Morten’s fifth solo album, ‘Out Of My Hands’, will be released this month. Below are the song lyrics and credits for the album. You can hear samples of the songs on iTunes.
1. Scared Of Heights
I have always been the type to think before I speak
I have always been the type to look before I leap
And like a bolt out of the blue I was struck and there was you
For a moment I believed that I could let go
You lift me up into the sky
Feels like I could fly
never gonna die
n’ I almost made it but not quite
Now you’re flying out of sight
and you know I can’t come with you
I’ll always be scared of heights
I didn’t think I’d meet someone who’d make me change my ways
Never thought I’d find someone who’d brighten up my days
Someone who made me forget
my hands were tied
my wings were clipped
Someone who made me believe that I could let go
I wish I never knew how great it feels up in the air
Wish I never got to feel the wind blow through my hair
Well, in my dreams you’ll always be flying high along with me
and in my dreams I’ll always feel that I can let go
Music and lyrics by Espen Lind
Published by Copyright control for Norway/Stellar Songs Ltd./EMI Music Publishing Ltd. outside Norway
Produced by Erik Ljunggren
Mixed by Ulf Holand at holandsound.no
Recorded by Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com
Drums Karl Oluf Wennerberg
Guitars Staffan William-Olsson
Keyboards/programming Erik Ljunggren, Steve Osborne, Kjetil Bjerkestrand
String arrangement Kjetil Bjerkestrand
2. Keep The Sun Away
The sun that pierced my aching heart
Sooner or later, will tear me apart
My black eyed love will leave me bruised
Broken and battered, and feeling confused
Who am I today?
Keep the sun away
Rain down on freezing bones
Oh I don’t know if I can be left alone
Wind blows ‘cross a dead man’s eyes, oh and I
Think I’m coming to the end of the line
A captain on his sinking ship
King into battle, stiff upper lip
But I protect my covered pride
By staying defensive, denying the tide
Here’s my final play
Keep the sun away
If I could I’d erase you away
I’d erase you away
Wish I could keep the sun away
Keep the sun away
Music and lyrics by David Sneddon, James Bauer-Mein and Julian Peake
Published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK)
Produced by Steve Osborne and Erik Ljunggren
Mixed by Steve Osborne at Real World Studios
Recorded by Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com and Steve Osborne at Real World Studios
Drums Karl Oluf Wennerberg
Guitars Dan Sundhordvik
Keyboards/programming Erik Ljunggren, Steve Osborne
3. Lightning
Lightning
You would hit me just like lightning
give me shelter from the rain
Stay down way down
You stayed on my mind
like a flashback like a whiteout
I could feel you in my veins
way down
but not quite like pain
no not quite the same
I would give give give give
Everything I own
I would live live live live
Like I used to know
I would give give give give
Everything I own
To find my way back home
Lightning
Time went by it’s frightening
but it feels like nothing changed
way down stay down
You stayed on my mind
like sparkles like a new drug
you’re racing through my veins
way down
almost but not quite like pain
I´m not quite the same anymore
Music and lyrics by Joakim Berg, Martin Sköld, and Morten Harket
Published by Sony/ATV Publishing Scandinavia, EMI Music Publishing Scandinavia
Produced by Steve Osborne and Erik Ljunggren
Mixed by Erik Ljunggren
Recorded by Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com, Steve Osborne at Real World studios
Drums Karl Oluf Wennerberg
Bass guitar Steve Osborne
Percussion Steve Osborne
Guitars Staffan William-Olsson, Steve Osborne
Keyboards/programming Pete Davis, Steve Osborne, Erik Ljunggren
Backing Vocals Eskild Sundt-Hansen
4. I’m The One
Take this cold heart of mine
Take this man who wants to shine
What’s that word in your mouth
I can’t hear you when you shout
I cannot take what you cannot give
Everybody’s gonna have to hurt somebody
Everybody’s gonna need to be somebody
Baby I’m the one
Baby I’ll be gone
Everybody wants to know where they belong
Everybody’s got the right to get it wrong
Baby I’m the one
Baby I’ll be gone
I’ve always loved you without words
So many things you’ve never heard
But I need no license for living
I’ve got my papers in heaven
You cannot take what I cannot give
Now that my thoughts have settled down
a seed is growing in the ground
I’m not the friend you’re looking for
I’m something less or something more
Music by Morten Harket and Peter Kvint
Lyrics by Ole Sverre Olsen and Morten Harket
Published by Sony/ATV Publishing Scandinavia and Kvintessential administered by Sony/ATV Publishing Scandinavia and Copyright Control
Produced by Erik Ljunggren and Peter Kvint
Mixed by Ulf Holand at holandsound.no
Recorded by Peter Kvint at Studio Brun, Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com, and Steve Osborne at Real World Studios
Drums Karl Oluf Wennerberg
Guitars Dan Sundhordvik
Keyboards/programming Pete Davis, Steve Osborne, Erik Ljunggren, Peter Kvint
5. Quiet
Saw you walking by the place
where we used to meet
-turn your head and disappear
onto busy street
Nothing mattered
-back when things were true-
but you were beautiful,
you had things to do
The snow has covered every track from me to you
And you will never know, my love, what I think of you
Did you touch the sky,
like you wanted to?
Did you make a life,
the way you told me to?
Would I see it in your eyes,
just like I used to do?
Things are quiet now
when I think of you
Have you made a life,
or are you quiet, too?
Like a plane across the sky
-before the sound breaks through-
Have you made a life
or are you quiet, too?
Music by Morten Harket and Peter Kvint
Lyrics by Ole Sverre Olsen and Morten Harket
Published by Sony/ATV Publishing Scandinavia and Kvintessential administered by Sony/ATV Publishing Scandinavia and Copyright Control
Produced by Peter Kvint and Morten Harket
Mixed by Peter Kvint at Studio Brun
Recorded by Peter Kvint at Studio Brun, Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com, Tor Einar Krogtoft Jenssen at Snowdrop Studios and Lars K Hustoft
Guitars Morten Harket,
Keyboards/programming Peter Kvint, Lars K Hustoft
6. Burn Money Burn
Burn, money; burn
I don’t like the wheels that you turn
You don’t know the value of things
I still like your bells when they ring
Burn, money; burn
What I was taught is not what I learn
I don’t need an IQ-score to beat
Take my heart, there’s nothing to compete
You could say that
Love’s late for someone
You could say that
Love waits on someone
Sing, my heart; sing
I know that you can change anything
I cross the street and lean on the wind
The truth is like a whisper, laughing
Sting, my heart; sting
Our enemy must save their own skin
It just takes a spark to light across
If they could, they would want to be like us
Music and original Swedish lyrics by Joakim Berg
English lyrics by Morten Harket
Published by EMI Music Publishing Scandinavia, Sony/ATV Publishing Scandinavia
Produced by Erik Ljunggren and Steve Osborne
Mixed and recorded by Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com
Drums Karl Oluf Wennerberg
Guitars Staffan William-Olsson
Keyboards/programming Steve Osborne, Erik Ljunggren
7. When I Reached The Moon
When I reached the moon,
It turned to stone
Since I won your heart
I’ve been alone
I was drawn to the light,
Circling ‘round
I should have kept
My feet on the ground
I dreamt of you, my love
The dream came true
I came to know a way of
losing you
The feelings that you gave me
I’ve never known
Since I won your heart
I’ve been alone
I’m on the dark side
I’m leaving soon
All I ever cared for
I can see from the moon
Music by Morten Harket and Peter Kvint
Lyrics by Håvard Rem
Published by Sony/ATV Publishing Scandinavia and Kvintessential administered by Sony/ATV Publishing Scandinavia and Copyright Control
Produced by Steve Osborne
Additional production by Peter Kvint
Mixed by Steve Osborne at Real World Studios
Recorded by Peter Kvint at Studio Brun, Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com, and Steve Osborne at Real World Studios
Drums Karl Oluf Wennerberg
Guitars Peter Kvint, Steve Osborne
8. Listening
See the tension in your face
Feel the nerves when we embrace
What emotions do you hide?
All those years of silent thought
betrayed by those whose help
you sought
exiled, lost and forced inside
If you want me
I will listen to your words
The dreams you have deferred
the battles fought
If it helps to
take me to those dark extremes
the meaning of your dreams
the way you’ve thought
Just talk
I’m listening
Just talk
I know your tastes in food and wine
but never really what’s on your mind
What’s going on inside your head?
I hear you say what you can or can’t
I’m never sure what it is you want
There’s always something left unsaid
We ride the waves of joy and fear
I see you on the brink of tears
I never know how you’ll react
Then the sudden laughter rings
The sun is shining, life begins
Happiness could be a fact
I will listen to your hopes
I will listen to your dreams
Anything you want to be
Believe me
I will listen to you now
then again and all the while
I wanna see you smile again
Oh, yeah
I’m listening
Music and Lyrics by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe
Published by Cage Music/Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK)
Produced by Steve Osborne
Mixed by Steve Osborne
Recorded by Steve Osborne at Real World Studios and Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com
Drums Karl Oluf Wennerberg
Percussion Steve Osborne
Bass Guitar Steve Osborne
Guitars Steve Osborne
Keyboards/programming Steve Osborne, Erik Ljunggren
Backing vocals Neil Tennant
9. Just Believe It
Turn it on its head
Pin it to the ground
Throw it at the wind
Make it come around
You´re on
Where are you going my love tonight
My dreams tonight
You´re on
Don´t stop now
Where are you going
Where do you lead me
Don´t stop now
What do you reach for
We will reach it
Whatever you wish for
Just believe it
All is in the eye
Train it to a sound
Coming from inside
Turn it all around
You´re on
Don´t you tell me lies
Lost without a limit
Cuts you down to size
Nothing human in it
Music by Joakim Berg and Jonas Quant
Lyrics by Ole Sverre Olsen, Joakim Berg and Morten Harket
Published by EMI Music Publishing Scandinavia, Sony/ATV Publishing Scandinavia and copyright control.
Produced by Jonas Quant
Mixed by Jonas Quant at Quant Studios
Recorded by Jonas Quant at Quant Studios and Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com
Keyboards/programming Jonas Quant
10. Out Of My Hands
Take it out of my hands
And let it fly
I am not afraid to die
Not afraid to die
Lift it out of my heart
And see it shine
We are only ever alive
Only ever alive
When the leaves are falling
To the ground
They don’t make a sound
They don’t make a sound
So take me where I can meet
The familiar unknown
We are always ever home
Always ever home
When my thoughts no longer
Drift around
I can see a shadow wall
Come tumbling down
Music by Morten Harket and Lars Hustoft
Lyrics by Morten Harket and Ole Sverre Olsen
Published by Sony/ATV Publishing Scandinavia, Crystal Air Music Publishing/Sony/ATV and copyright control
Produced by Lars Hustoft, Morten Harket and Peter Kvint
Mixed by Peter Kvint at Studio Brun
Recorded by Lars K Hustoft, Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com, Tor Einar Krogtoft Jensen at Snowdrop Studios and Peter Kvint at Studio Brun
Keyboards/programming Ali Staton, Steve Osborne, Lars K Hustoft
Drum samples Vegard Fossum
11. Undecided
(Bonus track, German iTunes)
Think about
Walking out
Leaving the familiar
Eager now to try something new
By yourself
No-one else
These are your decisions
I won’t try to change your view
But tell me now my love
Are you undecided
Now you’re on your own my love – my love
Does it feel alright
Are you undecided
Undecided
Hit the road
Open up
Feel the wind caress you
Thinking to yourself – where to?
Such is life
Full of change
Chances that may never
Come again my love – so true
But tell me now my love
Are you undecided
Now you’re on your own my love – my love
Does it feel alright
Or are you undecided
Undecided
Tell me now my love
Are you undecided
Now you’re on your own my love – my love
Does it feel alright
Tell me
Are you undecided
Undecided
Music and lyrics by Hågen Rørmark, Christian Engebretsen and Tor Einar Krogtoft-Jensen
Published by Copyright Control
Produced by Steve Osborne
Mixed by Steve Osborne at Real World Studios
Recorded by Erik Ljunggren at ljunggrenstudio.com and Steve Osborne at Real World Studios
Drums Karl Oluf Wennerberg
Bass Guitar Steve Osborne
Keyboard/programming Snowdrop, Erik Ljunggren, Steve Osborne
Mastered by Tim Young at Metropolis Studios
Photographs Just Loomis
Art direction & design Jeri Heiden & Nick Steinhardt, Smog Design Inc.
Management Harald Wiik for Compass Point AS
Very special thanks: Inez Andersson, Jonas Holst, Sverre Flatby, Håkon Harket, Terry Slater, Jan Jacobsen, Ross Kolby