1. fanfare (1.21)
2. Just A Boy (2.25)
3. Odyssey (5.36)
4. Only You (4.17)
5. Under The Rose (4.51)
6. Dark Light (4.18)
7. A World Without Heroes (2.40)
8. The Oath (4.31)
9. Mr. Blackwell (4.52)
10. Escape From The Island (2.52)
11. I (5.03)
Produced by Bob Ezrin for Migration Records with Brian Christian as associate producer. Prodution coordinators were Ken Anderson in New York City and Tim Trombley in Toronto, Canada.
Production assistance by George Sewitt, Tex Holmes, John Harte, Stephanie Tudor, Bernie Meehan and Jayne Grodd.
Recorded May-August 1981 at Ace In The Hole Studios in Wiltonn, Connecticut; A&R Studios in New York City; Record Plant in New York City; Sound Interchange Ltd. in Toronto, Canada; Ezrin Farms in King, Ontario, Canada, with assistance from Recorded Plant.
Recorded by Brian Christian, Rick Hart, Robert Hryeyna and David Brown with additional Engineering by Rob Freeman, Corky Stasiak and Kevin Doyle.
Chief technician was Tom Laughlin.
Mixed at Manta Sound Studios, Toronto, Canada.
Digitally Remastered for Compact Disc by Joseph M. Palmaccio at Sterling Sound in New York City.
Remastering Supervision by Bill Levenson.
Eric Carr: Drums/bass on 10/back-up vocals.
Ace Frehley: Lead, rhythm & acoustic guitar/lead vocals & bass on 6/all guitars on 10/back-up vocals.
Gene Simmons: Bass/rhythm guitar on 4/lead vocals on 4, 5, 7, 9 & 11/back-up vocals.
Paul Stanley: Rhythm & acoustic guitar/lead guitar on 7/lead vocals on 2, 3, 8 & 11/back-up vocals.
American Symphony Orchestra: Arrangements by Bob Ezrin & Michael Kamen.
Robert Christie: Speaking voice.
Bob Ezrin: Keyboards.
Christopher Makepeace: Speaking voice (deleted from final mix).
Anthony Parr: Speaking voice.
St. Robert's Choir: Back-up vocals.
fanfare (Bob Ezrin/Paul Stanley)
(Instrumental)
JUST A BOY (Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin)
Who steers the ship through the stormy sea
If hope is lost then so are we
While some eyes search for one to guide us
Some are staring at me
But I'm no hero, though I wish I could be
For I am just a boy, too young to be sailing
I am just a boy and my future is unveiling
And I'm so frightened of failing
While some eyes search for one to guide us
Some are staring at me
But I'm no hero, though I wish I could be
I am just a boy, too young to be sailing
I am just a boy and my future is unveiling
And I'm so frightened of failing
ODYSSEY (Tony Powers)
From a far off galaxy, I hear you calling me
We are on an odyssey
Through the realms of time and space
In that enchanted place
You and I come face to face
Chorus
Once upon not yet, long ago someday
Countless times we've met, met along the way
Through the luminescent night
On beams of neon light
You and I in wing-ged flight
As we cross the starry sea, powered by what we see
Now and then, the victory
Repeat Chorus
There's a child in a sundress, looking at a rainy sky
There's a place in the desert, where an ocean once danced by
There's a song in the silence, weaving in and out of time
We are notes in the music, searching for remembered rhyme
On a mountain high somewhere
Where only heroes dare
Stand the stallion and the mare
We have been and we shall be each other's destiny
One another's odyssey
Repeat Chorus
We've met along the way
Met along the way
ONLY YOU (Gene Simmons)
Only you have the answers
But the questions you have to find
Only you know the secrets
But the truth lies deep in your mind
Only you are the answer
You turn the night into day, yeah, yeah, yeah
Only you are the manchild
You are the light and you are the way
Tell me the secrets, I wanna know
Tell me the secrets, I wanna know
Only you
Only you are the manchild
You are the light and you are the way
I can't believe this is true
Why do I listen to you
If I am all that you say
Why am I still so afraid
Only you, only you
Only you
In every age, in every time
A hero is born, as if by a grand design
UNDER THE ROSE (Gene Simmons/Eric Carr)
Though you may be pure of heart and free of sin
And though you have been chosen to begin
And yet you must be worthy of the prophecy
But seek and you shall find your destiny
Chorus
Loneliness will haunt you, will you sacrifice
Do you take the oath, will you live yourlife
Under the rose
The more you hurt the less you feel the pain
And the more you change, the more you stay the same
But now before you lies the quest at hand
And from this boy you may become a man
Do you understand, will you sacrifice
Do you take the oath, will you live your life
Under the rose
Repeat Chorus
DARK LIGHT (Gene Simmons/Ace Frehley/Anton Fig/Lewis Reed)
Look out, 'cause there's something wrong
And you don't know what it is
Watch out, or it's Sodom and Gommorah
The malevolent order
Right now, before it's much too late, before it's much too late
A dark light, a darkness never ending
A dark light, the devil gets his due
A dark night, is everywhere descending
A dark light, is coming for you
Now look up, well the skies are black
And they're getting darker all the time
Watch out, for the things that you believe in
You're gonna be attacked, and you won't know what it is
Wise up, you better watch your step, you better watch your step
A dark light, a darkness never ending
A dark light, of perversion and hate
A dark night, is everywhere descending
A dark light, there's no time to wait
Look out, for the death of love
There will be no more love
Watch out, it's yourself that you are fooling
Who do you think you're fooling
Shout it out, it's a terrible thing, such a terrible thing
A dark light, a darkness never ending
A dark light, the sun is turning cool
A dark night, is everywhere descending
A dark light, is shining at you
Dark light, dark light
Is shining at you, dark light
A WORLD WITHOUT HEROES (Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin/Lewis Reed)
A world without heroes
Is like a world without sun
You can't look up to anyone
Without heroes
And a world without heroes
Is like a never ending race
Is like a time without a place
A pointless thing devoid of grace
Where you don't know what you're after
Or if something's after you
And you don't know why you don't know
In a world without heroes
In a world without dreams
Things are no more than they seem
And a world without heroes
Is like a bird without wings
Or a bell that never rings
Just a sad and useless thing
Where you don't know what you're after
Or if something's after you
And you don't know why you don't know
In a world without heroes
There's nothing to be
It's no place for me
THE OATH (Paul Stanley/Bob Ezrin/Tony Powers)
Like a blade of a sword I am forged in flame
Fiery hot
Tempered steel fire-bright to the night I take
I fear not
Now compelled by something I cannot see
I go forth surrendering to history
Chorus
Your glory, I swear I ride for thee
Your power, I trust it rides with me
Your servant, I am and ever shall I be
Through a dream I have a come to an ancient door
Lost in the mist
I have been there a hundred times or more
Pounding my fists
Now inside, the fire of the ancient burns
A boy goes in and suddenly a man returns
Repeat Chorus
I gave my word and gained a key
I gave my heart and I set it free
There's no turning back from this odyssey
Because I feel so alive suddenly
And I wonder, is this really me
Like a blade of a sword I am forged in flame
Fiery hot
Tempered steel fire-bright to the night I take
I fear not
Now compelled by something I cannot see
I go forth surrendering to history
Repeat Chorus
MR. BLACKWELL (Gene Simmons/Lewis Reed)
I never said I was more than I am
Do what I want, I don't give a damn
You're all so weak you know it makes me ill
Don't like you now and probably never will
You cheat and lie, and wonder why
You can't sleep at night
Chorus
You're not well, Mr. Blackwell
And we can tell
You're not well, Mr. Blackwell
Why don't you go to hell
I am a sinner who just loves to sin
I am a fighter who just loves to win
I am the truth about this crummy hole
There's nothing here that can't be bought or sold
You're cold and mean and in between
You're rotten to the core
Repeat Chorus
You're a victim, a real disgrace
You should be banished from the human race
We'll drink to sorrow then we'll drink to waste
We'll drink a toast to the inhumanrace
Here's to the world and the times we're in
Here's to the kid a real man among men
You're cold and mean, and in between
You're rotten to the core
Repeat Chorus
ESCAPE FROM THE ISLAND (Ace Frehley/Bob Ezrin/Eric Carr)
(Instrumental)
I (Gene Simmons/Bob Ezrin)
I was so frightened
I almost ran away
I didn't know that I could do
Anything I needed to
And then a bolt of lightning
Hit me on my head
Then I began to see
I just needed to believe in me
Then I, I believe in me
Oh, oh, and I, I believe in something more
Than you can understand, yes, I believe in me
Oh, oh, and I, I believe in me
Ooh yes, then I, I believe in something more
Than you can understand, yes, I believe in me
Listen, they said I didn't stand a chance
I wouldn't win no way
But I've got news for you
There's nothing I can't do
Ain't no pretending
Ain't no make believe
But I've got to be the one
I gotta do what must be done
Then I, I believe in me
Oh, oh, and I, I believe in something more
Than you can understand, yes, I believe in me
Well you know that I, I believe in me
Ooh yes, then I, I believe in something more
Than you can understand, yes, I believe in me
I believe in me, yes, I believe in me, yeah
I don't need no money
I don't need no fame, no
I just need to believe in me
And I know most definitely
Don't need to get wasted
It only holds me down
I just need a will of my own
And the balls to stand alone
'Cause I, I believe in me
Oh, oh, and I, I believe in something more
Than you can understand, yes, I believe in me
Oh, ooh, ooh, and I, I believe in me (you feel it too don't you)
I believe in something more (yeah, come on)
Than you can understand, yes, I believe in me
Well do you really, yes, I believe in me
Do you, do you, yes, I believe in me
I wanna rock 'n' roll, yes, I believe in me
"Morpheus, you have been summoned here to offer your judgement of the boy. Do you still deem him worthy of the Fellowship? "
"I certainly do, my lord. As a matter of fact, I, I think you're gonna like this one. He's got the light in his eyes and the look of a champion, a real champion..."
Song 3:
Tony Powers Music
Songs 4 & 5:
Hori Productions America, Inc. admin. by PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP)
Song 6:
Hori Productions America, Inc. admin. by PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP) & Land of Dreams Music, Inc. (BMI) & Undercut Publishing Co., Inc. (BMI)
Song 7:
Hori Productions America, Inc. admin. by PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP) & Screen-Gems EMI Music Inc. (BMI) & Undercut Publishing Co., Inc. (BMI)
Song 8:
Hori Productions America, Inc. admin. by PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP) & Undercut Publishing Co., Inc. (BMI) & Tony Powers Music
Song 9:
Hori Productions America, Inc. admin. by PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP) & Screen-Gems EMI Music Inc. (BMI)
Firsts pressings included lyrics sheet. PolyGram asked the record be remixed and altered for final release. After hearing the album the staff at PolyGram didn't want to release the album but for financial reasons they had no choice. Part of this album was recorded in Frehley's studio in Connecticut and in Ezrin's studio in Toronto. Several studio tracks remain shelved. Bob Ezrin came up with the idea of a concept album during the middle of the recording. Gene Simmons thought of the concept that he called "The Elder". The band followed Ezrin's idea due to the great success of Destroyer back in 1976, but the result was a total disaster, to this day it's the only KISS album, along with Greatest KISS (1996) & Carnival Of Souls-The Final Sessions (only 500,000 were printed) (1997) that has not earned Gold status. On the back cover of the vinyl version "Escape From The Island" is not listed. The CD remastered edition of this album contains the original track listing.