Frank Turner started solo acoustic shows prior to Million Dead's break up. The first official performance was at the first Small Town America all dayer at 93 Feet East on September 18th 2004. The solo performances were, in a sense, a sideline to Million Dead. They did allow Turner to display some of his own songwriting capabilities (without a band) as well as some covers of songs and bands he enjoyed, in some cases the songs were much re-worked to fit an acoustic atmosphere. Solo performances were also used to help bolster or expose Million Dead to new individuals as well, with some acoustic in-store and radio performances of Million Dead songs.
At the end of February and start of March (2006) Frank went to Oxford to record the "Campfire Punkrock" EP with Dive Dive as the backing band for three of the songs. This EP was released on May 15 2006 on a limited run through Xtra Mile recordings. It sold out after only a few weeks on sale and had to be re-pressed to meet demand.
With Jonah Matranga doing some touring in June 2006 in support of his CD/DVD album "Jonah Matranga" there was some discussion of Frank doing supports with Jonah, this only ended up with one show featuring both at The Peel in Kingston. The discussion however lead to the creation of the Jonah Matranga and Frank Turner split 12" vinyl. Released in the USA on Welcome Home Records and in the UK via Xtra Mile Recordings. The release features Frank covering two songs by American songwriters and Jonah covering two songs by British songwriters. He was recently (September 18 2006) the last ever artist to perform on BBC Radio 1's Lamacq Live program, unveiling two new songs from "Sleep Is For The Week".
The good sales of "Campfire Punkrock" meant good news as this allowed Frank to record his debut album "Sleep Is For The Week" in August and September 2006. Recorded in Oxford with Dive Dive as extra band on a selection of the 13 tracks. The last track, "The Ballad Of Me And My Friends", is a live recording from a sold out show at the London Barfly and features the vocal contribution of the (approximately) 200 strong audience during a verse. Those in attendance and gave their names to Xtra Mile Recordings will have their names credited as contributers to this track.
In April 2008, his second album Love, Ire and Song was released to critical acclaim.
His third full-length album, Poetry Of The Deed, was released September 7th 2009, and includes the singles The Road, Try This At Home and Isabel. An accompanying DVD, Take To The Road, was released in March 2010.
Amidst extensive touring in support of Poetry of the Deed, Turner and his then-untitled backing band recorded Rock & Roll, an EP consisting of tracks written at the same time as Poetry of the Deed alongside new material. Following its release, Turner and the band spent twenty days in January 2011, recording their next studio album with producer Tristan Ivemy. The result was England Keep My Bones, the fourth studio album by Frank, released on June 6, 2011, on Xtra Mile in the United Kingdom, and on June 7, 2011, on Epitaph Records worldwide. Preceded by the single, "Peggy Sang the Blues", the album was produced and mixed by Tristan Ivemy, who had previously mixed Love, Ire and Song, Rock & Roll and Campfire Punkrock.
The album's title is taken from William Shakespeare's play, The Life and Death of King John, with Turner noting, "I knew that the album was, for the most part, about mortality, and about Englishness. Shakespeare seemed like a good place to go hunting for some pearls of wisdom, and with a little help from my friend Ben we came across this one, and it just seemed to fit the work really well."
Following the completion of the album, Turner subsequently announced his backing band had named themselves The Sleeping Souls, after a lyric in the track, "I Am Disappeared". The Sleeping Souls are Nigel Powell, Ben LLoyd, Tarant Anderson and Matt Nasir.
Turner recorded his fifth studio album in Burbank, California, in October 2012. The reason for recording first time abroad in California was, that producer Rich Costey wouldn't come to England with all his equipment so he convinced Turner to record it in Burbank. Frank Turner announced via Twitter on 28 October 2012 that recording was completed, and mixing and mastering would be done in time for a March 2013 release date. During the November and December UK tour a free CD titled Good Hangs from Xtra Mile Recordings was distributed for free at Frank Turner shows, this included a yet-to-be-released Turner song titled "Tattoos" plus the Möngöl Hörde song "Casual Threats From Weekend Hardmen". On Christmas Day 2012, the song "Four Simple Words" was released on Xtra Mile Recordings' website as a free download along with the b-side "Cowboy Chords". On 4 January 2013, a video was shot for what would be the first single. On the same day Frank announced on Twitter that the single was the song "Recovery". On 9 January, Frank uploaded a photo to his Instagram page showing the names of all 13 songs that would feature on his new album. This included songs played during the UK and US tours of 2012 such as "Anymore", "Plain Sailing Weather", "We Shall Not Overcome" and "Tell Tale Signs". Frank also posted on his fan forum that an extended edition of his new album would be released that includes an extra 5 or 6 songs. On 19 February 2013, it was announced that Turner had signed a licensing deal with Interscope Records in the US for Tape Deck Heart. Following the release of the album Frank Turner embarked on a short U.K tour.
[this section requires expansion, to cover the period 2013 to 2018]
Discography:
2005 - Frank Turner's Demo
2007 - Campfire Punkrock
2007 - The Real Damage
2007 - Sleep Is For The Week
2008 - Love Ire & Song
2008 - The First Three Years
2009 - Poetry Of The Deed
2010 - Take to the Road: Live 2009
2010 - iTunes Festival: London 2010
2011 - 2011-11-17: Daytrotter Session, Big Orange Studios, Austin, TX, USA
2012 - The Second Three Years
2012 - Last Minutes and Lost Evenings
2013 - Tape Deck Heart
2014 - Polaroid Picture
2014 - The Third Three Years
2015 - Positive Songs for Negative People
2017 - Songbook
2018 - Be More Kind
2019 - No Man's Land
2020 - West Coast vs. Wessex
2020 - Buddies II: Still Buddies
Demons
Frank Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If life gives you demons, make a deal
Meet them at the crossroad, cross your fingers, and sign a seal
Hey philosophers, make way
Pascal never had too much stomach for gambling anyway
At this truth we have arrived
If life gives you demons, make demands
Take them to the mountain tops, show them the valley, then take a chance
Hey physicians, heal thyself
I'll make my own way down to Hell without your help
At this truth we have arrived:
God damn, it's great to be alive
Doesn't it just break your heart to know
That none of this will last
You're not delivering a perfect body to the grave
Time is not there to be saved
Life is a holiday
A moment stolen from [?]
Before the demons drag you back
You won't get everything you wanted
Dry mouth, taste of blood
The iron on the tongue brings up something ancient, something before the flood
Dust down, stand tall
Life gave me demons, but I made friends with the devil, so I'm invincible
At this truth we have arrived:
God damn, it's great to be alive
You're not delivering a perfect body to the grave
Time is not there to be saved
Life is a holiday
A moment stolen from [?]
Before the demons drag you back
You won't get everything you wanted
But you will never be defeated
You won't get everything you wanted
But you will never be defeated
You won't get everything you wanted
But you will never be defeated
In the song "Demons" by Frank Turner, the artist urges listeners to not only embrace their demons but also use them as motivation to overcome adversity. The song's first verse suggests making a deal with one's demons, meeting them at the crossroad, crossing fingers and signing a seal, indicating that one should face their demons head-on. Turner goes on to quote philosopher Blaise Pascal, who he notes never had much of a stomach for gambling, indicating that making a deal with one's demons can be seen as a risky move.
The second verse follows a similar sentiment, suggesting that one should make demands of their demons rather than cower in fear. Turner urges listeners to take their demons to the mountaintop and show them the valley, perhaps suggesting that by facing one's troubles head-on, they become less daunting. He also invokes the Hippocratic Oath, stating "hey physician, heal thyself," indicating that even those who supposedly have it all figured out have their own demons to face.
The chorus serves as the song's main takeaway, highlighting the importance of appreciating the fleeting nature of life and making the most of the time one has on this earth. Turner acknowledges that one won't get everything they want out of life, but they can still achieve a sense of invincibility by making friends with their demons.
Line by Line Meaning
If life gives you demons, make a deal
If you encounter challenges in life, negotiate with them
Meet them at the crossroad, cross your fingers, and sign a seal
Confront challenges directly with optimism and take action to overcome them
Hey philosophers, make way
People who overthink and lack action should step back
Pascal never had too much stomach for gambling anyway
Pascal, a philosopher, did not take risks
At this truth we have arrived
We have discovered this conclusion
God damn, it's great to be alive
Expressing relief for being alive
If life gives you demons, make demands
Demand solutions and find new opportunities when faced with obstacles
Take them to the mountain tops, show them the valley, then take a chance
Show challenges the vastness of life and take calculated risks to overcome them
Hey physicians, heal thyself
People who claim to be healers or experts should focus on their own issues
I'll make my own way down to Hell without your help
I am capable of handling my own challenges without assistance
Doesn't it just break your heart to know
Expressing sorrow over a realization
That none of this will last
Understanding that everything in life is temporary
You're not delivering a perfect body to the grave
Death is inevitable for all, and we cannot take our perfect, healthy bodies with us
Time is not there to be saved
Time is fleeting, and we should use it wisely to live our best lives
Life is a holiday
Life is meant to be enjoyed and celebrated
A moment stolen from [?]
Life is a fleeting moment taken from the vast expanse of eternity
Before the demons drag you back
Before challenges consume and overwhelm you
You won't get everything you wanted
Not all desires in life will be fulfilled
Dry mouth, taste of blood
Feeling anxious or scared
The iron on the tongue brings up something ancient, something before the flood
Overcoming challenges can bring up old emotions and memories
Dust down, stand tall
Brushing off challenges and overcoming them with confidence
Life gave me demons, but I made friends with the devil, so I'm invincible
Although facing challenges, the artist has gained strength and confidence to overcome them
But you will never be defeated
Encouraging perseverance and determination in the face of challenges
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: FRANK TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind