Magnolia - what do the lyrics mean?

What do the lyrics in Magnolia mean?

I was asked this question a lot this week after releasing my new single Magnolia (listen here).

In life, sometimes we lose our voice. Sometimes at the hands of others, sometimes because of fear, and sometimes it’s part of a bigger existential experience. This song is about reclaiming your voice when you have lost it.

I wrote this song in 2014, after losing our house in the devastating Southern Alberta floods and enduring some heartbreaking relational shifts. I was pregnant, a new homeowner, and had recently moved to a new city and province. Life was supposed to be amazing, hopeful and promising - that is the reward when you take a leap of faith right? (Please tell me you’ve had this experience).

Well, it wasn’t. Pretty much since we moved to High River, AB in 2011, my life has been one hot reckoning after another. (More on that here). But what is remarkable is this song has stuck with me during this heartbreaking season and still rings out true for me today. Back to the song lyrics…

I chose three physical anchors (wolves, tongues and witches) to represent the many ways we can lose our voice. Sometimes we find ourselves swallowed up in the voices/words/accusations of others. Sometimes those forces feel sinister like a witch, predatory like a wolf, or overwhelming like a fire.

When the times comes to begin to reclaim our voice we often feel lost, displaced or isolated. I chose the magnolia as a metaphor for resilience. Did you know the magnolia tree produces flowers in early spring before the leaves open up on the tree?!

Sometimes we have to trust that our spirit, soul and voices are proclaiming something we are not seeing yet. This is the sacred act of resilience - a miracle of grace.

If this resonates with you please feel free to share this post or leave a comment, I would love to hear from you!