hope you and yours will have a Blessed,Thanksgiving, A Very Merry Christmas and The Most Happy New Year Ever! Much hugs & love,Linda
Your interpretation of Fred’s song is just downright powerful. You were meant to sing this one, Mary. I so enjoyed hearing you sing it on our Rout 66 trip.
Sounds great! Thanks for sharing this on your website. Can’t wait to get the whole CD. (I’m going to have to check out Fred – I love “discovering” artists to check out that are all new to me)
Everything you write or sing turns to pure gold Mary. You are very blessed!! Can’t wait for my copy of “Live at Blue Rock” in December. Thanks from the bottom of my heart for simply being you!!
What a great colloaboration! Two of my all time favourites. Did you ever meet the late, beautiful Willie P. Bennett who played with Fred for so many years.
Willie was a dear friend of mine, I toured with him and Fred many times before he passed. He was a gentle soul.
great song. It had to be written It had to be sung. My twin sister cried. over her son, my nephew. Half measures, they say … well you know the rest. And there is no earthly good reason why the brides maids all have to wear the same dress. – except that it rhymes so well with mess.
To SteveZ:….availed us nothing!! Loved that comment about mess/dress.
Mary…I too learned about Fred after hearing you sing this song on your CD. I always think it is the bride crying all the way home. Well, maybe cause I identify from back in the day. Ha! I just love your voice, and the way you wrap yourself around a song. Pure joy.
I always thought it was the bride’s sister, driving home alone but saying to her sister who’s got married that she has made a big mistake. Wonderful words though,, so evocative of driving at night when something awful’s happened and what’s seen or heard is so vivid and remembered for ever.
When are you going to make it to Minnesota again? Miss your style! Fred is stone cold amazing. Almost as high as you on my list of favorites.
Dear Mary,
One of my all time favorites of Fred Eaglesmith… Just saw him in Folsom, California. This man touches my heart like no other, but I am sure, Mary you could strike a cord with this song too!! Happiness to you and yours!! Keep the songs coming!!! – Heidi
It is one of my favourite songs for the way you sing it, the timbre of your voice. I admit I never thought it much of a mystery. I just had a scene in my head upon hearing the words. Not until i read your comment on it did I realise it wasn’t a straight forward as I experienced it. I have the cd and love it of course and eagerly await a new one with new songs. You are the only singer/songwriter I know who touched me on first hear (soundtrack of tv series, Mercy Now) and I bought all of your output str8 away. I didn’t need to know about your life to know what sort of life it had been. snap. Thank you kindly for have the guts to put it all out here. Listening to you is truly healing as all good music is.
I could not agree more with the artist about how and why the song works. Thank you, Mary Gauthier. And, Go, Fred.
This is my favorite song on the CD. I always repeat it a couple of times! And I love that you are sharing the stories behind the songs!
I saw Mary in April 2005 at a tiny venue in Nottingham, England. I had driven over 2 hours to get there. Just Mary, a backing guitarist and 30 people. What a privilege to be there. Anyway, I asked Mary afterwards what this song meant and she said its vagueness was what made it work. I have just bought Mary’s “Live at Blue Rock” album and revisited the song. So with apologies to Mr. Eaglesmith and Mary here is my take on the lyrics. The narrator is a good friend (Best Man, perhaps) of the groom. The car journey is taking place a few days after the wedding. The subject is a very close relationship between the groom and his sister. The groom has talked about this with the friend in the telephone conversation. The line about the bridesmaids wearing the same dress refers to the fact that one bridesmaid (the sister) has a more important relationship to the groom than the others but this cannot be displayed. I’m sure this is complete baloney but lyrics in the public domain are open to many interpretations.