After meeting producer Charles Newman (The Magnetic Fields, Tim Myers, AM) in Los Angeles, the two began work on Austin’s debut solo record Franklin Ave in December 2007. With Mother West labelmates The Bowmans adding a sprinkling of harmonies, Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams, Tift Merritt) on pedal steel and guitar, Carrie Rodriguez on fiddle, Matt Ramsey on guitar and vocals, and members of Brian Wright’s Waco Tragedies as the backing band. Recording was finished at Mother West NYC in March 2008. The record is currently available online everywhere and at many fine indie record shops nationwide. You can catch Austin every month at Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, and other venues around southern California. He will be hitting the road on an extensive US tour in the fall.
In 2012, Austin formed new indie rock band Broken Anchor with Mike Duffy .
Heroes
Austin Hartley-Leonard Lyrics
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Were smoking out along the open road;
The night was very dark and thick between them,
Each man beneath his ordinary load.
"I'd like to tell my story,"
Said one of them so young and bold,
"I'd like to tell my story,
But no one really could hear him,
The night so dark and thick and green;
Well I guess that these heroes must always live there
Where you and I have only been.
Put out your cigarette, my love,
You've been alone too long;
And some of us are very hungry now
To hear what it is you've done that was so wrong.
I sing this for the crickets,
I sing this for the army,
I sing this for your children
And for all who do not need me.
"I'd like to tell my story,"
Said one of them so bold,
"Oh yes, I'd like to tell my story
'Cause you know I feel I'm turning into gold."
The song "Heroes" by Austin Hartley-Leonard presents a group of heroes who are traveling together but still feel lonesome and quarrelsome. They are smoking out along the open road while carrying their respective burdens. One of these heroes is young and bold, and he wants to tell his story before he turns into gold. However, no one seems to hear him, and they all reside in a place beyond where the listener and the singer stand. The night is dark, thick, and green, adding to the feeling of isolation and separation.
The song's lyrics evoke a sense of longing, isolation, and the desire to be heard and understood. The young hero's desire to tell his story is reflective of the human need to connect and share our experiences with others. However, the song suggests that sometimes, even when we are with others, we can still feel alone and unheard. The line "Where you and I have only been" further emphasizes the distance between the listener and the heroes, which adds an additional layer of complexity to the song's interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
A bunch of lonesome and very quarrelsome heroes Were smoking out along the open road; The night was very dark and thick between them, Each man beneath his ordinary load.
A group of lonely and argumentative heroes were smoking as they traveled down an empty road. The darkness and thickness of the night separated them even though they all carried their own burdens.
"I'd like to tell my story," Said one of them so young and bold, "I'd like to tell my story, Before I turn into gold."
A brave and youthful hero expressed their desire to share their story before their time runs out.
But no one really could hear him, The night so dark and thick and green; Well I guess that these heroes must always live there Where you and I have only been.
Sadly, the other heroes couldn't hear the young hero's words due to the density of the night. However, it seems like these heroes are only able to exist in places that others have only passed through.
Put out your cigarette, my love, You've been alone too long; And some of us are very hungry now To hear what it is you've done that was so wrong.
The singer asks their lover to extinguish their cigarette and share their story as they've been isolated for too long. Others in the group are eager to know what they did that may have been perceived as wrong.
I sing this for the crickets, I sing this for the army, I sing this for your children And for all who do not need me.
The singer shares that they sing not just for the sounds of the night, but for the army, for the children, and for anyone who doesn't require their presence.
"I'd like to tell my story," Said one of them so bold, "Oh yes, I'd like to tell my story 'Cause you know I feel I'm turning into gold."
Again, the bold hero expresses their desire to share their story before it's too late, as they feel they are becoming something valuable.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEONARD COHEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind