Sunday Herald Sun
SUN 28 MAY 2006, Page 015

Danielle sings of a mad Crowe life - By NUI TE KOHA


DANIELLE Spencer describes life with film star Russell Crowe as "sitting on a bomb''.

"It'll blow me away,'' Spencer says in a new song. ``Welcome to the days of my life.''
Titled The Broken Ones, the song is a revealing snapshot from notoriously private singer-songwriter Spencer.

Her dark, evocative lyrics are posted on her MySpace web page and are her first public comments about life with Crowe since their wedding in 2003.

Her new tunes form an extended love letter to the former hellraiser-cum-doting husband and father.

Spencer admits, in song, she struggles with their movie-star lifestyle and incidents that have dogged Crowe.

"I'm getting tired of getting tough,'' Spencer sings. "So I can't even try. I sure as hell don't like to lose, it's dangerous being open to you.

"With all I have, what do I know? I can't keep wanting to be alone.''

Spencer wrote most of her new songs while Crowe filmed Cinderella Man in Canada. Consequently, her lyrics follow themes of disconnection and loneliness.

Yet, in an intriguing twist, Spencer often breaks her taut and edgy pop with a mysterious alter-ego.

"Get out, get going,'' she darkly whispers, a doom-laden alias grappling with separation from Crowe. "The tunnel of love has squeezed me dry. Where's my life?''

Spencer has not explained the songs or set a release date for her album, Back at the Red Door.

But Crowe, in a recent interview for his own album, said he was touched and spooked by many of his wife's haunting songs.

And Spencer declares her love and loyalty on the potential pop hit, On Your Side.

"Take care,'' she sings, "don't ruin anybody's life. Let's be fair and be wise, you know I'm always on your side.''

With swirling flutes and marching-beat piano, Spencer sings: "I look out at the night, and I love you. I'm alone, you're alone. It's a strange old life.'' While shooting Cinderella Man, Crowe wrote solo album My Hand My Heart, which finds the actor-singer at peace in life.

Weight of Man, a ballad released last year, pays tribute to Spencer's strength. He sings: "You're not one bit scared to shoulder a burden like me.''

It was written before Crowe's arrest for throwing a phone at a New York hotel clerk.

Spencer's new songs allude to understanding the madness.

"There is a sea of faces, so I follow. It makes me worry about tomorrow,'' she sings.

Crowe and Spencer live in Sydney. They have a son, Charlie, 2, and are expecting a baby in July.

Oscar-winner Crowe has cut back on film commitments to focus on family.

But he has ruled out a music collaboration with Spencer.
"She's great at what she does,'' he says. "I'd never be presumptuous to ever think she would stoop to writing a song with the likes of me.''

Spencer's last album was genre-hopping White Monkey.
Weblink: www.myspace.com/daniellespencer

WITH LOVE - AND CAUTION - FROM ME TO YOU
THE BROKEN ONES
"Sitting on a bomb, it'll blow me away.
Welcome to the days of my life."

ON YOUR SIDE
"Take care, alright. Don't ruin
anybody's life. Let's be fair and be wise.
You know I'm always on your side.
I look out at the night and I love you.
I'm alone, you're alone,
it's a strange old life.
I've written a song about it all going
wrong. I needed the therapy and
wanted you to know."

ALL THAT I NEED
"At the core, in control.
The understated starring role.
You won't let them down,
you keep rising off the ground.
You are the calm, you are the peace,
in these moments that we need."

FADE TO BLACK
"I'm getting tired of getting tough,
so I can't even try.
I sure as hell don't like to lose,
it's dangerous being open to you.
With all I have, what do I know?
I can't keep wanting to be alone."