In the depths of a dark enchanted wood lies a warm cottage full of clamour, chaos and love. Here, our heroine, the happy child, grows up, blissfully unaware of social media, screen time, or even reality shows. One day, a Daily Mail reader happens by, and looks at her with his judging judgy eyes. Here is what ensues. Interpret as you will.
I recorded this song with the lovely Jenske Ebenau on vocals. Jenske came from the Netherlands to exotic Leeds for a month this summer (2017), mainly to save me from eating terribly and being in a foul mood while nursing my darling newborn child.
Serendipitously, it turned out that not only is Jenske a culinary genius, but she has a bewitching singing voice. Perfect for casting the spell of "Happy Child" on any who hear ... beware, you may never get this melody out of your head again!
Much love,
LeeSun
xx
lyrics
Happy Child
She was a happy child, nary a sorrow did
Touch her young life besides growing pains whole
Occasional tumbles and outbursts of thwarted will
She was a happy child, loved and carefree
She lived in a home full of flowers and mother's love
All that she knew of creation was good
She played, laughed and fought with her brothers and sisters
But all of their hearts were put right by sundown
One day a stranger came whispering strange things
He said she was ugly, and boring and thick
He sneered at her hair, skin, clothes, voice, what she did, her possessions
And even the way that she blinked
She felt hurt, shocked and angry, confused and attacked
As she listened to hatred spew forth from this man
There was a big hole where his heart should've been
And he raged in his pain and his anger unplanned
She saw he was blind and she heard he was deaf
And she felt he was suffering, a prisoner within
She tended her scratches and opened her heart to him
Kindly and firmly invited him in
She said you can hate me, that's not up to me
And perhaps you believe what you say of my looks
But what's that to me for I love and am loved
And I know truth can only be born out of love
She was a happy child, nary a sorrow did
Touch her young life besides growing pains whole
Occasional tumbles and outbursts of thwarted will
She was a happy child, loved and carefree
credits
released September 27, 2017
Written by LeeSun
Vocals: Jenske Ebenau, LeeSun
Guitar: Toby Noble
Bass: Sam Quintana
Strings: Tom Sidebottom
Engineered and mixed by Si McGrath at Eiger Studios
Mastered by Tim Thomas
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