Born Keren Ann Zeidel in Caesarea, Israel on 10th March 1974, she lived in the Netherlands and Israel until the age of eleven, when her family moved to France. Her first group, KAB (for Keren Ann Band), lasted three years. In 1997, she wrote the song "Father" for the film K by Alexandre Arcady, in which she also acted a small part. The next year, at the age of twenty-four, she formed Shelby with two other women; the group released one album and had a small success with the song "1+1+1", whose composer Benjamin Biolay became an important collaborator. In 2000 she began her solo career with La biographie de Luka Philipsen -- "Luka" in homage to the Suzanne Vega song, "Philipsen" after her maternal grandmother -- written with and produced by Biolay, who also co-wrote and -produced its follow-up, La disparition. (In return, she helped write his debut album, Rose Kennedy.) The pair also wrote several songs for Henri Salvador's best-selling, prize-winning 2000 comeback album, Chambre avec vue.
Lady & Bird is a collaboration with Bardi Johannsson of the Icelandic group Bang Gang.
Not Going Anywhere, which includes several songs from La disparition re-sung in English, was her first U.S. release, but her American breakthrough came with its follow-up, Nolita. Recorded in Paris and New York, it is named for Nolita, her neighborhood in lower Manhattan; it is sung half in French and half in English.
It's All a Lie
Keren Ann Lyrics
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When I walk alone into the night
They know my voice, they know my name
My need for love, my fear of heights
So I keep my wit, my running game
My shoulders straight, chin up high
But it's all a lie
It's all a lie, it's all a lie
And I forget how the time, it flies
When my fingers crossed, I hope in vain
That you'll be home with sleepy eyes
To fix it all, cause you know my pain
And I forget how the time, it flies
When the day is long, and it keeps me dry
?Cause it's all a lie
It's all a lie, it's all a lie
There's no perfect way to clear the mess
We both have a past in a silver frame
See my heart, it died a slow weary death
In the tainted arms of another man
You and I we're no different
Than the rest of the world when the morning rings
Everyone wants a piece of the love of God
Everyone sings, everyone sings
I know you can tell that I can't help myself
Can't help myself
?Cause it's all a lie
It's all a lie, it's all a lie, it's all a lie, it's all a lie, it's all a lie
The lips of time, they kiss again
When I walk alone into the night
They know my voice, they know my name
My need for love, my fear of heights
But seen I'm not different than the rest of the world
When the morning rings
I just want a piece of the love of God
In Keren Ann's song "It's All a Lie," the lyrics capture the struggle of maintaining a facade while dealing with internal struggles. The opening lines bring attention to the passing of time, as the lips of time kiss again when the singer walks alone into the night. The singer's voice and name are recognized, suggesting they have been in this place before, and are familiar with the pain of loneliness. The following lines convey the idea that the singer presents a positive facade despite their internal struggles with love and fear. This facade is a "lie," and the singer keeps their "wit" and "chin up high" to maintain it. However, this mask cannot hide the pain forever, and the singer forgets how time passes as they hope for someone to return home and fix all of their problems.
The lyrics continue to delve deeper into the idea of struggling with personal demons. The singer acknowledges that there is no perfect way to clear the mess and that they, like their partner, have a past that weighs on them. The lyrics allude to a prior relationship with "tainted arms of another man." The following lines detail how everyone in the world wants a piece of the love of God, implying the universal nature of the struggle to connect with others. The final lines circle back to the facade, as the singer acknowledges that they cannot help themselves and their actions are part of the lying image they have built.
Line by Line Meaning
The lips of time, they kiss again
The passage of time repeats itself over and over again, as though it were kissing me with the same old familiar feelings.
When I walk alone into the night
Whenever I wander around lost and alone, feeling helpless and upset, that's when time seems to move the slowest and I can't escape.
They know my voice, they know my name
Time knows me intimately, like an old friend who's been there through thick and thin and knows all of my secrets and insecurities.
My need for love, my fear of heights
I am a person who craves love and hates feeling vulnerable or exposed, so when I'm at my weakest moments, I'm the most scared.
So I keep my wit, my running game
My shoulders straight, chin up high
To conceal my inner demons and fears from others, I put on a facade of confidence and bravado, using jokes and sarcasm to avoid opening up.
But it's all a lie
It's all a lie, it's all a lie
Despite my best efforts to hide my pain, it's all a facade and I'm still deeply unhappy and unfulfilled inside.
And I forget how the time, it flies
When my fingers crossed, I hope in vain
That you'll be home with sleepy eyes
To fix it all, cause you know my pain
Whenever I'm waiting and hoping for you to come home and solve all my problems, time seems to move too quickly and my hopes are often disappointed.
When the day is long, and it keeps me dry
?Cause it's all a lie
During those long, arduous days where nothing seems to go right or bring me comfort, I realize that the lie I'm living is only making things worse.
There's no perfect way to clear the mess
We both have a past in a silver frame
See my heart, it died a slow weary death
In the tainted arms of another man
There's no easy way to fix the problems between us, as we both have our own traumas and past experiences that we carry with us every day, like a blurry snapshot of a distant time and place.
You and I we're no different
Than the rest of the world when the morning rings
Everyone wants a piece of the love of God
Everyone sings, everyone sings
Our struggles and desires for connection are universal, and we're no different from anyone else craving love and meaning, and praying for salvation and redemption.
I know you can tell that I can't help myself
Can't help myself
?Cause it's all a lie
It's all a lie, it's all a lie, it's all a lie, it's all a lie, it's all a lie
I know that you can see through me and recognize that I'm not as together as I seem, but I can't stop myself from putting on a brave face and hiding my true feelings, even though it's all just one big lie.
But seen I'm not different than the rest of the world
When the morning rings
I just want a piece of the love of God
Despite my pain and loneliness, I still have hope for a brighter future and the possibility of finding true love and happiness, just like everyone else.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KEREN ANN ZEIDEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind