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
Jump
Kate Earl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
President and I
I could’ve been a movie star
Or a stuntman always falling down
I didn’t want to fall in love
Cause love has always let me down
I didn’t wanna hurt again
So I put myself on higher ground
The way I used to be
You brought me to the edge
And baby you have set me free
I think I better jump right now
I think I better jump right now
I think I better jump right now
Cause I’m falling anyhow
I could’ve been a lot of things a soldiers wife or
A centerfold
I could’ve been a single mother
Junkie always coming down
I didn’t wanna roll like that and lose my self for anything
I only tried to make my life the best I could and lI’ve for me
Used to feel so safe
The way the way I used to be
You brought me to the edge
And baby you have set me free
I like the way you make me feel
Im not scared anymore
I found myself when I met you
You make me feel so sure
In "Jump In," Kate Earl sings about the various paths her life could have taken, ranging from being a preacher's wife to a centerfold or a single mother. However, she didn't want to fall in love because it has always let her down and didn't want to hurt again. Nevertheless, the person she sings to in the song has brought her to the edge and made her feel free. As a result, she declares that she needs to jump right now, as she feels like she's falling anyhow, indicating that she has finally found the courage to take risks and embrace love.
Line by Line Meaning
I could’ve been a lot of things a preachers wife or a President and I
I had the potential to be a lot of things, including the wife of a preacher or even the President of the United States.
I could’ve been a movie star or a stuntman always falling down
Other potential careers I could have had include being a movie star or a professional stunt person.
I didn’t want to fall in love, Cause love has always let me down
I didn't want to fall in love because, in the past, love has always disappointed me and caused me pain.
I didn’t wanna hurt again, So I put myself on higher ground
To avoid the possibility of getting hurt again, I decided to put myself in a higher, safer position.
I used to feel so safe, The way I used to be
I used to feel safe and secure in the life I had before I met you.
You brought me to the edge, And baby you have set me free
You pushed me to the edge of my comfort zone, and in doing so, you helped me break free from my fears and doubts.
I think I better jump right now, Cause I’m falling anyhow
I feel like I need to take a risk and leap into the unknown because, realistically, I am already falling or vulnerable.
I could’ve been a lot of things a soldiers wife or A centerfold
There were many paths I could have taken in life, including becoming a soldier's wife or even a centerfold model.
I could’ve been a single mother, Junkie always coming down
I could have also become a single mother or a constant user of drugs and alcohol.
I didn’t wanna roll like that and lose myself for anything
I didn't want to go down the wrong path and lose myself to something that would not serve me well.
I only tried to make my life the best I could and live for me
I have always only tried to make my life the best it could be and to live life on my own terms.
Used to feel so safe, The way the way I used to be
I used to feel safe and secure in the life I had before I met you.
You brought me to the edge, And baby you have set me free
You pushed me to the edge of my comfort zone, and in doing so, you helped me break free from my fears and doubts.
I like the way you make me feel, I'm not scared anymore
I enjoy the way you make me feel, and because of you, I am no longer afraid.
I found myself when I met you, You make me feel so sure
When I met you, I discovered who I truly am, and your presence gives me confidence and a sense of certainty.
Contributed by Alex V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.