“Ellis Paul is one of Boston’s best-ever songwriting exports...” – The Boston Globe. The Day After Everything Changed, the 2010 album from singer- songwriter Ellis Paul, was released on Ellis’ label, Black Wolf Records. Since emerging from the Boston music scene, Paul’s music has been consistently recognized and celebrated worldwide. The new record reinforces this acclaim and is sure to cement his place as one of America’s most talented songwriters.
Recorded in Nashville, the 15-song album was produced by Thad Beaty and Jason Collum and features five songs co-written by Paul’s longtime friend and collaborator, Kristian Bush, founder of the Grammy Award winning band Sugarland. Several of the Sugarland musicians served as Ellis’ backing band for the recording. Throughout 2011, to keep the collaboration alive, Paul will continue to open numerous sold-out arena dates for Sugarland on the current Incredible Machine Tour.
“Ellis has a voice that is so powerful that you know who it is the second he comes through your radio. His music and songs are a new birth in American sound that makes me want to go see concerts again.” -Kristian Bush / Sugarland
“The Day After Everything Changed” is Paul’s first studio album in five years and his 16th release to date. The project was 100% funded by his loyal fan base. The songs on the record reflect Paul’s commitment to storytelling, exemplified in the title track “The Day After Everything Changed.” Described by Paul himself, the songs on the album are about people who are at a crossroads in their life. “I like songs to be cultural events, little ones, that somehow tell me what it feels like to be living here on this planet, in this country, at this time. I want to hear about people’s joys and woes and apply them to my own. You can’t fake real life stories. When you’re faking it --it’s obvious. As long as the writing feels real -- it works in any genre.”
Movie director Peter Farrelly, of the Farrelly Brothers, praises Ellis Paul as “a national treasure”. Ellis’ songs have appeared in the soundtracks for three Farrelly Bothers movies, “Me Myself & Irene” with Jim Carey, “Shallow Hal” with Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow, and in February 2011, the Farrelly Brothers latest project, "Hall Pass" starring Owen Wilson and Alyssa Milano will showcase up to 9 musical tracks off of Ellis' latest album The Day After Everything Changed as the score of this hit movie. This is Ellis’ third Hollywood blockbuster credit.
With “The Day After Everything Changed” we're struck more by the fact that Paul is still playing at the top of his game to such an extraordinary degree. It is, as always, the quality not the quantity but in this case we're rewarded with both. / Direct Current
Ellis celebrated his 20th anniversary of being a touring musician on July 2010 when the Mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino, declared July 9th 2010 “Ellis Paul Day” to honor one of Boston’s leading musical exports. Ellis will be anointing his 2 decades of song during his “20th Anniversary Tour” throughout 2011. Over the past two decades Paul has garnered numerous honors including 14 Boston Music Awards, second only to Aerosmith. He has performed with countless acclaimed musicians, including Patty Griffin, John Mayer, Ani Difranco, John Prine, Sugarland, and at the request of Woody’s daughter Nora Guthrie and after several trips to the Woody Guthrie archives, Ellis even has a co-write with Woody, their song “God’s Promise”.
Woody Guthrie’s daughter Nora says of Ellis, “A singer songwriter is only as good as the times he reflects. Wise, tender, brilliant and biting, Ellis is one of our best human compasses, marking in melodies and poems where we’ve been and where we might go if we so choose to. Personally Ellis, I’m goin’ where you’re goin’!”
Clarity
Ellis Paul Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her hair was red as fire
A child of the carolinas
She was a blue eyed streak of wild
But she fell for the smile of a soldier boy
Who was running from the stars and stripes
He laid her down in a clover field
And took her breath with a hurricane's might
Criss cross the night
Clarity
Clarity
Lord, I need your
Charity
Won't you sing me
A sweet old song
Your voice won't lead me wrong
When you sing of truth
The truth will lift the haze
And the song will see me through
To better days
When I was born she was sixteen
And every steeple
In the three church town
Was ringing with shame
People whispered like rain
Of the baby but no wedding gown
So climb aboard, the highway leads
To somewhere nobody knows your name
You plant each step like it was a seed
And make peace with what you cannot change
And she sang me to sleep while the greyhound
Cut the rain
(chorus)
Do you remember
20 years ago in September
In carolina
Does that remind you?
Carolina
Carolina
My name is annie mcguire
I've come here looking for my father
He's a soldier faded in a photograph
He's just a kid in a uniform
Now I haven't come here to scare you off
With a thousand questions
I need answered
I only know we share the same eyes
And that the truth can be a mighty fine dancer
My mother's gone, and a little clarity
Is all I'm after
The song "Clarity" by Ellis Paul tells the story of a young woman named Rose McGuire who falls in love with a soldier boy with a charming smile. Despite the fact that she was a wild streak with red hair, blue eyes, and a child of the Carolinas, and he was running from the stars and stripes, they fell for each other. They made love in a clover field, but their lust was not enough to keep them together. They went their separate ways, but Rose gave birth to a daughter named Annie McGuire, who is now all grown up and searching for her long lost father, who she suspects was a soldier, judging by the faded photograph she holds.
The song has an overall theme of seeking clarity, both in terms of personal relationships and in the greater truths of life. The chorus begs the Lord for clarity, charity, and a sweet old song to lead the way. The verses reflect on the past, with Rose's story and the small town gossip that surrounded her ill-fated love affair, as well as the present, where Annie seeks the truth about her father and her own identity. The song suggests that there is power in truth, that singing of it can lift the haze that clouds the mind, and provide a path to better days.
Overall, "Clarity" is a poignant and nostalgic song that paints a vivid picture of the South and its inhabitants. It tells the story of small town life, love, and loss, and ultimately searching for meaning and direction through the power of truth and clarity.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you remember rose mcguire
Do you recall a girl named Rose McGuire?
Her hair was red as fire
Her hair was blazing red.
A child of the Carolinas
She hailed from Carolinas, America.
She was a blue-eyed streak of wild
She was a fierce woman with striking blue eyes.
But she fell for the smile of a soldier boy
She was attracted to the charm of a soldier.
Who was running from the stars and stripes
He was a deserter who fled from the American flag.
He laid her down in a clover field
He made love to her in a field of clovers.
And took her breath with a hurricane's might
With a powerful force that conjured a memory of a hurricane, he took her breath away during the intimate moment.
She lay tremblin' watching the stars criss-cross the night
She was shaking while watching the stars move across the sky that night.
Clarity
The revelation
Clarity
The revelation
Lord, I need your charity
Oh God, I require your kindness.
Won't you sing me a sweet old song
Please sing me a lovely, old tune.
Your voice won't lead me wrong
Your voice won't mislead me.
When you sing of truth
Your truthful singing.
The truth will lift the haze
The truth will clear the confusion.
And the song will see me through to better days
The song will lead me to a better tomorrow.
When I was born she was sixteen
My mother was sixteen when I was born.
And every steeple in the three church town was ringing with shame
Every church tower in town was ringing with shame on the baby born out of wedlock.
People whispered like rain of the baby but no wedding gown
People talked about the baby born without a wedding ceremony.
So climb aboard, the highway leads to somewhere nobody knows your name
Get on the highway that leads to anywhere where you're unknown.
You plant each step like it was a seed
With each step, you sow a seed.
And make peace with what you cannot change
Accept the things you can't change.
And she sang me to sleep while the greyhound cut the rain
While Greyhound (bus) chased the rainy day, she sang me to sleep.
Do you remember 20 years ago in September, In Carolina
Do you recollect September 20 years ago in Carolina?
Does that remind you? Carolina, Carolina
Does that jog your memory? Carolina, Carolina
My name is Annie McGuire
I'm Annie McGuire.
I've come here looking for my father
I'm searching for my father here.
He's a soldier faded in a photograph
He's a soldier who has lost his luster in a photograph.
He's just a kid in a uniform
He's merely a boy in a uniform.
Now I haven't come here to scare you off with a thousand questions I need answered
I don't want to ask you a thousand questions that will chase you away.
I only know we share the same eyes
I only know that we look similar.
And that the truth can be a mighty fine dancer
The truth can be a powerful mover.
My mother's gone, and a little clarity is all I'm after
My mom passed away, and all I'm seeking is some clarity.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, ELLIS PAUL PUBLISHING
Written by: ELLIS PAUL, REGGIE ASHLEY, SARAH CARDENAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind