Picking Over the Bones

Cartwheels & Summersaults

Thanks to Lucoline for lyrics and vocals, Eleanor Collides for production and Doru for bass!

This one's about that feeling you get when you're walking down the street on a glorious sunny day and everything seems to be going your way 😎

Wind in my Sails (feat. Lucoline)

A song I wrote at the start of the year, once again trying to channel my inner Taylor Swift. Sort of about that phase after a friendship or relationship is over and you're still kind of wistful about it, but it doesn't sting quite as much anymore and you're starting to move on. This is a one take demo recording with some test harmonies - need to redo this properly and add some dynamics to make it more interesting, but you get the gist!

Verse 1 (09/02/22)
It no longer stings when you pop into my head
But I’d still rather think of literally anyone else instead.
I no longer think about what we could’ve had
But there’s still some things I really wish I’d never said, and some I wish you had.

Chorus (11/02/22)
And no it doesn’t feel too good to know you’re doing well
without me in your life I wish someone would tell you
That though it wasn’t easy for me now I’m doing great
Without you in my life, and all the mess that you create.

Verse 2 (10/02/22)
I no longer believe this is just another phase 
You got me real good this time and put me in my place.
I no longer feel the warmth of your embrace
You’re sending chills down my spine 
And the shiver stays. 

Chorus (11/02/22)
And no it doesn’t feel too good to know you’re doing well
without me in your life I wish someone would tell you
That though it wasn’t me who chose to leave I’m doing fine
Without you in my life, and the loss is yours, and never mine.

Verse 3 (13/02/22)
You’re no longer the last thing on my mind when I fall asleep
But you still sometimes find me in my dreams.
I no longer allow myself to dive in too deep
Into the memories of all the good times and extremes.

Chorus (13/02/22)
And no it doesn’t feel too good to know you’re doing well
without me in your life I wish someone would tell you
That though it wasn’t easy for me now I’m doing great
Without you in my life, and all the mess that you create.

And no it doesn’t feel too good to know you’re doing well
without me in your life I wish that I could tell you
That though it wasn’t easy to let go now I’m okay
Without you in my life, I know there’s nothing left to say.

No Longer (demo)

This is the third of our four Christmas covers recorded collaboratively with the musicians of The MusiCollective (TMC) as part of this year’s festive song advent calendar. To get us all in the right merry mood, we’re releasing a new track every Sunday leading up to Christmas, and the final one on Christmas Eve (or Day - TBC). We got over 20 people on this track spanning all levels of singing and recording experience brought together by the powers of BandLab, relentless nudging (sorry!) and the mixing magic of our Christmas elves. The result was well worth the effort – well done and enjoy and hopefully Faaather Christmas won't get mugged on his way to your house come Christmas Eve!

Singer-timestamps MAYBE to follow eventually once Doug and I have recovered from this marathon

For now, some credits:
Electric guitar: Vikram @versuswhat
Drum track: Ludvig @ludvig-alm
Bass guitar: Benjamin
Production: Doug (@doru_uk and @someone_else_ahead) and Jenni (@jenni-grossmann)
Piano, bells, and guide tracks: Jenni (@jenni-grossmann)

Father Christmas (The Kinks) - TMC cover 2022

A song for anyone who ever felt different, an anthem for the left behind, a prayer for the hopeless.

----------

Like what you hear? Get a FREE SONG when you join my mailing list!

sign up at eleanorcollides.com or follow the link in my bio

----------

Watching the birds above float by
Sunshine on my face and a sapphire blue sky
Breathe in slow and breathe out grace
Tenderness and a warm embrace

It's not weakness, it's strength
It's not a void, it's a well
It's not nothing

They tell me 'just turn it off' 
Like it's that easy
Surface deep is all they see
When these stranger turn away
All that's left is you and me

It's not weakness, it's strength
It's not a void, it's a well
It's not nothing

Non fragilitas est
Vis est
Non est in absentia
Fons est

Breathe Out Grace

Mellow

A song about death and relationships

---------------

Like what you hear? Get a FREE SONG when you join my mailing list!

sign up at eleanorcollides.com or follow the link in my bio

----------

I see reflections of you in the crowd
No use keeping up with you now
Too many miles left to go
To waste my time chasing a ghost
I know that you're no longer there
Yet I keep on turning around
I still see your face in the crowd
Too many miles left to go

Left this behind, it's all in my mind
(Please just)
You should be dead to me, why won't you go?
(Let me go)
Left this behind, nothing to find
(Can't keep)
You should be dead to me, why wont you go?
(Chasing ghosts)
Why won't you go?

I want to leave all these shadows behind
To pack up my car and just drive
Nothing left here for me now
Except some ghosts in the crowd
Yet I keep on turning my head
I can't get a hold of the thread
Too many miles left to go
To waste my time chasing a ghost

Left this behind, it's all in my mind
(Please just)
You should be dead to me, why won't you go?
(Let me go)
Left this behind, nothing to find
(Can't keep)
You should be dead to me, why wont you go?
(Chasing ghosts)

Chasing Ghosts (Feat. Lucoline, Andy Wilson, Michael Schiesari)

Dominoes

It's OK
Words, music, performance and production ℗ Ell Freeman 2023

There there
It’s ok to cry 
It’s ok
To cry here on your own

There there 
It’s ok to crave 
Those tender days
You miss now you’re alone

You’ve been hiding it 
Inside
But now you can’t deny
You’re lonely anymore

And now again 
You’re just a child who’s crying
For a touch
To calm and reassure

There there
It don’t hurt so much
Now you’ve let it out 
And recognised the pain

There there
You’ve been so afraid
But now you see
It’s only shadows in the rain  

You’ve been hiding it 
Inside   
But now you can’t deny
You’re lonely anymore

And now again 
You’re just a child who’s crying
For a touch
To calm and reassure

Baby it’s ok
It’s gonna be ok
It’s good to let it out

It's OK

A song about music, friends and a life well lived.

VERSE 1

One cold bench and two red eyes
Felt that old hole inside.

One hand on my shoulder,
The other on a cane.

With a soft savoir faire
And a gentleman's air he explained:

“Excuse my intrusion,
I couldn’t help notice you crying”

I said:

“Sir how do you do this life thing, smiling?”

CHORUS

Well I found a passion in life my friend
And I recommend you do the same

We don’t know just where this ride will end
So I recommend you do the same

And I found a love with a love for life
And I recommend you do the same

It’s a long, long way
From the cradle to the grave,
Share some drinks,
Spend some time on the stage

VERSE 2

I would have left the bed
With a backflip lately,

If only my body could do it
And I didn’t do what they made me.

So while you’re young,
Experiment, stay crazy.

If there’s one rule in life:
No one gets out alive,
Don’t live safely

CHORUS 2

Well I found a passion in life my friend
And I recommend you do the same

We don’t know just where this ride will end
So I recommend you do the same

And I found a love with a love for life
And I recommend you do the same

It’s a long, long way
From the cradle to the grave,
Share some drinks,
Spend some time on the stage

Said I found a passion in life my friend
And I recommend you do the same

We don’t know just where this ride will end
So I recommend you do the same

And I found a love with a love for life
And I recommend you do the same

It’s a long, long way
From the cradle to the grave,
Share some drinks,
Spend some time on the stage

Time on the stage

A sort of storytelling song I started writing because Alex asked me which of my songs we could try playing with The Grand Old Echo and I figured I might as well try to write a new one that fits the mountain theme we already have a few of in our repertoire. It might be inspired by a recent trip to the Canary Islands and the volcanic landscape there but is otherwise entirely fictional. The bridge is a bit of a mouthful and I hope the other bandmates will do that bit eventually so I don't have to embarrass myself :)

Lyrics:
Verse 1
They called her Mad Mary, all alone with her canary
In her hut on a hill where the air’s always still
While the winds round the mountain are howling and shouting
About sins and revenge and the way things will end
 
Chorus
Endless doom x2
 
Verse 2
There once was a time when the villagers were kind and
Took care of their island but after a while they
just took it for granted, wasted half of what they hunted, they
Polluted their waters and were cruel to their daughters and
 
Verse 3
They all laughed at old Mary and her harrowing fairy-
tales of fires below smouldering, waiting to show
Them the beast they created with their greed and their hatred
Getting ready to erase those who won’t mend their ways
 
Chorus
Endless doom x3
 
Verse 4
She repeated her warnings, but the village just yawned
Until then came the day when they chased her away
So she took her canary and all she could carry,
Crying  ‘the mountain’s awake, don’t you see what’s at stake’
 
Chorus
You’re all doomed x3
 
Bridge
She felt the Earth rumble, as she ran, tripped and tumbled
Down the side of the mountain, only turning around when
She arrived at the seashore, found her float, finally she saw
Clouds crashing, and the mountain’s passionate flashes, covering it all a black blanket of ash and
Columns of smoke that swallow all colour as they roll down the slopes on their mission to smother
Any hope of escape of those who noticed too late
That all life on the island had gone awfully silent
While a new kind of fiery violence arrived to devour the night while burning bright
So she turned her face away, cut the rope and set sail
Towards the golden horizon with a new sun on the rise while
The inferno’s hot breath kept bringing destruction and death
To everyone but Mad Mary and her loyal canary, singing…
 
Chorus
You’re all doomed x3
 
Verse 5
Mountain of fire, spitting out high into the sky,
They ignored all her warnings and called her a liar
Now fountains of relentless red, glowing rivers of regret that they just laughed at her when she said
 
You’re all doomed

Wind in my Sails (feat. Lucoline)

Sam Robinson