Kelli's first independent album, a collection of dark modern dream folk songs, was "Rocking Horse" (Nov '08, DIY & One Little Indian). It was produced by Max Richter (composer of "The Blue Notebooks" & "Memoryhouse" / producer of Vashti Bunyan's "Memoryhouse") & has received critical acclaim.
In 2009, Kelli recorded and produced her Butterfly album with her partner Metso.
Butterfly is an acoustic album which came about through Kelli's desire to capture the songs from her Rocking Horse album in their metamorphosis as she and her band reworked the songs for the live stage show. This is Kelli's second independent release which is sold through her website and online.
Her earlier solo albums, Tigermouth and Psychic Cat saw Kelli move from the trip-hop influences of her first successful band Sneaker Pimps, to a more dreampop electronic sound.
The Tigermouth album includes songs such as “Sunlight in the Rain” and “Kids,” which featured ex-Doors drummer John Densmore. Kelli toured with Garbage in 2003 and released her follow-up album, Psychic Cat, in mid-2004.
Psychic Cat saw a return to Kelli’s electro/rock and roll roots, and featured musician turned author Tony O’Neill on keyboards and Andrew Innes of Primal Scream on the song 'Ideal'.
Kelli's collaborations include her co-writing The Paul Oakenfold (featuring Brittany Murphy) Hit song 'Faster Kill Pussycat', Satoshi Tomiie's 'Up in Flames' and 'Love in Traffic' and Bootsy Collins' 'Play With Bootsy' lead single track from his album 'Play with Bootsy', on which Kelli wrote and sang lead vocals.
After leaving London in 2005 to go traveling around Mexico and California, Kelli began learning to play the acoustic guitar and writing songs for what would become her Rocking Horse album. Inspired by the beauty of nature and her travels, Kelli wrote songs such as 'One Day at a Time' and 'Urique'. Her new vocal approach and sparse arrangements creating the dream folk sound of Rocking Horse.
Kelli returned to the UK and began recording the Rocking Horse album with Max Richter in Scotland in Spring 2008.
Marc Pilley played the guitars on the record and Max Richter played the B3 organ and piano, with a quartet playing the string parts and Ruth Morley on flute.
In her live set, Kelli and her band combine cello, flute and acoustic guitar with Kelli's ethereal vocals to interpret the songs from her Rocking Horse album and an original cover of Willows Song from the cult classic Wicker Man film soundtrack.
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What to Do
Kelli Ali Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Summer and Winter pass put them in a book
Smiling faces of all your friends
And lovers left behind
What to do with photographs
Pretty places you might have been
What to do with letters that you never wrote
Place them with photographs and make a note
Little poems of love declared
And sometimes little lies keep them with you
Through the years you′ll come to realize
Oh this life is a journey
We're all headed to the sun
It′s for you and it's for me
It's the same for everyone
What to do with the day
It′s up to you bon voyage
Happy trails good luck to you
Kelli Ali's song, "What To Do", presents a poignant reflection on the nature of nostalgia and memory. The opening lyrics, "What to do with photographs you never took, Summer and Winter pass put them in a book," introduce the theme of loss, setting the stage for a meditation on the fleeting nature of time. The song appears to be addressing someone who has experienced great turbulence in their life and is left with scattered memories of what might have been. The lyrics suggest that these people should take stock of their experiences, even if they never actually captured them on film.
The chorus, "What to do with the day, It's up to you bon voyage, Happy trails good luck to you," emphasizes the importance of making the most of the present moment, despite the inevitability of change and loss. The song ends on a hopeful note, urging its listeners to "take the good with the bad" and move forward with open hearts and minds.
In summary, "What to Do" is a song that reflects on the ephemeral nature of life and the fleeting moments of happiness and sadness that define our human condition. Kelli Ali's lyrics invite the listener to embrace the fullness of their experiences, even if they are ultimately left with little more than memories of what might have been.
Line by Line Meaning
What to do with photographs you never took
What should you do with the memories that you never actually captured on camera?
Summer and Winter pass put them in a book
Compile all the beautiful moments you lived through Summer and Winter, and put them together in a book.
Smiling faces of all your friends
And lovers left behind
What to do with photographs
What should you do with the pictures of your smiling friends and lovers who are no longer with you?
Pretty places you might have been
While wandering through your life
What should you do with the memories of the gorgeous places that you explored during your life's journey?
What to do with letters that you never wrote
Place them with photographs and make a note
What should you do with the unsent letters that you never wrote? Combine them with photographs, and jot down something about them.
Little poems of love declared
And sometimes little lies keep them with you
Through the years you'll come to realize
Hold on to the little notes of love and lies that you may have written down over time, as they help you learn and grow as a person.
Oh this life is a journey
We're all headed to the sun
It's for you and it's for me
It's the same for everyone
This life is a journey, and we're all headed towards the same place; the sun. It's a universal experience for all.
What to do with the day
It's up to you bon voyage
Happy trails good luck to you
What should you do with your day? It's your call. Enjoy your journey, and good luck!
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BUDDY HOLLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind