Tracks
Cover: Tor Erik Ledang
Tracks 1-3: recorded in Jailhouse Studios, Denmark, May 2011
Tracks 4 & 5: recorded in StudioStudio Nyhagen, Norway, 2008, new vocals recorded in Jailhouse Studios, Denmark, May 2011
Track 6: recorded in StudioStudio Nyhagen, Norway, 2009, new vocals recorded in Jailhouse Studios, Denmark, May 2011, and additional horns recorded in Sun King Studio, Norway, June 2011
Mixed and mastered in Jailhouse Studios, Denmark.
Produced by Betty Johnsen and Tommy Hansen.
Media Maniac
Lyrics and Melody: Betty Johnsen
Vocal and backingvocal: Betty
Guitarists: Betty Johnsen and Tommy Hansen.
Samples and keybord: Tommy Hansen.
Media Maniac is about my meeting with the media, when I promotated Svart Natt and Brenn Hexen. I paid for a very good company, Head Of Promotion for to get in contact with the media. I paid for the travels for to meet them in different cities, and for my coffe. I wanted to talk about my record, they wanted to talk about cancer and drugs. I don't mind that, but the music was in between, and almost not in focus in the newspapers. This is of course not all of them, there is still people working in the media with pride. The largest newspaper in the town I was born, slaughtered my music. That's one thing and they are free to that, but that they was mean in addition, is more than I understand. As a musician who has't "done it" yet, we are depending on the media, and they know it. Unfortunately.
Media Maniac
Written by Betty Johnsen
Don't we want the same thing??
We want love and peace get down on our knees
We need to pay our bills and explore our skills
Reputation clean, you know what I mean
Don't we want the same thing?
I know you want to talk to me
About my life and how I can be free
How I could survive this cancer thing
all the drugs that I've used, isn't that it?
Are you normal now?
But I want to talk about the Spirit and love.
How people can survive and how they can grow.
Talk about my songs like babydolls
About the lyrics - the strugling inside.
-but that bores you. Yeah yeah eah
You say goodbye and thanx for the meet
I see your story in the paper next week
You say: It might be behind the latest news
then it's easy for the music to loose
-cause you're so old
So how can I ever tell the thruth to my child,
When you want the storms and I want to shine.
How can I talk about my biggest loss,
When you want to put it into some tiny box?
Tiny Box
I AM THE TARGET SITIING DUCK AND YOU ARE THE SPAPEGOAT
MEDIA MANIAC
new stuff – yeah yeah yeah
KISS YOUR FEAR
KILL YOUR DARLINGS
KICK THE BAD
KEEP ON SHINING
Why God
I wrote the chorus and the verses after I found out I had cancer 6 years ago. The bridge and the c-part was made this year. I have tried out this song in different versions, but it enden up like this in May 2011.
Vocal and backing vocal: Betty JohnsenGuitars: Betty Johnsen and Tommy Hansen
Drums: Karsten Gøeg.
Why God
Written by: Betty Johnsen
Every single person have their beauty.
All life has dignety
You fell the fear is burning through you
I know why you are silent
Why God , all this doubt
Stay with me and set me free
Without you I can not live
Forgive me
You ask The Angels who to believe in
They say believe in yourself
I read your mind when you are walking
I know why you are crying
Why do I smile God
When I am sad inside
Why do I cry God
When I am mad inside
Why di I hide God
When You tell me to be
Brave and proud ??
If this was your last day you will finish strong
you will stand right here and sing your song
If this was your last day you will do the same
you will tell your children to live without the shame
If this was your last day you will sit with me
Look at the stars – how beautiful they are
If this is your last day – I tell you right in
That Jesus died for somebody elses sin
And the people who is fighting in his name
Is the people who should suffer and live with the pain
If this was your last day, you will sing your song
Finish strong
Finish Strong
I reach out my hand and catch you when you are falling
Life hurts again and again
I see you are crawling, I see you are fallin
Forgive, live and entertain
Why do I cry God
When I am mad inside
Why do I hide God
When You tell me to be
Brave and proud !?
Lipstick Killer
When I wrote it, I thought, this one I can proudly do alone on Wembly, yeah, anywhere. My mexican punk song!?
Vocal: Betty Johnsen
Guitar: Betty Johnsen
Tambourin: Kim Michael Nielsen.
Lipstick Killer
Written by: Betty Johnsen, 2011
Here's a song and I made it for you
It's not that complicated that's true
But it is for you - it's for you
Lipstick Killer
You Can Talk Stilleto heels
Can hardly walk
Read My Lips
I don't want you
And when they talk about my singing-voice
You do like them, you have no your choice
You say: She don't sing like Aguilera or Pavarotti
When you've got trouble and you're feeling blue
You come to me, thats the through yeah
When you're feeling good you choose the nice ones
So I've made this song for you
it's made in love and in anger too
I lick my wounds in this way
Sing my selfmade song today
with my own voice
Who is counting, who is trusting who
Life is running by - and it hurts you too.
You don't want me and I don't want you
Babe Gone Wild
Babe Gone Wild is a 25 years old song (translated from Norwegian). Written about my sister. She is, unfortunately, a drug addict today, began when she was 11-12 years old, managed to stay away again for a while, but is running again. She also lost her child (15 years old) in 2010 to an overdose heroin. We miss here very much. Life Can be hard.
Vocal:Betty
Guitars: Ronni Le Tekrø
Drums: Bård Petter Hovik
Keybord: Markus Klyve
Babe Gone Wild
Lyrics: Betty Johnsen,
Translated to English: Betty Johnsen, Bernt Johnsen, Connie Hendseth, Kjersti E van Helden,
Melodi: Ole Asmer Kværneng.
Mama's gone mad cause her Babe gone wild
Don't know what to do with her crazy child
She's out of control, she might kill a guy
Makes a big mess, in a big big race
Baby's twenty years where she walks
She was twelve when she started using drugs
She's a lonely left child full of fear
Silver ring in the other ear
He e e ey she is lonely
Alone in the rain, in the sunshine
He e e ey she is lonely
BABY IS USING DRUGS
WHEN WILL THIS EVER STOP?
One of these days she was on a spree
Needed some cash and she wanted to see
how far she could go, with a knife and a gun
she robbed a store and went on the run
Her clothes are in rags, she has no fear
A knife in her hand and her eyes full of tears
She's an angry young kid, banging the wall
High on dope - losing control
Black Night
Black Night (translated from Norwegian) is an old song from me, I try to use some twang on my voice here, two make it more like Anastasia haha, do not know how well I succeeded, but I feel it suits the song.
Vocal: Betty
Guitars: Ronni Le Tekrø
Drums: Bård Petter Hovik
Keybord: Markus Klyve
Black Night
Lyrics: Betty Johnsen, Melody: Ole Asmer Kværneng
translated by Betty Johnsen, Bernt Johnsen, Kjersti E van Helden and Connie Hendseth
A new day in the making,
slowly enters my room.
Yet the day belongs to no one
I can still see the moon
I pray for all my cravings
A cold day in November
Naked feet on frozen ground
See how much my lust remember
The man I love is not here
the one I want to be near (near)
the one that lights my fire
I am alone with my dark desire
Refrain:
Black Night, I feel you arms holding me / oh so tight
and then, the image of your face is / here again !
You walk, you linger in the room like a / silent schream
You are, but still not here, you are just / in my dream
Dark carpet / covering the city
I see vivid / images so clear
The adventure is here for me
A phantom / matErializes
yet again to me
Returning to me / a light in the dark
A faint brush / on my chin
Where are my forgotten mem'ries
When will you ever return?
Before The Rooster Crows
Before The Rooster Crows (translated from Norwgian) is a song written after reading the Lofoten Times from 1946, Norwegians wanted the women, who gave birth to german/norwgian children, out of the country and their children as well. I was so upset over the attitude. This song has a video on the Norwegian and rolled in a jukebox on Norwegian television.
Vocal and backing vocal:Betty Johnsen
Guitars: Thomas Ruud and Ronni Le Tekrø
Keybord: Markus Klyve
Bass: Ove Husemoen
Drums: Tom Arne Fossheim
Trombone: Ole Ivar Teigen
Saxofon: Are Hofstad
Trompet: Morten Schrøder
Before The Rooster Crows
Lyrics: Betty Johnsen,
Melody: Ronni Le Tekrø and Betty Johnsen,
hornarr: Morten Schrøder
Translated by: Betty Johnsen, Bernt Johnsen, Kjersti E van Helden, Connie Hendseth
We target any loner,
Outsiders all beware!
Word of mouth crawls down the street.
Look! There goes another.
We'll scoop down on our prey.
It's your colour that we hate
It's your mission that we fear
We do it simply – we make it clear
Before the rooster crows we all will let you down.
Before the rooster crows your friends are never known.
Before the rooster crows the truth will not be shown.
Before the rooster crows we all will let you down.
Any fault will be exposed
Outsiders all beware!
We can change you to a looser.
If you dare to raise your head.
We can keep you down and hurt you.
The angry mob will soon desert you!
Embrace your shadows – use your freedom. Love from Betty.