
Lea Grant
Somewhere between Joni Mitchell and the classical/romantic art song.
Biography
Lea Grant earned her B.A. in Music at UC Santa Cruz in 2004. At Santa Cruz, her primary emphasis was opera. She continued classical training for several years after college, performing with SF Lyric Opera and International Orange Chorale. In 2006 her focus gradually began to shift back towards songwriting and performing her own compositions. She has spent the last few years actively pursuing a career as a performing songwriter, playing shows at local coffee houses & bars, writing up a storm, and finally, recording her debut EP, Earthbound which was released this February.
Her music is hard to categorize but is characterized by complex piano accompaniment, unusual yet satisfying harmonic progressions, and above all, beautiful vocals.
Lyrics
Ikaros
Written By: Lea Carey Grant
I've got a way to get free
From a land where nobody wants me to be
The king's got his pawns on land and sea
One of the three has got to hold me
Give me my liberty
CHORUS:
There's so much I wanna see, father
Everything shines like the sea in my feathers
You say you want me to be free
Yet you're keeping me tethered
Well, daddy I won't lose the sun
I know better
My father had a fabulous design
For two pairs of wings
That could really fly
Ten years in that cell of fetid birds
One morning my father woke
And these were his words:
BRIDGE:
Ikaros my son don't be a fool
Fly down at my height
Where the breeze blows cool
Paraffin ain't nothin' like a wing
Fly close to the sun
And that wax will start dripping
The sun shone on my back like balm on a wound
She caressed me like a lover
She put me in tune
I meant to enter her fiery cocoon
When suddenly my wings gave a shudder
Wax, Feathers and I
Down we fluttered
CHORUS:
There's so much I wanna see, father
Everything shines like the sea in my feathers
You say you want me to be free
Yet you're keeping me tethered
Well, daddy I won't lose the sun
I know better
Earthbound
Written By: Lea Carey Grant
Earthbound, we're Earthbound
Earthbound, we're Earthbound
With our rakes and our hoes,
Our carrots our cloves
Darlin' we're Earthbound
Pack up our roots and twigs
A picnic lunch, some figs
Past our home, we're on our way
Pack up our roots and twigs
Your heart is as sweet as beets I've dug from the ground with my own hands
With all our digging did you ever imagine we'd stumble on to something so grand?
A cavern dark with silt
A river gold with gilt
A sword inscribed to the hilt
What glitters can sometimes be felt
We walk hand in hand
Through dreams that look like land
A blindfold that can't be pulled
We walk hand in hand
Your heart is as sweet as beets I've dug from the ground with my own hands
With all our digging did you ever imagine we'd stumble on to something so grand?
Closed Circles
Written By: Lea Carey Grant
You walk away carrying a silver platter
Of all the dreams you've tattered
When somebody told you
what you what you want
doesn't matter
And if you never return
And if you never pass this way again
I've got your keys on the ring
I've got your keys to sing in
I've got your keys on the ring
I've got your keys to sing in
You are just a repetition of the refrain
Just the record spinning around again
So, you dropped the needle
you can pick it up
Put it back to the beginning of the end
And if you never return
And if you never pass this way again
I've got your keys on the ring
I've got your keys to sing in
I've got your keys on the ring
I've got your keys to sing in
Bridge:
I always wanted to love you
I broke my metal just to let you in
Then I got caught in the middle
Of this key chain bargain
And some closed circles
Never open again
Some closed circles
Never open again
And if you never return
And if you never pass this way again
I've got your keys on the ring
I've got your keys to sing in
I've got your keys on the ring
I've got your keys to sing in
One Daniel Down
Written By: Lea Carey Grant
One Daniel Down
Not a pauper, but he sure don't
wear no crown
Waiter, there's tears here in my stu-
pid eyes
You know I couldn't see it through
Ah Oh, Ah Oh
One Daniel Down
Ah
Too many frequencies coming in
I can't see beyond my cockpit
And I'm wishing to God
I was not the pilot
But I guess it's not to late for me
to quit
Ah Oh, Ah Oh
One Daniel Down
Ah
Which Way is Up
Written By: Lea Carey Grant
We're smart
We know which buttons to push
And we know when to push them in
We know
Where our vehicles are taking us
But When the power goes out,
Do we know
Which way is up?
How will I ever fill my cup
Past half empty, past half full
How did my muscles all get pulled
Which way is up?
In the dark we remember how
To push the red out
We go heartfirst pistil in hand
Into the center of the orchid
Which way is up?
How will I ever fill my cup
Past half empty, past half full
How did my muscles all get pulled
Which way is up?
Discography
Tea with Persephone Demo
Earthbound EP
Set List
This is for approx. 1 hour set.
1.Queen Anne's Lace
2.Which Way is Up
3.Gravity Always Wins
4.Ikaros
5.One Daniel Down
6.Closed Circles
7.Dana's After Dark
8.Shoot the Moon
9. Something I Can Never Have (NIN)
10. Earthbound
11. Tea With Persephone
12. Avalon