'Canaries in a Coal Mine' by Thelma & James - Lyrics & Meaning

Rising duo Thelma & James - AKA MacKenzie Porter and Jake Etheridge - released 'Canaries In A Coalmine' on 25 July via Big Loud Records/Mercury Records as the follow up to previous singles 'Chainsmokin' Memories' and 'Happy Ever After You.' The duo wrote the song alongside Scott Stepakoff and Josh Osborne.

Like their previous singles, the instrumentation is pared down to allow their luscious harmonies to take centre stage, with sweeping strings being softly introduced as the song develops along with a lightly brushed military beat.

The song is anthemic and euphoric without ever feeling bombastic or over the top, using a shimmering, watery effect on the production that gives the impression that the sound is rising and falling in waves.

Somewhere along the line I think I just quit

Waking you up every single time I had a bad dream

The pair describe a relationship that has lasted a long time, but gradually over time they have stopped relying on each other for emotional support.

I remember them kids on your living room floor

Chinese food

Ain’t them no more

It’s a sad thing

The couple remember being younger when they were still "kids" sitting or lying on the living room floor, eating Chinese food as they reflect on the way their relationship to each other has changed over time, implying that although they are more comfortable now in a lot of ways, they have lost some of the emotional excitement they felt early on in their relationship.

‘Cause my God we choked on every sorry

‘Til we sang our voices dry

Ignored every single warning

But broken wings can’t fly

They describe how they metaphorically "choke" on the words they use to apologise to each other, saying "sorry" so much that the words began to lose their meaning. They were oblivious - or chose to ignore - all the warning signs in their relationship until they got to a point where they couldn't move forward in the way they had been because the relationship itself was broken.

Like canaries in a coal mine

Saw the cracks before the landslide

We were never getting out alive

Sometimes love just dies

Like canaries in a coal mine

The phrase "canary in a coal mine" refers to a person or thing that serves as an early warning signal for danger or a potential problem, in this case the broken relationship. It originates from the historical practice of miners taking canaries into coal mines to detect toxic gases, like carbon monoxide, before they became harmful to humans. The canary's sensitivity to these gases would cause it to become ill or die, alerting the miners to evacuate or take precautions.

In the song, their romantic relationship was something they metaphorically sent into the coal mines and it was only when it died, like a canary, that they knew there was a problem.

Do you remember that moment in the upstairs hall

Brushed right by you, said nothing at all

That said everything

Blame it on time, does what it does

‘Cause it is what it is, but it ain’t what it was

And That’s a damn shame

The couple remember a time when they were emotionally distant and unconnected from each other. Even though nothing was said, something was still communicated between them.

The phrase "nothing said says everything" means that silence or the absence of words can convey a powerful message. It highlights how non-verbal communication, like body language, facial expressions, and even the simple act of being quiet, can speak volumes. It can be a way of showing respect, understanding, or even conveying disapproval or disappointment without explicitly stating it.

‘Cause my God, I swear it was just summer

We were two birds on a wire

And I can’t help but wonder

Will we ever see the light

Often strongly associated with Leonard Cohen's song 'Bird on the Wire,' the idiom "bird on a wire" is often used to imply a state of limited freedom or precariousness. It can describe someone who is free in some ways but also vulnerable or exposed. The phrase can also symbolize a sense of being unsettled or uncertain about the future.

They are wondering if they will ever "see the light," and with reference to the canaries in this song that implies they are wondering if they will come out of the mine alive. In other words, make it through the difficulties of the relationship.

"We started writing this song in Mexico over Christmas break and then finished it in Nashville when we got home with Josh Osborne and Scott Stepakoff," the duo have shared. "Our favorite line in this song is 'I remember them kids on your living room floor.. Chinese food... ain’t them no more... it’s a sad thing' - that one just gets us in the feels 🥺 This song was really the second song we wrote for our upcoming EP and we are so excited for the world to hear it."

Somewhere along the line I think I just quit

Waking you up every single time I had a bad dream

I remember them kids on your living room floor

Chinese food ain’t them no more

It’s a sad thing

‘Cause my God we choked on every sorry

‘Til we sang our voices dry

Ignored every single warning

But broken wings can’t fly

Like canaries in a coal Mine

Saw the cracks before the landslide

We were never getting out alive

Sometimes love just dies

Like canaries in a coal mine

Do you remember that moment in the upstairs hall

Brushed right by you, said nothing at all

That said everything

Blame it on time, does what it does

‘Cause it is what it is, but it ain’t what it was

And That’s a damn shame

‘Cause my God, I swear it was just summer

We were two birds on a wire

And I can’t help but wonder

Will we ever see the light

Like canaries in a coal mine

Saw the cracks before the landslide

We were never getting out alive

Sometimes love just dies

Like canaries in a coal mine

Like canaries in a coal mine

‘Cause my God we choked on every sorry

‘Til we sang our voices dry

Ignored every single warning

But broken wings can’t fly

Like canaries in a coal mine

Saw the cracks before the landslide

We were never getting out alive

Like canaries in a coal mine

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