I'm Scared
Burton Cummings: I'm Scared
Quiz by Sharon Michiko Yoneda
"Stopped by St. Thomas on a dreary winter afternoon."
"Never been much on religion, but I sure enough just fell down on my knees"
"Looked toward the heavens on a dark and stormy winter afternoon. Somethin' in the air was oh, so rare I'm not really sure what it was, but I know for sure that it's still right there"
artist: Burton Cummings
songwriter: Burton Cummings
date released: 1977 by Burton Cummings
In 1975, Burton Cummings left his band, the Guess Who, for a solo career. Written in New York City, "I'm Scared" was intended for The Guess Who, but the band rejected it prompting Cummings to leave and branch out on his own.
The plaintive cry in this ballad leads to the question: of what was Cummings scared? Clearly, he was pondering the purpose of his life, searching for a greater meaning in his earthly circumstance. Alluding to lines from Silent Night, was he looking for a sanctuary in the dark night of his soul?
Cummings' solo career brought him well-deserved recognition. He won four Juno Awards for Most Promising Male Singer (1977), Best Male Singer (1977, 1980) and Best Album (1980) for his album, "Dream of a Child". In 2005, Burton Cummings was inducted into The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and he reached the pinnacle of recognition in Canadian citizenry by being named Officer in The Order of Canada. So, Burton, of what was there to be scared?
Interview with Burton Cummings:
https://youtu.be/sr7rkpH2V88