The Songs of My Second Album, Hearts of Time
(Sometimes you need to look back to move forward)
By Eileen Carey
https://www.allmusic.com/album/hearts-of-time-mw0000420607
One of my favorite live set opening songs is the title song off my second full album release Hearts of Time https://open.spotify.com/album/05EUxuodegZzNkTYYAfcZe in 2005. Written with songwriter and publisher Irene Tuomainen-Peet, it was one of a number of songs from that album that my band and I still enjoy performing to this day. https://www.shazam.com/track/60699601/hearts-of-time
When I first came out to LA, I was acting and studying to be a film director and I got involved in going to vocal lessons and doing some musical theater and I hooked up with this girl who was a writer and producer and she said ” You should write some songs,” and I think that it took off from there. So we just started to sit down and write some songs and there it went.
I co-wrote five songs on Hearts of Time; I love to co-write with people. As far as other writers, I wanted a blend of my ideas with someone else’s creative ideas. How did I select it? I don’t know how I go about selecting material. I guess it’s just something that I hear, in the message. The way I write and the way I do things.
It took about six months and two months on top of that to put all of the finishing touches on the Hearts of Time album. My producer Travis Allen had this studio called Nashville Tracks. We recorded the tracks in Nashville and then they were mailed here (Los Angeles) and we recorded the rest of the tracks and background vocals here and added things like vocals and other instruments. The majority of the basic tracks were recorded in Nashville.
Hearts of Time is a love song. The moral of the story is that you never know where you’re going to find love. The two people in that song find each other on the beach and it goes from there. So you never know.
Hearts of Time
He was a sailor from a faraway land
And she lived her dreams building castles of sand
The tide turned around and they melt into one
Now the wind beaten boat rests safely at shore
And she doesn’t play hide and seek anymore
It was magic that found them
When the wind swirled around them
Look what came out of the blue
Deep inside their eyes there’s a story lying
And deep inside their hearts there’s no denying
They know without knowing
But they trust where they’re going
It’s written by the hearts of time
The moment I saw you it happened to me
Some things can change when it’s destined to be
Was magic that found us
When the wind swirled around us
Look what came out of the blue
Deep inside our eyes there’s a story lying
And deep inside our hearts there’s no denying
We know without knowing
But we trust where we’re going
It’s written by the hearts of time
Life is a merry-go-round
Just get on board and go
Enjoy the ride while you can
Cuz when it stops you’ll never know…how far it’ll go
Yeah deep inside our eyes there’s a story lying
And deep inside our hearts there’s no denying
Yeah deep inside our eyes there’s a story lying
But no words be found
And there’s no worth trying
It’s written by the hearts of time
Now written by the hearts of time (vamp)
Written by: Eileen Carey, Irene Tuomainen-Peet
© 2005
My second single from this CD and one of my most revealing songs on that album, Hollywood https://soundcloud.com/eileencarey/hollywood-1 , which in many ways is a sequel to That Town emotionally and story-wise. Also written with Irene as well.
Hollywood
I’m walking down Hollywood Blvd
The streets are covered with famous stars
They’ve all been there
And here we are
Where it all began
And suddenly I’m Gone with the Wind
I’m floating on air with Fred and Gin
I’m cruising with Marilyn in a limousine
Shining like a girl’s best friend
Hollywood
Shine your light on me
Roll out the carpet
Cause I’m back upon the screen
Hollywood
Where my life is a dream
You make me laugh
You make me cry
You take me places I never been
There’s Rat Packs and Rebels Without a Cause
And make believe in the Land of Oz
I’m walking with hands full of fairy dust
Holding on to now and then
Oh holding on
Hollywood
Shine your light on me
Roll out the carpet
Cause I’m back upon the screen
Hollywood
Where my life is a dream
You make me laugh
You make me cry
You take me places I never been
Hollywood
Shine your light on me
Roll out the carpet
Cause I’m back upon the screen
Hollywood
Where my life is a dream
You make me laugh
You make me cry
You take me dreamin’
Hollywood
Oh shine your light on me
Hollywood
Where my life is a dream
Oh Hollywood
Written by: Eileen Carey,
Irene Tuomainen-Peet © 2005
It was a time that I was very active in women’s groups and politics, which I honor to date, but so many other things need our attention as well these days.
“Good Time Charlie” was the third single and it did pretty well. It picked up some nice airplay early and was a Number One requested song the week of its release! I was on the way back from Nashville and I wrote that tune on an airplane. These were characters I had come across from traveling. And “Good Time Charlie” is about this guy who likes to party. He’s a dreamer and he just likes that way of life. Sometimes people tend to stress out too much and there he is having a grand old time. That’s just who he is.
Good Time Charlie
https://www.shazam.com/track/60699604/good-time-charlie
He’s hikin’ to LA
To be a star one day
He’s gonna put his name yeah
On the walk of fame
He plucks upon his banjo
Bangs upon his tin can
He plays his spoons and washboard yeah
Now he’s a one-man band
Good time Charlie just dreaming his life away
Good time Charlie he’s playing his tunes A-OK
And a good time Charlie just dreaming his life away
He knows he’s a dreamer but that’s OK
Doing lunch with Spielberg
A featured guest on Leno
Bustin’ rhymes with P Diddy oh yeah
Doing time with J Lo
He’s gonna need an agent
To allocate his time
He’s gonna need a lawyer uh-huh
To read between the lines
Good time Charlie just dreaming his life away
Good time Charlie he’s playing his tunes A-OK
And a good time Charlie just dreaming his life away
He knows he’s a dreamer but that’s OK
He’s livin’ the life one day at a time
And always with a smile
Some say he’s out of his mind
But they punch a clock
To get what they got
Unhappy all the while
Searching for something they can’t find
Good time Charlie just dreaming his life away
Good time Charlie he’s living the tunes that he plays
And a good time Charlie just dreaming his life away
He knows he’s a dreamer but that’s OK
He knows he’s a dreamer but that’s OK
Charlie!
Written by: Eileen Carey, Treven Wong
© 2005
Other songs on it that continue to play a role in my live performances is All Tangled Up and Lazy. The albums that followed Hearts of Time, Movin On and Let It Go made more money, won more awards, saw more airplay, and were better promoted, but I am proud to say Hearts of Time continues to be downloaded and is relevant to this day. In the process of looking back at this album I’ve unearthed some encouraging reactions to it that I hadn’t thought of for years now.
“A Wholesome American Vocalist,” Amazon Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2007
“Eileen Carey’s songwriting and vocal talent literally jump off of the CD on her newest release, Hearts of Time. In an age where success is measured by the amount of zero’s in your bank account and the logo on your car key, it is a joy to know that there are still musicians out there that care for our ears, and not just our wallets.
Eileen’s style is best described as “contemporary country”, which is an easy way of saying “a combination of country, rock and pop with a hint of blues”. It is clear that Eileen harbors a great amount of musical knowledge, and uses this knowledge to go beyond the standard “copycat” piggybacking so many artists have fallen into in this day and age. On this sophomore release, in which a portion of the proceeds are being donated to children’s charities, Eileen leaves all inhibitions behind and presents her one true self for the world to see.
Join band members Suzanne Morissette (drums), Vincent Bonham (keys), John Mcduffie and Masa Kohama on guitars and Rob McDonald on bass, as they play their own special blend of country on Hearts of Time. Eileen Carey is a wholesome American vocalist, intent on creating music with a purpose.” –-Brian Ball, Music Editor
https://eileencarey.com/site/radio/hearts-of-time/
Another song people responded well to on Hearts of Time was and is “Blue Collar Man,” another song I wrote with Irene.
Blue Collar Man
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=qiSvKnIePcQ&list=RDAMVMqiSvKnIePcQ
They say he’s a loser he’s a boozer
You always see him with a Bud in his hand
He’s a joker and a smoker
And plays the washboard in a local band
He’s a rambler he’s a gambler
And drives around in a beat up truck
But he’s my trooper, my super-duper
But sometimes he pushes his luck
He’s my blue collar man
There’s no way he can fake it, his true color
He is what he is and nothing can change it
He’s not perfect, but still I’m a fan
Cuz he is my blue collar man
His hair is shaggy, his pants are baggy
He doesn’t care about the way he looks
He’s no Einstein, but he’s all mine
And I can read him like an open book
He’s no romancer, no dirty dancer
But I guess he does the best he can
He’s kind of lazy, it drives me crazy
But he loves me like a handy man
He’s my blue collar man
There’s no way he can fake it, his true color
He is what he is and nothing can change it
He’s not perfect, but still I’m a fan
Cuz he is my blue collar man
He doesn’t care about fortune, fame or style
He’s just happy with those simple things in life oh yeah
He’s my blue collar man
There’s no way he can fake it, his true color
He is what he is and nothing can change it
He’s not perfect, but still I’m a fan
Cuz he is my blue collar man
He is my blue collar man
Uh-huh blue collar man
Written by: Eileen Carey, Irene Tuomainen-Peet
© 2005
“WHAT THE MEDIA SAID ABOUT HEARTS OF TIME” AND…
“Eileen Carey’s country/ rock sound produces an atmosphere that is energetic and entertaining…with pop melodies and lighthearted lyrics, Carey’s songs can be compared to artists like Wynonna Judd and Trisha Yearwood…memorable tunes are “Hollywood” and “Good Time Charlie.” They show off a humorous and charming side of this artist…though Carey clearly enjoys performing country music, her voice possesses that even-textured quality that would also be great singing blues/jazz music a la Norah Jones.” – MUSIC CONNECTION
“HEARTS OF TIME” is Carey’s sophomore effort and it’s certainly not a slump…this CD is a triumph! A sure-fire declaration a new talent is here to stay..there’s definitely a Chrissie Hynde swagger, a Motown soul, and a Diane Warren pop sensibility that can be heard much of the material, namely on the tracks “Hollywood,” “Good Time Charlie” and “Someone Like You”…CD stays with you.” ROCKWIRED RADIO SHOW
“This super-talented young lady really knows how to work a tune…Carey’s lilting vocals on all ten tracks have a contemporary country/pop feel with lots of soul that massages the lyrics of each song…Rating: Six Stars!” NASHVILLE MUSIC GUIDE
“Eileen Carey’s voice is simply intoxicating, and her songs hook you in from the very first note…if I had a band, I would want her to be the singer!” FLAT CAT RADIO
“Upbeat and jovial…songs are quite catchy, particularly the uptempo “All Tangeled Up,” Carey’s best vocal performance on the CD…gives the listener a break from their daily grind.” VALLEY SCENE MAGAZINE
https://open.spotify.com/album/6rgKAQDu7N8gXseZN5kPFh?highlight=spotify:track:2KMhNRhcThwd3tpnjkowxr
“HEARTS OF TIME” has such a unique weight of music…Carey’s warm voice with a bit of melancholy reveals a lot of practice…as a pop-country crossover move, it works wonderfully…if you like Real Country good adult contemporary music, then this CD is worth every dime!…” BACK PORCH MUSIC
“Upbeat country-pop style…think Faith Hill or Shania Twain…makes you want to party or line dance .beautifully-written CD…two favorite songs are “Just To Get To You” and “Someone Like You”…both of these two songs are great. Definitely a CD you need to add to your collection.” RAVEN ENTERTAINMENT
“This fiery little redhead has it going on…music is a blend of rock with its own country flair…there are ten great songs on this CD, and if you go to her website there is plenty more of this great gal and her music! NEW ARTIST RADIO
“There is no shortage of original material, penned by Eileen Carey…and here she shines: this woman does it!” COUNTRY HOME
“Carey’s style is contemporary country with storytelling lyrics and pop grooves (her single) “Walking After Midnite” is garnering her fans from all over…”
THE FLIPSIDE
“Local artist Eileen Carey isn’t afraid to do what she loves…wherever she goes, she sparkles.” LOCAL LINT
“Carey possesses a countrified pop sensibility on this well-recorded album…husky delivery gives strong voice to her tunes…”Hearts of Time,” “Hollywood” (inspired by her SoCal sojourn as an actress) and “Just To Get To You” benefits from the singer’s ingenuous vocal persona, as well as some well-chosen back-up musicians…” MUSIC CONNECTION/CD REVIEW
If I say so myself! lol. Forgot some of this so it is a nice look back for me and I hope for those who enjoy my music to better acquaint themselves with me and my past releases.I guess if I’ve put a smile on someone’s face, I’ve done my job. If I can get them away from their troubles for a couple of minutes, that’s all I need. For me that’s what it’s all about as an artist: sharing your music and having someone sit back and enjoy that two- or three-minute ride. My music has always had an upbeat, life is good if you just choose to let it happen message in it was as it is a personal choice whether to embrace it or not. All my music advocates that embracing messages of faith, hope and doing it, is what Hearts of Time was about as is my music now. I am a woman of my word. Do not flip-flop about my beliefs and advice.
Happy Holidays everyone! My “Jingle Bell Rock” for the season. Enjoy!! https://open.spotify.com/album/4jBhArbhhWjZpjOZ93L6Ip
