Hello, my name is Kyle to most people, but to the twelve-fourteen year old grade eight students at Dr. L. M. Hanna School in Regina, Saskatchewan I am Mr. Cullins. As a teacher I am provided with various opportunities; my favorite being that my students always keep me up to date with the latest buzz. With the trend of MP3 players and iPods, I am constantly being subjected to what most of today’s youth are listening to. This tends to be unfortunate!
Having a love for quality music, I decided to indulge my students into the heart and soul of what I believe to be its very existence. With Jim Cuddy being my favourite singer and songwriter I went straight to his new album The Light That Guides You Home. For one hour, one day, I tossed the math book out the window and replaced it with "music appreciation." For the lesson I simply played Cuddy’s masterpiece "Pull Me Through" on repeat while the students responded in writing to their thoughts, experiences, and emotions; the lyrics were placed before them. I was astonished at the class discussion that followed and even more blown away at what this group of "no good," "trouble causing" teenagers had to say. My class truly tested the stereotype that is interwoven into their lives.
I, along with my students, would like to thank the JimCuddy.com team for this seemingly impossible opportunity to share our thoughts and art work with both Blue Rodeo and Jim Cuddy fans!
Cheers,
Mr. Kyle Cullins
Words from the Young
Dear Jim Cuddy
Mr. Cuddy my name is Shelby and I'm in grade eight. I think you're a talented songwriter and your words speak for the misplaced voice in all of us. Your lyrics relate to everybody's life in some way also your new album is astonishing.
From listening to your song "Pull Me Through," I found out that it relates to me very well. In addition, it captures the way I feel and reflects about love, family, and death. This song makes me think about my grandfather who passed away seven years ago. Your song demonstrates how one person can love another and it is the most beautiful thing in the existence. Further more, I would like to state you are my favourite songwriter and you have the most significant lyrics that I have every heard.
Shelby
Jim Cuddy: Pull Me Through
I think that this song is about a man who is divorced from his wife and he is just sitting at home crying and thinking of her. He won't do anything but that, because he is just too bummed out. He dosen't get mail from outside, or answer anybody who calls him. He is also having flashbacks about what he used to do with her, and when the wheather was nice and sunny. You can tell about that mostly by his saying what he misses about her, and what he used to do with her. He says he hopes she is travelling well now, and the river carries her everywhere she said. He also seems to have a really sad voice.
He could also be a man just dying "early", because he is talking about how "you" (most likely his wife) could always pull him through. She would make him happy and everything was good and nice, but maybe she leaves and he has no will to live. From that, he is dying, and remembering about his wife who could always keep him well. He is kind of saying that no matter how he felt, angry, sad, suicidal, she could always make him forget all bad things and make him feel better.
It could also be that he is just fine and it is his wife who is dying, and that is making him remember all of the things that they did together, and how she made him better. He is in his own sad world where it is just himself, and memories of his wife while she is either dead or dying. He says he is still tripping of echoes, probably of his wifes voice, and when the light slowly reaches his eyes. He sees her telling him to cheer him up, and not to just sit there. When she was with him, everything was good, but now that she is gone, everything is gloomy and sad.
Geordie
I think this song is about a man who lost the only thing he cares about and that is his wife. I think
she passed away onto the second life and he can't take the pain; he needs her or he thinks there is no point in living anymore. He needs her to "pull him through" out of his misery to keep him from killing himself or someone else needs someone to pull him through he needs to keep on going he can't stop. Life ends sooner than you expect so live life to the fullest.
One of the reasons why I think that his wife is dead is that it said you could always pull me through and could is a past tense word. Ever since she was gone the sky has turned black to him he needs the sun back to live, he needs her, it seems there love for each other is greatly appreciated by god. This is an enhanced song of our generation, which should be appreciated by everyone. I like this song because it is written with pride and meaning. I think music is a powerful thing and everyone should listen to it. The power of this song is astronomical. Everyone should listen to this song.
Joshua
Song of Sorrow
I think the song is about a guy whose girlfriend either dumped him or she passed on. Now, he is misserable and has hit rock bottom. I know this because in the song it says that there are unopend letters and it gives the impressioon that he dosent care any more. He remembers all of the good times that he has had with his girlfriend.
In this song it dosen't say much about how she died or why, because of this reason I think that it could be either her dying or leaving. I am confident that it was his girlfriend though because in the song it says stuff like, " she could pull me through", " unfinished conversations," " lying in the field together." It would most likley be your girl friend or wife doing that stuff. I get the impression that she's not there anymore because it uses a different past tences like, "she could pull me through" and, " she was always there for me." It dosn't use past tences from the present like, she can pull me through, and she is always there for me. The song also says that he hopes she is traveling well now under the stars, which would mean that she's not there with him.
Nothing like this has ever happened to me. This song dosn't bring up any emotions or memories for me because I haven't had anybody close to me die before. This song makes me think of a guy whose wife just died. He hits rock bottom and looses touch with his friends and family. Then one day, he realizes that although she is not alive she will always be with him in his mind and he will aways have the memories of them being together. She pulls him through when he needs it even though she's not alive. I have never heard this song before, and if I have I didn't recognize it, but it's a fantastic song and is one that I will always recognize and enjoy everytime I listen to it.
Sean
This song reminds me of how I felt when my auntied died. She could always make me feel happy, or "pull me through." I think this song is about how he misses whoever has passed on and knows they are still with him. He wants them to help pull him through the sadness of them leaving. I can really relate to this song because it really reminds me of my auntie. It makes me sad now to think that she's gone. I think he is talking about his wife or daughting in the song because he says "darling" and "I miss the way you looked at me." I think he means how they looked at each other with affection.
They lyrics remind me of how I would wake up at night and think of her and how she has left. This song describes perfectly how I feel. The lyrics are very fitting. This song is phenomenal.
Matt
Pull Me Through
I think the song "Pull Me Through" could be about a man and his wife or girlfriend who broke up or she died and he is remembering all the good times that they had. I think that the song is really good because it's calming and the tune and lyrics fit together perfectly. It makes you think about how your life is and it's just one of those songs that make you think optimistcally.
When I first heard the song, I didn't know the meaning behind the song, but after I heard it a second time and the class discussed it, I understood what the lyrics ment. Even though it's not my favourite type of music, I really like this song because it's very calming and relaxing. Also, it is a unique kind of sad if you understand the meaning behind the song.
When we listened to the song in class a lot of people thought of a lot of different ideas, and everyone had a different point of view about the song. I think to get a good perspective of something you need to know what your thinking and how it is suppose to mean. My perspective on the song "Pull Me Through" is very relaxing and very enjoyable.
Terri
I think this song is about how much pain and agony life can be. I think that something probably happened to him and he counted on a certain person. It also speaks of how depressing things can get. How one person can think of one thing that bothers them so much that they forget about the world around them. It could also be talking about a relationship and someone is just so depressed when the other is gone. But when the other person is around, all the problems seem to disappear.
It could also be the passing on of a close friend or family member. When you think about it, you're thinking no one cares. You're so depressed you don't have the energy to talk to someone. Then when you think all hope is gone, someone shows up. You find out who your real friends are, when you need them the most. Sometimes they flee from you because they don't want to help you out.
It reminds me of the time when a friend just opened right up, when she wasn't sure what to do anymore. I was the one who "pulled her through" that hard time in her life. It's like karma - what goes around comes around.
The song also could mean someone was leaving forever, how you're left with emptiness. You feel lonely and like there is no point in living. You know you have to hit rock bottom before you start to heal. I think this songs speaks about hitting that rock bottom, then starting to heal and climb back up out of that hole.
This song could also be a song about the tragic events that happened on September 11, 2001 (9/11) because it is very emotional, and talks about both great loss and great love.
Kyla
I think this is a good song with a strong message of love and feelings. The artist shares the way he feels in this particular song. Maybe he has had deep depression or sadness and someone has helped him through it. From this song I think that Jim Cuddy is releasing his feelings instead of crying and yelling. It seems to me he uses his music to let his sorrow and pain out. The song says, "You always pull me through," which means he has deep feelings for someone; perhaps a mother, wife, or maybe even his children. Who ever this person is must be really special to him. I know that during our class discussion everyone said that is was probably about his wife that died. Which could be true but my opinion is different.
I think that this song is about someone still living and he is sharing his feelings to this person through a song. Song may be the only way he knows how to share love with this special person because he may not know how to find the courage to stand up and say it himself so he uses music. Which to me is very creative.
I really like this song and other songs that are similar because it reminds me of family and friendship and all the people I care about. It brings back memories of good and bad times with my family and friends. Which gives me mixed feelings because I love all the good memories, but some bad memories I just want to forget about. For instance, when I was little my dad always would always listen to this type of music right after him and my mom got into a fight. Which makes me sad because then it gets me thinking of all their fights. This type of music really soothes and relaxes me at times. I can't really explain the exact feeling. It kind of gives me hope, as if someone will pull me through and help me cope with life when I need it. Also saying you should never give up, life may get hard at times but just keep going and things will get better. Maybe this is the reason my dad listened to this music after fights with my mom, because it relaxed him and helped him calm down as if all his troubles have flown away. All in all this is a good song with a stong meaning behind it.
Shyla
Last Time I Cried
Living in a feminine environment for thirteen years is very unusual thing, usually you would have a loving father to be your icon but I don't. Having no masculine hero for eleven years was not the finest thing for a young man but while living with females you aren't pulled into the masculine stereotype of men. I was taught to be the foundation of our family, but also learned to be strong you must shed tears once and awhile. 
It was about seven years ago when I did have a significance cry; the motive was that my grandpa Krushelniski passed away on April 15 1999. I hit rock bottom that day since my grandpa was the closest thing to a masculine figure. Having no grandpa was an awkward transition for me, I was disheartened all the time and I rarely smiled but if I did it was because I knew that he was in an improved place. With this smouldering pain in my heart, I spoke a small amount for a few weeks and no one could cheer me up.
"You never know how much you miss somebody until there gone" my family said with a gloomy quality in there voice and know looking back on it, they are correct. As I look in the past, one song relates perfectly to this pain I'm feeling and that song is Pull Me Through by Jim Cuddy, the reason this song relates so well, is because the words are so heart warming and it feels like you are missing someone that you love and you can never stop thinking of them.
Of course, I have cried in between his passing away and now but the reasons for it did not matter. No other pain could add up how I felt that day and nothing could bring him back. Nevertheless, me writing about him would mean so much and writing this would show how much I care for him and always will, I also will never stop thinking about him.
My theory is if you are a young man or twenty years old there is know embarrassment in crying because every one cries at least ones in there existence. When you do cry it tells people that you care for another individual and no one should be ashamed of that.
Shelby
The Last Time I Cried
The last time I cried was in the summer because my grandma who I have lived with every weekend of my life died. She was always there for me whether I was happy or sad. She could always "Pull me through" in the words of Jim Cuddy. I cannot remember her being mean to anybody. The rudest thing I had ever heard her say was "Shut up in Jesus' name!"
At first when she started getting sick it didn't seem real not having her there all the time. I would be sitting there and expect her to walk through the front door any minute. After she had been sick for a while it eventually sunk in. The thought that she would die seemed crazy. I realized she would leave me and this made me miserable. I had never thought of her dying. She had been the kindest person I had ever known and it seemed to me that she should not be able to die. Later it started getting worse. Her skin didn't seem right; it was an off yellow color. Her eyes seemed different too. As if being in the hospital week after week had sucked the happiness and will to live out of them.
When she became very ill I stopped going to see her. Not only because she didn't want me to see her like that but also it was very painful to look at her in the form she was in. I couldn't bear the thought of her leaving. She passed away not longer after I stopped visiting. All of my dad's family flew out for the viewing. They were all sad too. We all tried to be happy because she would want us to be. It was very hard though. During the viewing I tried my hardest not to cry. I put every ounce of effort contained in my body it wasn't enough to hold back my tears though. A couple of days later the funeral came. I sat close to the front row, I cried a little during the service. The worst part for me was when we walked to the graveyard and put her casket on the ropes and lowered it in. That is when emotionally the bomb dropped. It felt like it was the final step of her leaving me, taking her body away from me and burying it deep within the earth. I shed only a couple of tears and tried my hardest to hold them in.
Later we drove home and I sat around the house for a couple of days. I felt very sad. I barely did anything all day and I barely ate. In a few days I started doing things with my dad. It made me feel a lot better just being with him. It was as if he knew and felt the same pain as me. I liked the fact that he missed her too. It made me feel better to know that somebody else knew how I felt and was able to get through it and help me to get through it too. A few weeks later I was back to normal and all was well again.
Matt
