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To Us

by Christa Couture

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adieurbs Playin' this on NYE from now on! Fun tune! Thanks!
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about

Christa Couture understands, through challenging life-long experience, what it feels like to face adversity. Proudly queer, disabled, and Indigenous (mixed Cree and Scandanvian), Couture survived childhood cancer, which led to the amputation of her left leg; her two sons died as infants; her marriage ended in divorce after that; and most recently, thyroid cancer threatened her career as a singer.

So it's no wonder that her profound sense of loss informs her new single "To Us," though it’s balanced by a fragile sense of hope. From a gentle beginning, the song moves to a bouncy, upbeat melody that admits the failure of some of the best-laid plans, but chooses to rejoice anyway. Not unlike how we're all feeling at the tail end of a lengthy pandemic. The percolating pedal steel guitar solo, by Steve Dawson, is especially festive. In fact, the repeated lyrical wish for a "Happy New Year" might even turn the song into a seasonal favourite!

"I wrote this on New Year's Eve 2016, at the end of what had been a truly difficult year for me," says Couture. "I had gone through a divorce, three moves, four jobs, and discovered I had thyroid cancer. Despite how hard it had been, I wanted to toast to resilience, survival, to a little bit of hope that things might get better – but also to not wanting to jinx it! Enter 2020 and 2021, and it was the right time to record the song. I think we all feel weary and tentative; I think we all deserve to say, 'To Us!' despite it all."

lyrics

LYRICS

Oh, our human ways that we tally up the days
We fold the corner of the page to keep our spot
And then we act amazed to see a number change
Like it’s us that’s rearranged when it’s not

I’m not one to tell you, hon, “it’ll be alright”
Of course it might be, but here’s the rub: not tonight

So happy new year to choices, to losses, and divorces
To all the best intent that missed the mark
Happy new year to brilliance, to stillness, and to sickness
To that which didn’t kill us that made us hard

No I’m not one to tell you, hon, “we’re in the clear”
Of course we might be, but here’s the rub:
Probably not this year

So happy new year to resentment, to enjoyment, disappointment
To all the best laid plans we won’t pull off
Happy new year to the weary, to fury, and recovery
To that which doesn’t kill us that makes us soft

Yes, to that which doesn’t kill us that makes us soft

I’m not one to tell you, hon, “don’t give up”
But if you don’t you’ll get the joke that is yet to come

Happy new year
Happy new year
To us.

credits

released November 26, 2021
Written by Christa Couture.

Produced by Steve Dawson.

Recorded at each player’s home, pandemic style, with the Henhouse
Express band: Steve Dawson, Gary Craig, Jeremy Holmes, and bonus member Chris Gestrin!

Mixed by Steve Dawson at the Henhouse Studio.

Mastered by Andrew Downton.

Photo by cottonbro. Lyric video footage by cottonbro.

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Christa Couture Toronto, Ontario

“A remarkable chanteuse, singing superb material,” deems Roots Music of Christa Couture, an award-winning indie artist who has built a reputation for transforming tragedy into musical triumph, with sharp-shooting wit, effortless grace, and heart-on-sleeve intensity. ... more

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