SONGS
The release of these songs out into the world represents my separation from 32 years of playing the great music of ELO.
I have released solo material before – 5 CDs – but I have become so heavily identified with ELO that is is time, at last, to re-establish the solo me, after 55 years as a professional musician.
Songs are my first love, and will be my last 😄🙏☯️❤️
I believe
A love song to the place of my heart and soul, the Bryngwyn Hills, above where we lived for 20 years, on the Welsh Border.
After being away on tour, or later, after studying for my degree, I would walk on the hills and feel small.
Feeling so small in such a big landscape made my problems smaller as well. I owe a large part of my sanity to those hills.
So this is my love song to my favourite place in the world 😄❤️🙏☯️
But it is also about the Malvern Hills, where we live now.
After being away on tour, or later, after studying for my degree, I would walk on the hills and feel small.
Feeling so small in such a big landscape made my problems smaller as well. I owe a large part of my sanity to those hills.
So this is my love song to my favourite place in the world 😄❤️🙏☯️
But it is also about the Malvern Hills, where we live now.
Written by Phil Bates.
All instruments and voices – Phil Bates
All instruments and voices – Phil Bates
Lonley ALL The TIME
A song I wrote in 1982. The first version of this song mirrored the difficulties of my relationship with Jo, but I have changed it a little to make it less specific.
But the mood of the song reflects the hellish years after losing my brother, David. I also lost my record contract, and my marriage.
It was a sombre time, but after it all I met Jo, and we had our family. So, silver lining, AND silver cloud 😄🙏☯️❤️
But I like the melody of this song. Inspired by misery, you could say.
But the mood of the song reflects the hellish years after losing my brother, David. I also lost my record contract, and my marriage.
It was a sombre time, but after it all I met Jo, and we had our family. So, silver lining, AND silver cloud 😄🙏☯️❤️
But I like the melody of this song. Inspired by misery, you could say.
Written by Phil Bates – with one line by Jo Bates
All instruments and voices – Phil Bates
All instruments and voices – Phil Bates
21st Century Blues
We’ve all got the 21st Century Blues in one form or another. My version bemoans getting old and coming closer every day to the end of my musical road.
Written by Phil Bates
Acoustic guitar and vocals – Phil Bates
LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE BLUES
Acoustic track with just a smidge of bass.
The title is true. I do have a love affair with the blues, but I love the blues more than the blues loves me 😂
I am too white bread to be a blues man, but damn do I love it.
The title is true. I do have a love affair with the blues, but I love the blues more than the blues loves me 😂
I am too white bread to be a blues man, but damn do I love it.
Written by Phil Bates
Acoustic guitar, bass and vocal – Phil Bates
Acoustic guitar, bass and vocal – Phil Bates
I don’t want to be alone with myself tonight
This song was on an earlier album of mine, but I have updated it slightly and changed the lyrics so it makes a trifle more sense.
I like this song, and wanted to record a better version.
One day I will record it with a string section.
I like this song, and wanted to record a better version.
One day I will record it with a string section.
Written by Phil Bates
All instruments and voices – Phil Bates
Only place I want to be is home
Of course, the lockdown was all my fault😂
In the period before 2020/21, I was REALLY homesick, and wanted to be at home. As much as I love travelling, and love Berlin and Germany, I began to really long for some peace of mind and time at home.
Hence this song. Of course, as soon as I had finished writing it, I was at home for 18 months, with no remission😂
Be careful what you wish for.
In the period before 2020/21, I was REALLY homesick, and wanted to be at home. As much as I love travelling, and love Berlin and Germany, I began to really long for some peace of mind and time at home.
Hence this song. Of course, as soon as I had finished writing it, I was at home for 18 months, with no remission😂
Be careful what you wish for.
Written by Phil Bates
All instruments and vocals – Phil Bates
You’ll never be alone
A real lockdown song, this one. We were all feeling very insecure and unsafe, and I wanted to do something to reassure Jo, and myself, that we were not alone, and there was hope.
Written by Phil Bates
All instruments, programming and vocals – Phil Bates
She don’t love you no more
Just a fairly generic blues, really. But I sort of hoped that the drum machine track would invoke JJ Cale – that’s where the similarity ends😂
Don’t exactly know where the song came from. It just tumbled out of me almost fully formed.
Don’t exactly know where the song came from. It just tumbled out of me almost fully formed.
Written by Phil Bates
All instruments, programming and vocals – Phil Bates
Empty Rooms
I wrote this in the period after my daughters, Rosie and Sarah, had moved away from our home and gone out into the wild blue yonder.
I broke my ankle around this time also, and had to sleep in Sarah’s room so that I would not disturb Jo.
I was lying in bed looking at the posters on the wall, and going into Rosie’s room and seeing the same, and it was a lonely feeling.
I was happy that they were out there doing their own things, but sad because of the void they left. Hence the lyrics.
I broke my ankle around this time also, and had to sleep in Sarah’s room so that I would not disturb Jo.
I was lying in bed looking at the posters on the wall, and going into Rosie’s room and seeing the same, and it was a lonely feeling.
I was happy that they were out there doing their own things, but sad because of the void they left. Hence the lyrics.
Written by Phil Bates
All instruments and vocals – Phil Bates
Stoney Ground
A song I wrote in the 90s for Jo to sing, but I have reworked it in a lower key. This a song of mine that I actually like.
I have never written a song like it, before or since
I have never written a song like it, before or since
Written by Phil Bates.
All instruments and vocals – Phil Bates
Under your spell
Written around 2018 while with Quill. Thought it would be a good song for the band.
But finished and recorded with the help of wife, Jo during lockdown.
But finished and recorded with the help of wife, Jo during lockdown.
Written by Phil and Jo Bates.
All instruments, programming and vocals – Phil Bates
