More Than A Hero
by Karyn Ellis
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Streaming + DownloadIncludes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
All proceeds minus Bandcamp's cut goes directly to the artist so that Karyn can keep recording music. Independent music is awesome! We suggest 8 euro minimum.Purchasable with gift card€6 EUR or more
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Compact Disc (CD) + Digital AlbumComes in a cardboard enviropak, designed by Karyn with artwork by Justina Smith.
Includes unlimited streaming of More Than A Hero via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.ships out within 7 daysPurchasable with gift card€15 EUR or more
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Full Digital Discography
Get all 7 Karyn Ellis releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of O Christmas Tree, More Than A Hero, Bitter Grasses w. bonus music VIDEO, Be My Girl w. bonus music VIDEO, Even Though The Sky Was Falling, Hearts Fall, and Bird.
Purchasable with gift card€15.75 EUR or more (25% OFF)
1. |
You'll Do Anything
03:40
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You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything… for love.
So throw out the roses
Drop your crinoline
Underneath the cover of another’s wing
So throw out your gloves
Step out of the ring
Underneath the cover of another’s sting
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything… for love.
La-La-Lala La, La-La-Lala La…love
So throw out the ashes
Shed your old bearskin
Underneath the cover of a talisman
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything… for love.
La-La-Lala La, La-La-Lala La…love
So throw off your wheel
You’re no Catherine
Underneath the covers you’re a puritan
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything… for love.
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything, you’ll do anything, you’ll do anything
You’ll do anything… for love.
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2. |
River
05:09
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I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river before night has fallen.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river before night falls.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river where my hope is calling.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river where my hope calls.
So much sorrow in this world casting me out for dead.
Some days it seems that the downpour never ends.
Pick myself up just to be knocked down again.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river before night has fallen.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river before night falls.
Some days I’m tempted to cheat my fellow man
Grab the shiny brass ring and take all I can.
Misguided by greed to forget who I am.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river before night has fallen.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river before night falls.
Halfway up the mountain pushing back the stone
The weight of the world laying heavy on my shoulders.
Some days it seems I gotta carry this burden alone….
Oh no, but….
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river before night has fallen.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river before night falls.
We’ve come upon a fork here in the road.
One path leads to destruction, another path to home.
Easy to lose hope when you don’t know which way to go.
But…
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river before night has fallen.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river before night falls.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river where my hope is calling.
I am going to make it to the river,
Make it to the river where my hope calls…
(X5)
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3. |
Rust
04:40
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Oh my little four-leaf clover
Now it’s over, and I need
All the luck that I can find.
You came to me when I wasn’t searching
So certain I wore your ring.
And I thought that you were mine.
And we tried to make time stop for us.
Don’t know why, but the shine turned to rust.
Days stretched out in purple flowers
We lay for hours in the field
Of summer blues and green.
There I learned each contour of you
Every part entwined with me
Every kisses endless and sweet.
And we tried to make time stop for us.
Don’t know why, but the shine turned to rust.
Now on my left ring finger
There lingers the faintest line
Of skin untouched by the sun.
And as the turning leaves are falling
And autumn comes in kind
I know in time it will be gone.
And we tried to make time stop for us.
Don’t know why, but the shine turned to rust.
And we tried to make time stop for us.
Don’t know why, but the shine turned to rust.
Oh my little four-leaf clover
Now it’s over, and I need
All the luck that I can find.
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4. |
Cosmic Cowboy
04:05
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The day you left the earth
All the Satellites were blinking
Orbiting, their faces turned
Towards the distal stars, twinkling.
You left me like a setting sun.
I loved you, but my heart is sinking.
On the day of our last fight
Watched your rocket engines burn.
Trails of atmosphere igniting,
Supernova fireworks.
You’re a cosmic cowboy riding
Off into the setting sun.
I loved you, but my heart’s not aligning.
Free falling free falling
Parting of ways, like spaceships that pass in the night.
You were the first to take flight.
Both particles waving bye—ieyeieyei
On the day of our last stand
By the time you broke away
You saw a universe expanding
All I saw was the empty space
Between you and me and the landing.
The sinking of the setting sun.
I loved you, but my heart’s not mending.
Free falling free falling
Parting of ways, like spaceships that pass in the night.
You were the first to take flight.
Both particles waving bye—ieyeieyei
You made it to the Horse Head
By the time you slipped away.
You were a new star ascending.
Left behind you was the empty space
Between you and me and the ending.
The cooling of a setting sun.
I loved you, but my heart’s not bending.
I loved you like a setting sun.
(X3)
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5. |
Pretty Little Soldier
04:09
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I’ll shoot you down
I’ll shoot you down
I’ll shoot you down
I’ll shoot you down
I love you so
I’ll shoot you down…
Why do we kill the things we love?
Why do we kill the things we love?
My pretty little soldier. My pretty little soldier.
I’ll shut you down
I’ll cut you loose
I’ll shake you up, I’ll fake you out
I’ll chase you down
I love you so
I’ll shut you up, I’ll shoot you down
Why do we kill the things we love?
Why do we kill the things we love?
My pretty little soldier. You’re my pretty little soldier.
My pretty little soldier.
Everyone’s a winner, babe
You say to yourself when you’re alone again
You could be a stinger, babe
If you cut down the tops… and rip out the chafe
I love you so
I’ll freak you out
I’ll suck you up, I’ll sic you loose
I’ll seek you out
I’ll mow you down
Throw you down
I’ll light you up, nuke you out
I’ll load you up, I’ll strip you out
I’ll ship you out, I’ll shoot you down
Why do we kill the things we love?
Why do we kill the things we love?
Why do we kill the things we love?
Why do we kill the things we love?
My pretty little soldier. My pretty little soldier.
I’ll shoot you down
I’ll shoot you down
I love you so
I’ll shoot you down, shoot you down
I’ll shoot you down
I’ll shoot you down
I love you so
I’ll shoot you down (shoot you down)
Why do we kill the things we love?
Why do we kill the things we love?
Why do we kill the things we love?
Why do we kill the things we love?
I’ll shoot you down
I’ll shoot you down
I love you so
I’ll shoot you down, shoot you down
I’ll shoot you down
I love you so
I’ll shoot you down
I’ll shoot you down (shoot you down)
Why do we kill the things we love?
Why do we kill the things we love?
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6. |
Beach
03:44
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I will wander down to the beach
With a pocket full of wooden matches
I will burn driftwood and two-by-fours.
I will write your name with a stick in the sand
Till the tide will wash it away again.
I sketched for you these fanciful flowers
I scratched my name on your back for hours
And watched as the red lines faded away.
And on the beach they shot homemade fireworks
Rising globes of pink and green light
Like bubbles rise in champagne.
And I will forgive myself for falling.
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7. |
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What were you thinking, my love? I asked.
As the porter hoisted my bags to the shore.
Surely you knew it couldn’t last
When the ship sails, will you be aboard?
I came to this country a penny’s bride
With twelve storage trunks to my name
And two tiny babes swaying by my side
To enter my husband’s domain
In the new land, across the northwest corridor.
The new land, where the tiger lost her roar.
Late scavenger birds go hungry
As the food on the table goes cold
But I didn’t know of his anger
Didn’t show up that much in the post.
In the new land, across the northwest corridor.
The new land, where the tiger lost her roar.
I wasn’t so much seeking a better place
I knew there were no streets of gold
I only wanted a little grace
Not to pace in this cage till I’m old.
In the new land, across the northwest corridor.
The new land, where the tiger lost her roar.
What were you thinking, my love? I asked.
Did you think that there could be more?
Surely you knew it wouldn’t last
And when the ship sails, will you be aboard?
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8. |
More Than A Hero
03:08
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Don’t know where you are now
Don’t know how far you’re willing to go
But I heard you passed out one night
And woke up in Ohio.
Steaming windows in the back of the car
Stealing pennies from the money jar
You’ve been setting off fireworks
With the butt of your smoke.
If Harrison Ford had been on board
On the day you threw your keys out the window.
And if Johnny Cash had hid your stash
Would you have needed to make that crash landing?
Or would you still be flying?
Don’t know how to dial the volume back
Radio pumping out your favourite track
You loved me like a bass line
Till the hits got you distracted.
And if Johnny Cash had hid your stash
Would you have needed to make that crash landing?
If Harrison Ford had been onboard
Would you have thrown your keys out the window?
Or would you still be flying?
I think it’s gonna take MORE THAN A HERO
I think it’s gonna take MORE THAN A HERO
I think it’s gonna take MORE THAN A HERO
To save you from yourself.
If Harrison Ford had been on board
On the day you threw your keys out the window.
And if Johnny Cash had hid your stash
Would you have needed to make that crash landing?
Or would you still be flying?
If Harrison Ford had evened the score
Would you have kept your parachute handy?
If Harrison Ford had been on board
Would you still be flying? Wooooah-oah!
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9. |
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You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything… for love.
So throw out the roses
Drop your crinoline
Underneath the cover of another’s wing
So throw out your gloves
Step out of the ring
Underneath the cover of another’s sting
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything… for love.
La-La-Lala La, La-La-Lala La…love
So throw out the ashes
Shed your old bearskin
Underneath the cover of a talisman
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything… for love.
La-La-Lala La, La-La-Lala La…love
So throw off your wheel
You’re no Catherine
Underneath the covers you’re a puritan
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything… for love.
You’ll do anything
You’ll do anything, you’ll do anything, you’ll do anything
You’ll do anything… for love.
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10. |
Poem
03:20
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Look at you standing by the old attic window.
Particles of dust are shimmering in the sun.
I move my body, and they twirl like spring snow.
You are an old photograph painted by hand.
Would you believe me if I said I am fine.
How many years have we stared at this picture frame.
And taken the should-haves and nailed them to the wood.
You are a butterfly that I will set free.
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11. |
Lullaby
03:42
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Sleep, baby, sleep. No more counting sheep.
Leave your worries for another day.
You’re safe, so baby sleep.
Troubles rushing in like waves
Turn and toss the rocks away.
Or be accidentally set back by the weight.
And though the cradle breaks the bough,
It all works out somehow.
As life branches and bends along its incidental way.
Sleep, baby, sleep. No more counting sheep.
Leave your worries for another day.
You’re safe, so baby sleep.
Thoughts coming up like weeds
As you blow the candles out.
Wondering if your dreams will come to pass.
Dandelions in the air
Your wishes are somewhere
Tucked in safe between the silvery blades of grass.
And though the cradle breaks the bough,
It all works out somehow.
Tucked in safe between the soft and slumbering sheets.
Sleep, baby, sleep. No more counting sheep.
Leave your worries for another day.
You’re safe, so baby sleep.
…baby, sleep. No more counting sheep.
Leave your worries for another day.
You’re safe, so baby sleep.
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credits
released October 22, 2013
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All songs copyright Karyn Ellis, SOCAN.
Produced by DON KERR and KARYN ELLIS
Recorded at THE ROOSTER, Toronto Canada
Engineered, edited and mixed by DON KERR
Mastered by JEFF CARROLL at BLUEFIELD MASTERING in Raleigh NC USA
Arrangements by KARYN ELLIS and DON KERR with generous input from the band.
Original Paintings by JUSTINA SMITH
Art Direction and layout by KARYN ELLIS
Find lyrics at karynellis.wordpress.com/more-than-a-hero/
The Players
*****************************
KARYN ELLIS - Vocals; Acoustic Guitar: 1-9, 11; Electric Guitar: 10; Vocoder: 4
BRIAN KOBAYAKAWA - Bass: 1-5, 8-11; Double Bass: 6, 11
JAMES ROBERTSON- Electric Guitars: 1-5, 7-8; Cello Banjo: 7; Acoustic Guitar: 5
GARY CRAIG - Drums: 1-5, 8; Chair: 4
DON KERR - Percussion: 1, 2, 8, 9; Cello: 6, 11; Drums: 10
BRYDEN BAIRD - Flugel Horn: 3, 5, 6, 11; Trumpet: 5
JEFF HEISHOLT - Piano: 9; Organ: 4
ALI BERKOK - Accordian: 7
The Back Up Singers
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SUE NEWBERRY - 1, 9;
DON KERR - 1, 5, 9;
DAVID NEWLAND - 2;
DAVID OXLEY - 2;
VINCENT DE TOURDONNET - 2;
KERRI OUGH - 3, 11;
DAVE BIDINI - 5, 8;
EVALYN PARRY - 8.
The Choir
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JOSH MATTHEWS, DAVID OXLEY, AMY CAMPBELL, LEAH MORISE, MIKE BOURGEAULT, SHANNON THOMPSON, EVALYN PARRY, KEN FRASER, DIANE HAMILTON, MICHAEL HOLT, CHRIS WARREN - 5, 8.
.
All songs copyright Karyn Ellis, SOCAN.
Produced by DON KERR and KARYN ELLIS
Recorded at THE ROOSTER, Toronto Canada
Engineered, edited and mixed by DON KERR
Mastered by JEFF CARROLL at BLUEFIELD MASTERING in Raleigh NC USA
Arrangements by KARYN ELLIS and DON KERR with generous input from the band.
Original Paintings by JUSTINA SMITH
Art Direction and layout by KARYN ELLIS
Find lyrics at karynellis.wordpress.com/more-than-a-hero/
The Players
*****************************
KARYN ELLIS - Vocals; Acoustic Guitar: 1-9, 11; Electric Guitar: 10; Vocoder: 4
BRIAN KOBAYAKAWA - Bass: 1-5, 8-11; Double Bass: 6, 11
JAMES ROBERTSON- Electric Guitars: 1-5, 7-8; Cello Banjo: 7; Acoustic Guitar: 5
GARY CRAIG - Drums: 1-5, 8; Chair: 4
DON KERR - Percussion: 1, 2, 8, 9; Cello: 6, 11; Drums: 10
BRYDEN BAIRD - Flugel Horn: 3, 5, 6, 11; Trumpet: 5
JEFF HEISHOLT - Piano: 9; Organ: 4
ALI BERKOK - Accordian: 7
The Back Up Singers
*****************************
SUE NEWBERRY - 1, 9;
DON KERR - 1, 5, 9;
DAVID NEWLAND - 2;
DAVID OXLEY - 2;
VINCENT DE TOURDONNET - 2;
KERRI OUGH - 3, 11;
DAVE BIDINI - 5, 8;
EVALYN PARRY - 8.
The Choir
*****************************
JOSH MATTHEWS, DAVID OXLEY, AMY CAMPBELL, LEAH MORISE, MIKE BOURGEAULT, SHANNON THOMPSON, EVALYN PARRY, KEN FRASER, DIANE HAMILTON, MICHAEL HOLT, CHRIS WARREN - 5, 8.
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about
Karyn Ellis Düsseldorf, Germany
Her songs are at once sad and hopeful; her voice delicate and dynamic. Described as a “gentle powerhouse of a songwriter” Karyn Ellis delivers thoughtful, crafted lyrics about every day wonders, beauty and hope.
discography
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Dec 2022 -
Oct 2013 -
Nov 2009 -
Mar 2011 -
Mar 2010 -
Nov 2005 -
Sep 2003
contact / help
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