Earl was born to Charles… Read Full Bio ↴Kate Earl is an American singer-songwriter.
Earl was born to Charles and Pomposa Smithson in Anchorage, Alaska. She is of Filipino, Dutch and Welsh descent. She began playing piano at 4, sang in her church choir, and began playing the guitar when she was seventeen. The young singer nursed the dream to lead a musician's life in between shifts at her parent’s small-town gas station. That dream became a reality when Kate moved to Los Angeles in 2004, where her talent was promptly recognized and led to a record deal with The Record Collection. Her debut album, Fate Is the Hunter, was released in May 2005.
Earl left Record Collection in 2007 and signed with Universal Republic the following year. A self-titled album, Kate Earl, was released as a digital download on August 18, 2009 and in physical copy on November 3, 2009.
In 2012, Earl signed with Downtown Records. Her latest album, Stronger, was released on November 20, 2012, and was written and recorded with Brett Dennen, Blake Mills, and other well-respected Los Angeles musicians. The first single from the album, "One Woman Army", was released on September 18, 2012.
The music was not quite doing for Kate what she needed it to - too much outside direction perhaps, or an undue pressure to fulfill a prescribed role. Kate re-emerges on Stronger, Earl's debut for Downtown Records. Stronger shows off the careful development of a singular voice. The album's sound—a rootsy brand of all-American pop-rock—recalls classic works by some of the west coast singers Kate's older brothers listened to during long hours at their family's gas station. Stronger's lived-in Laurel Canyon vibe came together quickly, with Kate and Brett Dennen (her principal collaborator on Stronger) recording 17 songs in a whirlwind six-day session at Los Angeles’ famed Village Recorders.
Studio albums
(2005) - Fate Is the Hunter
(2009) - Kate Earl
(2012) - Stronger
Hero
Kate Earl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ties black ribbon in my hair
The sound of heavy boots
Slowly pounding up the stairs
The organ pours out slow and soothing
Old and rugged hymns
I long to find some comfort
But my sorrow won't give in
In a thousand freezing years
And if I started crying
I could never stop the tears
You don't know what you've done
Not here to see the repercussions of your love
You don't know what you've done
You're not my hero anymore
Time is slowing down
Like a river clogged with mud
People gather round me
Some friends and others blood
The trumpeter starts playing taps
The soldiers fire their guns
The folding of the flag
Makes the tears come in a flood
You don't know what you've done
Not here to see the repercussions of your love
You don't know what you've done
You're not my hero anymore
No one would say you were an easy man
No, you are hard and stubborn and vain
And I'm tired of being held back at arms length
Tired, tired
And something's gotta change
You don't know what you've done
I didn't break, no, I've grown strong
You don't know what you've done
You're not my hero
You're not my hero anymore
Anymore
Anymore
You're not my hero anymore
Not here to face the consequences of your love
You're not my hero anymore
Anymore
Anymore
The lyrics to Kate Earl's song "Hero" revolve around the feelings of loss, grief, and disappointment that the singer feels towards someone who was previously her hero. The first verse shows the singer in a church, where her friend Alicia is tying a black ribbon in her hair. The heavy boots pounding up the stairs indicate that someone is approaching the church, and the organ is playing old hymns that are meant to be soothing. Despite the music and the setting, the singer cannot find comfort and is still consumed by her grief, which she knows will not subside easily. The second verse shows the singer at a funeral, where people are gathered around her. The trumpeter plays Taps as the soldiers fire their guns, and the folding of the flag causes the singer to break down in tears. The final verse is directed towards the person who was previously the singer's hero. She describes him as a hard, stubborn, and vain man who held her back at arm's length. She is tired of his behavior, and something has to change, leading to the realization that he is no longer her hero.
Line by Line Meaning
Alicia stands behind me
Alicia is silently supporting me from behind
Ties black ribbon in my hair
Putting a black ribbon in my hair as a sign of mourning
The sound of heavy boots
The footsteps are thudding and ominous
Slowly pounding up the stairs
The heavy footsteps are coming up the stairs with a sense of foreboding
The organ pours out slow and soothing
The organ's melody is slow and calming
Old and rugged hymns
The hymns being played are old and worn
I long to find some comfort
I am searching for comfort in this difficult moment
But my sorrow won't give in
The pain and sadness I feel is too much to overcome
This is the coldest winter
Metaphorically, this is the hardest and most difficult time I have experienced
In a thousand freezing years
Underscores the severity and coldness of the current moment
And if I started crying
The emotions are so overwhelming that if I started crying, I would not be able to stop
I could never stop the tears
The sadness and grief would be never-ending
You don't know what you've done
You are ignorant of the negative impact your actions have had
Not here to see the repercussions of your love
You are not present to witness the harm caused by your actions
You're not my hero anymore
You have lost my admiration and respect
Time is slowing down
Time seems to be moving at a crawl, drawing attention to the somberness of the moment
Like a river clogged with mud
The passage of time feels heavy and difficult, much like a river weighed down by muck and debris
People gather round me
Friends and family are comforting and supporting me
Some friends and others blood
Some of the people there to show support are friends, while for others the connection could be blood-related
The trumpeter starts playing taps
The bugler plays a mournful melody, a military call that signals the end of the day or the end of someone's life
The soldiers fire their guns
The sound of the guns is a salute to the fallen, a tribute to their service in the military
The folding of the flag
The folding represents honor and respect for the deceased
Makes the tears come in a flood
The folding of the flag brings an overwhelming amount of emotion and brings the tears flowing forth
No one would say you were an easy man
You was not an easy man to deal with or understand
No, you are hard and stubborn and vain
You were obstinate, self-centered, and difficult to reason with
And I'm tired of being held back at arms length
I am exhausted by being kept at a distance and not being able to fully connect with you
Tired, tired
I am exhausted and worn out
And something's gotta change
Things cannot continue the way they are, a change needs to happen
I didn't break, no, I've grown strong
Despite the challenges faced, I have not been broken and instead have become stronger
Anymore
No longer will you continue in the role of my hero
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID FRANCIS BAERWALD, KATE JOY EARL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rachel Ann Cauilan
This is so gorgeous... Why haven't I heard this before? It reminds me of my early and honest ventures into music... So genuine. I love it.
CharmsMaster
Such a powerful and beautiful song. Saw her perform in Colorado! Great show and she seems awesome
Mellybeans0919
Adore this song, she's so talented!
Lisa N
I love thislive version more than the recorded.
Jessica Vorobyev
Amazing voice!
Paula Agredo
So beautifull.. love this song!
maydiremay music
i love her album..really sweet and strong:)
sibasiba
"･･･ sweet and strong" I think so,too. Attractive voices and songs. Thank you!!Mr.Lawson. from japan
CharmsMaster
This is my favorite song of hers. I saw her open for Matt Nathanson in Fort Collins!!! She's really pretty and she's a great singer/musician. Oh the memories....
teamradfordtv
Yep. Stay on these roads by a-ha. Spotted this year's ago when I heard it at a dance recital and lots of a-ha fans now agree. :)