Ella was born and grew up in London. She was song writing from an early age on the piano and recorded her first track when she was 12. Her father, being very musical, had a great influence on her growing up and gave Ella her first guitar when she was 14. Ella and her family moved from London to Devon, and she got her first gig in Exeter when she was 16, supporting a friend's band called Thousand Natural Shocks.
Ella finished her first tour in September 2007 supporting Jaqui McShees’ Pentangle, which took her all over the country. Other artists she has supported include Midge Ure, The Ric Sanders Group, The Dylan Project and many others. In the past Ella has performed with a full band behind her, and has also performed with bass player and backing vocalist Buddy Valentine for many gigs. At the moment Ella’s live set up is very simple and intimate with just her and her guitar.
Her song ‘Breathe’ is featured on a recent compilation CD called Folk Rising, which is a collection of young upcoming artists put together by Proper Music Distribution. This version of ‘Breathe’ is different from the version on ‘Blame Amy’. Produced by John McCusker and featuring Kate Rusby, it was recorded for the BBC and was featured in an episode of a program called ‘Jam and Jerusalem’ on BBC1.
Her EP 'Blame Amy' can be purchased via her website, www.ellaedmondson.co.uk
Open Fire
Ella Edmondson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
don't look down, it's the high that does you in
oh my god, have i lost so much?
i've lost more than i thought i had left to give
we'll believe every word you say
truths so hard, we have to look the other way
tongues are tied to what they believe
open fire, the enemy begins
don't look down it's the high that does you in
The song "Open Fire" by Ella Edmondson is a haunting and introspective song that highlights the struggles and fears that come with losing oneself. The opening lines "open fire, the enemy begins" refers to the internal battle that the singer is experiencing, where the enemy is their own negative thoughts, fears and doubts. The line "don't look down, it's the high that does you in" suggests that the constant searching for happiness or fulfillment only leads to disappointment and self-destruction. The singer questions if they have lost too much and if they have anything left to give.
The second half of the song speaks to the societal pressures of conforming and believing blindly in what others say. The line "we'll believe every word you say, truths so hard, we have to look the other way" addresses the dangers of blindly following authority or popular beliefs, and how it can lead us to be complicit in things we don't believe in. The line "tongues are tied to what they believe, open eyes are not always able to see" suggests that even when we think we are open-minded, there are still biases and beliefs that are ingrained in us and may cloud our judgment.
Overall, "Open Fire" is a thoughtful and poignant song that explores the internal and external struggles we face when trying to figure out who we are in a world that often doesn't make sense.
Line by Line Meaning
open fire, the enemy begins
Take action, the opposition has started making their moves
don't look down, it's the high that does you in
Don't let your success become your downfall
oh my god, have i lost so much?
Expressing astonishment at how much has been lost
i've lost more than i thought i had left to give
Feeling drained and like there's nothing left to give
we'll believe every word you say
People are willing to trust what you tell them
truths so hard, we have to look the other way
Sometimes the truth is too difficult to face, so we avoid it
tongues are tied to what they believe
People are strongly attached to their beliefs, making it difficult to change their minds
open eyes are not always able to see
Seeing is not always understanding
Contributed by Allison C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.