Kerry Ellis & Brian May 'Acoustic By Candlelight'
(Live on the Born Free Tour)
[discography | gallery]
Released in the UK on 24 June 2013.
Released in the USA on 6 August 2013.
Album length 64:28.
1. Born Free
2. I Loved A Butterfly
3. I Who Have Nothing
4. Dust In The Wind
5. The Kissing Me Song
6. Nothing Really Has Changed
7. Life Is Real
8. The Way We Were
9. Something
10. Love Of My Life
11. I'm Not That Girl
12. I Can't Be Your Friend
13. In The Bleak Midwinter
14. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
15. No-One But You (Only The Good Die Young)
All tracks are performed by Kerry Ellis (vocals), Brian May (acoustic guitar) and Jeff Leach (keyboards) except where noted.
Produced by Brian May
Co-produced and engineered by Justin Shirley-Smith and Kris Fredriksson
Recorded by Robin Fox and Mike Savage
Mastered by Kevin Metcalfe at The Soundmasters
Front cover photography and design by Daniele Calabria
Back cover photography by Francyne Carr and Terry Brisco
Artwork by Richard Gray
Special thanks to Anita Dobson, James Townsend and our families, and to our faithful fans. Always appreciated.
The album was recorded at various venues on the 2012 'Born Free' tour of England. It features 4 Queen tracks, 3 tracks from Kerry's debut album 'Anthems', 7 cover versions, and 1 new track written by Brian and Kerry. Brian plays acoustic guitar on 12 tracks, electric guitar on 2 tracks, and one is performed by Kerry and Jeff Leach with no involvement from Brian.
The album was later included as part of 'The Candlelight Concerts - Live At Montreux 2013' DVD and Blu-ray releases in 2014.
Born Free
Track 1. Track length 3:19, song length 3:00.
Performed by Brian and Kerry, with Stuart Morley on keyboards.
Recorded at the City Hall, Salisbury, England, on 17 November 2012.
Details of this cover version can be found on the 'Golden Days' album page. Born free, as free as the wind blows
As free as the grass grows
Born free to follow your heart
Live free and beauty surrounds you
The world still astounds you
Each time you look at a star
Stay free, where no walls divide you
You're free as a roaring tide
So there's no need to hide
Born free, and life is worth living
But only worth living
When you are free
Oooh, oooh
No man should choose your life for you
No man has the right to say you'll live or die today
Born free, and life is worth living
But only worth living
When you are free
Born free Kerry: Thank you very much
Brian: Thank you very much, good evening
Kerry: Thank you
I Loved A Butterfly
Track 2. Track length 4:49, song length 3:19.
Recorded at the Union Chapel, London, England, on 11 November 2012.
Details of the original version can be found on the 'Anthems' album page. Kerry: I would like to introduce you to, um, this man needs no introduction at all, to Doctor Brian May
Brian: Thank you very much, and I would like to introduce you to the incomparable Kerry Ellis. This gig, this tour, is all about Born Free as you know, which is all about trying to change the way that we treat animals, and in particular it's supporting the work of Born Free in Africa to try and save the lion, um, very happy to say I believe Virginia McKenna is with us, um, very honoured to have you with us. Our first little animal for you is a very small one, and er, but it's kind of a metaphorical animal because this is about some things that are glittering actually being gold, so um, this is, sometimes we call it 'Butterfly'. Once I loved a butterfly
Don't wonder how, don't ask me why
But I believed what I'd been told
All things that glitter can't be gold
Ooh-ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, yeah
All things that glitter can't be gold
Those jealous minds conspired to say
Just let that creature fly away
How can it be she has it all
Her pride is headed for a fall
Ooh-ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, yeah
All things that glitter can't be gold
Oh Lord, what races we run
Seeking our place in the sun
Reaching and hoping we find the right one
Now every day a new joy brings
My butterfly grew golden wings
It seems we find as we grow old
Some things that glitter may be gold
Ooh-ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, yeah
Some things that glitter may be gold
Ooh-ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, yeah
Some things that glitter may be gold
So let us mind what's there to see
Before our hearts become too cold
In spite of all that we've been told
Some things that glitter may be gold
Ooh-ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, yeah
Some things that glitter may be gold
Ooh-ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, yeah, ooh
Some things that glitter may be gold Kerry: Ah, thank you.
Brian: Thank you very much.
I Who Have Nothing
Track 3. Track length 3:44, song length 3:00.
Recorded at The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, England, on 5 November 2012.
Details of this cover version can be found on the 'Golden Days' album page. Kerry: This next song we performed out in San Remo, back in February, it's um, it's a classic song, famous by Shirley Bassey really, so obviously I'd like to try it, 'cos I like a Shirley Bassey song, um, and we did a huge version with Zucchero's daughter, who is a huge Italian star, and this originally was an Italian song, but most people do know it in English, so um, we've done a slightly different version for you tonight, and this is 'I Who Have Nothing' I, I who have nothing
I, I who have no-one
Adore you and want you so
I'm just a no-one, with nothing to give you but oh
I love you
He, he buys you diamonds
Bright, sparkling diamonds
But believe me, dear, when I say
That he can give you the world
But he'll never love you the way
I love you
He can take you any place he wants
To fancy clubs and restaurants
But I can only watch you with
My nose pressed up against the window pane
I, I who have nothing
I, I who have no-one
Must watch you, go dancing by
Wrapped in the arms of somebody else
When darling it's I
Who loves you
I love you
I love you Kerry: Thank you very much
Dust In The Wind
Track 4. Track length 4:21, song length 3:41.
Recorded at the Corby Cube, Corby, England, on 7 November 2012.
Details of this cover version can be found on the Live Only Songs page. Brian: This song was written by an old friend of mine. In the old days of Queen touring, years and years and years and years ago, we used to tour about nine months of the year and most of it in America, and we had a band with us called Kansas, fantastic guys from Kansas, of course, and they did a lot of very up-tempo stuff, but they did also beautiful ballads, and this is one of them, um, it's called 'Dust In The Wind' I close my eyes
Only for a moment, then the moment's gone
All my dreams
Pass before my eyes a curiosity
Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind
Same old song
Just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do
Crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
Don't hang on
Nothin' lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away
All your money won't another minute buy
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
Dust in the wind
Everything is dust in the wind
The Kissing Me Song
Track 5. Track length 4:25, song length 3:09.
Recorded at the Alban Arena, St Albans, England, on 12 November 2012.
Details of the original version can be found on the 'Golden Days' album page. Kerry: Oh dear, oh dear
Brian: 'Oh dear' she says. Right, we're gonna take a little risk now, because we haven't really done this song very much, um, it's new, we, we wrote it a couple of days ago. (Applause). Yeah, yeah, I mean we, yeah.
Kerry: Yeah, before the other show, the other day, we were in the dressing room, doing the warm up, Brian comes in with these new lyrics and goes, 'here you are, try these', so I go 'yeah, brilliant', we're in the rehearsal room, we'll try this out, 'shall we throw it in? Oh great' so I get my phone out in the middle of the show and have to read the lyrics from my phone. So bear with us
Brian: It's easy to pick up, it's a very catchy little pop song, which obviously will be a hit, yeah so, yeah. So if you want to join in, please do It was a stone cold night
And when the snow flakes fell
We had to hold on tight
Before our last farewell
Then the darkness took you from me
As you walked into the night
You said you'd never change
You'd never change your mind
And then I looked away
And I could see you kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me
I could see you
I could see you
I could see you kissing me, kissing me, kissing me
I could see you
I could see you
I could see you kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me
It was a lonely night
When I was watching the TV
Lo and behold on tight
There you were singing about me
It was a lonely summer freedom
How you had to fly away
You said you'd never change
You'd never change your mind
But then I closed my eyes
And I could see you kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me
I could see you
I could see you
I could see you kissing me, kissing me, kissing me
I could see you
I could see you
I could see you kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me
Now as the years go by
I still dream the same dream
But I still wonder why
Things are not what they seem
I can hear you saying baby
You will never stay the night
I guess you never change
You never change your mind
But then I closed my eyes
And I could see you kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me
I could see you
I could see you
I could see you kissing me, kissing me, kissing me
I could see you
I could see you
I could see you kissing me, kissing me, kissing me
I could see you
I could see you
I could see you kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me, kissing me Brian: Yeah, hurrah, hurrah, hurrah. Great. Thank you. Wow, fabulous. You might well say 'wooh'
Nothing Really Has Changed
Track 6. Track length 4:55, song length 3:37.
Performed by Kerry, with Brian on electric guitar.
Recorded at the Alban Arena, St Albans, England, on 12 November 2012.
Details of this cover version can be found on the Live Only Songs page. Brian: This is the guitar that came with us into the jungle, I thought it would be a good idea because it wouldn't be affected by the damp, because it's kind of metal, but it has a very kind of mournful sound and I've become very attached to it, and this is a song which we actually sang in the jungle because it was written by Virginia McKenna herself, the founder of Born Free, she wrote this beautiful little song about thirty years ago, and it never really saw the light of day, when we all met up she said 'it would be fantastic if Kerry would sing it, can you do an arrangement to make that happen' so we set about it, and we actually surprised her in the middle of the jungle one night around the campfire and sang it to her, which I think is on film, so you may see that one day, and the song is 'Nothing Really Has Changed', and we're gonna show you a little bit of footage which will perhaps make you think a little bit about wild animals, not just wild animals in Africa, but wild animals right here, around us. Do you want to add anything?
Kerry: Ha, ha, I think you've said it all
Brian: I've talked myself out again haven't I, sorry, sorry Nothing really has changed
I still feel the warmth of the sun
Nothing really has changed
The spiders spin and the children still run
Everything's really the same
The waves still break on the shore
But to me the world
Is a different place
Now you are here
No more
I can't get used to the day now
I miss the sound of your foot on the stair
I can't get used to the night now
I put out my hand and forget you're not there
Beside me to hold me
And tell me that you want me
And love me and need me
I can't get used to my life now
Now you are here
No more
Nothing really has changed
The rose still smells sweet and fair
Nothing really has changed
I feel the grey rain and the wind in my hair
Everything's really the same
My friends still knock at my door
But to me the world is a different place
Now you are here
No more
Now you are here
No more
Life Is Real
Track 7. Track length 4:30, song length 3:49.
Recorded at the Corby Cube, Corby, England, on 7 November 2012.
Details of the original version can be found on the 'Hot Space' album page. Brian: We'd like to play you a song by Freddie, the one and only Freddie, and um, this is pretty much a lesser known song, it wasn't a hit, it was just kind of squirrelled away on an album, but a really beautiful song, he dedicated this song to John Lennon, but we dedicate it to Freddie, OK, and it's called 'Life Is Real' Guilt stains on my pillow
Blood on my terraces
Torsos in my closet
Shadows from my past
Life is real
Life is real
Life is real, so real
Sleeping is my leisure
Waking up in a minefield
Dreaming's just a pleasure dome
Love is a roulette wheel
Life is real
Life is real
Life is real, oh yeah
Success is my breathing space
I bought it on myself
I can price it
I will cash it
I can take it or leave it
Loneliness is my hiding place
Breastfeeding myself
What more can I say
I have swallowed the bitter pill
I can taste it, I will taste it
Life is real
Life is real
Life is real
Music will be my mistress
Loving like a whore
Freddie is a genius
Living in every pore
Life is real
Life is real
Life is real, so real
Life is cruel
Life is a bitch
Life is real - so real
Life is real
Life is real
Oooh, life is real
Life is real Kerry: Thank you
The Way We Were
Track 8. Track length 3:43, song length 3:00.
Recorded at the Corby Cube, Corby, England, on 7 November 2012.
Kerry later recorded this track for her solo album 'Kerry Ellis', with Brian on guitar, and details can be found on the 'Anthems' songs page. Kerry: This next song is a favourite of mine really, sung usually by Barbara Streisand, and usually sung in a huge way with a big orchestra, and I sang it for probably the first time properly for Radio 2, several months ago, with the BBC Concert Orchestra, and it was, it was lovely, and Brian liked it, and said 'why don't we try it, and why don't we strip it back and make it simple', so this is 'The Way We Were' Memories
Light the corners of my mind
Misty water coloured memories
Of the way we were
Scattered pictures
Of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another
For the way we were
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Or has time re-written every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again
Tell me, would we?
Could we?
Memories
May be beautiful and yet
What's too painful to remember
We simply choose to forget
So, it's the laughter
We will remember
Whenever we remember
The way we were
Ooooh
The way we were Kerry: Thank you
Something
Track 9. Track length 4:32, song length 3:36.
Recorded at the Union Chapel, London, England, on 11 November 2012.
Details of this cover version can be found on the Live Only Songs page. Brian: My favourite group of all time was The Beatles, and probably always will be, and to me it's magic, and to me that's the Bible in a sense. Um, a lot of those wonderful, wonderful songs were written by the partnership of Lennon and McCartney, but this one wasn't, this was written by the youngest boy in the group, er, who was called George Harrison. And, boy oh boy, he wrote some absolute crackers, later on, you know when he got his confidence, er, and we love this song, really, and it's called 'Something'. One, two, three, four Something in the way he moves
Attracts me like no other lover
Something in the way he woos me
I don't want to leave him now
You know I believe and how
Somewhere in his smile he knows
That I don't need no other lover
Something in his style that shows me
I don't want to leave him now
You know I believe and how
You're asking me will my love grow
I don't know, I don't know
You stick around now, it may show
I don't know, I don't know
You're asking me will my love grow
I don't know, I don't know
You stick around now, it may show
I don't know, I don't know
Something in the way he knows
And all I have to do is think of him
Something in the things he shows me
I don't want to leave him now
You know I believe and how
Ooooh
Yeah, yeah
Love Of My Life
Track 10. Track length 4:37, song length 4:11.
Recorded at The Assembly Halls, Leamington Spa, England, on 6 November 2012.
Details of the original version can be found on the 'A Night At The Opera' album page. Mmm, love of my life - you've hurt me
You've broken my heart and now you leave me
Love of my life, can't you see
Bring it back, bring it back
Don't take it away from me, because you don't know
What it means to me Love of my life - don't leave me
You've stolen my heart and now desert me
Love of my life, can't you see
Bring it back, bring it back
Don't take it away from me, because you don't know
What it means to me You will remember
When this is blown over
And everything's all by the way When I grow older
I will be there at your side to remind you
How I still love you - I still love you
Hurry back, hurry back
Don't take it away from me, because you don't know
What it means to me
Love of my life Audience: Love of my life Oooh-ooh, yeah Brian: Thank you, I'm going to retire for a moment, and Kerry is going to take you into Wicked land
I'm Not That Girl
Track 11. Track length 3:25, song length 2:44.
Performed by Kerry and Jeff Leach, without Brian.
Recorded at The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, England, on 5 November 2012.
Details of the original version can be found on the 'Anthems' album page. Kerry: So, I was in Wicked. Ha, ha, ha. Um, I was very fortunate to play it in London and on Broadway, and I had an amazing time, and loved it. When Brian first came to see me play Elphaba, he, ah, he fell in love with the song that people kind of, it passes them by, and they kind of miss it the first time round, and it was the first song we went on to record, and went on to 'Wicked In Rock'. This is 'I'm Not That Girl'. Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl
Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl
Every so often we long to steal
To the land of what might have been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in
Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl
Mmmm, I'm not that girl
Mmmm, I'm not that girl Kerry: Thank you
I Can't Be Your Friend
Track 12. Track length 4:32, song length 4:02.
Recorded at the Corby Cube, Corby, England, on 7 November 2012.
Details of the original version can be found on the 'Anthems' album page. Kerry: This song was written for me by Brian, and by the lovely Don Black, and I'm very honoured, it's a new song, it's on 'Anthems', ah, we've done a slightly different version of it, this is 'I Can't Be Your Friend' There should have been some tears
There should have been some pain
You didn't raise your voice
It didn't even rain
And so our story ends
The way we didn't plan
Can you live without me?
I don't believe you can
We're putting on brave faces
Acting like we don't care
Pride won't get us anywhere
This can't be over
This can't be true
You know you're a part of me
And I'm a part of you
This can't be over
This can't be the end
'Cos I'm your true lover
I can't be your friend
So after all this time
I don't know who you are
We should have talked it through
Before we got this far
We're putting on brave faces
Pretending we don't care
Pride won't get us anywhere
This can't be over
This can't be true
You know you're a part of me
And I'm a part of you
This can't be over
This can't be the end
'Cos I'm your true lover
I can't be your friend
'Cos I'm your true lover
Don't ask me to be your friend
I can't be your friend
Ooh, oooh Kerry: Thank you very much
In The Bleak Midwinter
Track 13. Track length 3:44, song length 3:07.
Performed by Kerry, with Brian on electric guitar.
Recorded at the Alban Arena, St Albans, England, on 12 November 2012.
Details of this cover version can be found on the Live Only Songs page. Brian: Little Christmas carol?
Kerry: Yes, festive
Brian: If we start Christmas now, it's not gonna seem so bad when it comes, you know In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone
Snow had fallen, snow on snow
Snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter
Long ago
Angels and archangels may have gathered there
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air
But his mother only, in her maiden bliss
Worshiped the almighty
With a kiss
What can I give him, small as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb
If I were a wise man, I would claim my part
Yet, what can I give him
Give my heart Brian: One more?
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Track 14. Track length 3:47, song length 3:24.
Recorded at The Assembly Halls, Leamington Spa, England, on 6 November 2012.
Details of the original version can be found on the 'The Game' album page. A-this thing called love oh I just I can't handle it
A-this thing called love oh I must get around to it
I ain't ready (Audience: Crazy little thing called love) beautiful
This thing (this thing) called love (called love) It cries (like a baby) In a cradle all night
It swings (woo, woo) It jives (woo, woo) Ooh, it shakes all over like a jelly fish
I kinda like it (Audience: Crazy little thing called love) Oh, you're so good
There goes my baby
He knows how to rock 'n' roll
He drives me crazy
He leaves me hot cold fever
He leaves me in a cool, cool sweat
Mmm, mm, mm
I gotta be cool, relax, get hip
And get on my tracks
Take a back seat, hitch hike
Ooh, and take a long ride on my motorbike
Until I'm ready (Audience: Crazy little thing called love) ooh
I gotta be cool, relax, get hip
Get on my tracks
Take a back seat, hitch hike
Ooh, and take a long ride on my motorbike
Until I'm ready (Audience: ready Freddie) Crazy little thing called love
This thing called love oh I just I can't handle it
This thing called love oh I must, I just gotta get round to it
I ain't ready
Crazy little thing called love
Crazy little thing called love
Ooh, crazy little thing called love
Yeah, crazy little thing called love
Ooh, crazy little thing called love Brian: Oh, Jeff
Brian: Mr Jeff Leach A crazy little thing called love
A crazy little thing called love
A crazy little thing called love, alright Brian: Hey
Brian: Thank you. Thank you, thank you so much
No-One But You
(Only The Good Die Young)
Track 15. Track length 6:04, song length 5:25.
Recorded at The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, England, on 5 November 2012.
Details of the original version can be found on the 'Anthems' album page. A hand above the water
An angel reaching for the sky
Is it raining in heaven
Do you want us to cry?
And everywhere the broken hearted
On every lonely avenue
No-one could reach them
No-one but you
One by one
Only the good die young
They're only flying too close to the sun
And life goes on
Without you
Another tricky situation
I get to drowning in the blues
And I find myself thinking
Well, what will you do?
Yes, it was such an operation
Forever paying every due
You made a sensation
Ohh, you found a way through
One by one
Only the good die young
They're only flying too close to the sun
And we'll remember
Forever
And now the party must be over
I guess we'll never understand
The sense of your leaving
Was it the way it was planned?
And so we grace another table
And raise our glasses one more time
There's a face at the window
And I ain't never ever saying goodbye
Oh, one by one
Only the good die young
They're only flying too close to the sun
Crying for nothing
Crying for no-one
No-one but you
You
