Born in Yalova to Turkish immigrant parents from Skopje, Macedonia, Ferah got her first guitar when she was in the first year in boarding at Bursa Namık Sözeri High School. She took lessons on the acoustic guitar, and during her second year she hired a studio with her friends and formed the group Pegasus. The group had their first stage experience during a rock festival in Bursa, in 1987. After a while, Pegasus disbanded. In 1988 with her four friends, Ferah formed Volvox, which was named after a microorganism that they had encountered in a biology lesson.
After a period during which she attended Middle East Technical University, studying economics in Ankara, she moved to Istanbul, where she attended classes on English language and literature at the Istanbul University. For two years she performed in various bars with Volvox, until they disbanded in 1994.
She released her first solo album, Kadın in 1996, and has gone on to release a total of six full studio albums, the last one being Benim Adım Orman, released in 2009. In addition to composing the music and writing the lyrics of every song in her albums, she occasionally sings on stage cover versions of work by artists of similar vocal qualities and style, such as Amy Lee and Skin.
On her third album, Perdeler, she collaborated with the Finnish cello rock band Apocalyptica.
Ferah's current group consists of Buket Doran (bass guitar), Metin Türkcan (electric guitar), Aykan İlkan (drums), and Ozan Tügen (keyboard), who have been performing with her in studio and on stage since her third album, Perdeler.
Girdap
Şebnem Ferah Lyrics
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Ya da ben öyle derin bir nefes alacaktım ki
Her şeyi içime çekecek, içime atacak, orada saklayacaktım
Bir anda oyuncağım paramparça
Pelerinini savurarak karşıdan gel
Ya da ayak ucunda sessizce arkamdan yaklaş
Pelerinini savurarak karşıdan gel
Derim kalın mıdır, incecik mi
Çelikten üstüm başım paslı kirli
Bildiklerim, bilmediklerim gelsin bütün silahlarıyla
Tek bildiğim var, kurşun geçirmem
Yaksan beni girdap gibi içine çekip yutacaktın
Ya da ben öyle derin bir nefes alacaktım ki
Her şeyi içime çekecek, içime atacak orada saklayacaktım
Bir anda oyuncağım paramparça
Pelerinini savurarak karşıdan gel
Ya da ayak ucunda sessizce arkamdan yaklaş
Pelerinini savurarak karşıdan gel
Ya da ayak ucunda sessizce arkamdan yaklaş
Derim kalın mıdır, incecik mi
Çelikten üstüm başım paslı kirli
Bildiklerim, bilmediklerim gelsin bütün silahlarıyla
Tek bildiğim var, kurşun geçirmem
Pelerinini savurarak karşıdan gel
Ya da ayak ucunda sessizce arkamdan yaklaş
Pelerinini savurarak karşıdan gel
Ya da ayak ucunda sessizce arkamdan yaklaş
Derim kalın mıdır, incecik mi
Çelikten üstüm başım paslı kirli
Bildiklerim, bilmediklerim gelsin bütün silahlarıyla
Tek bildiğim var, kurşun geçirmem
The lyrics of Şebnem Ferah's "Girdap" speak of a tumultuous relationship on the brink of destruction. The singer reflects on the possibility of being consumed by her lover, like being pulled into a whirlpool, or of taking a deep enough breath to swallow everything up and hide it within herself. She feels as if she is being toyed with, like a broken plaything. The verses, then, describe two ways in which her lover could approach her, either with grand gestures or quietly slipping up from behind, suggesting a certain unpredictability surrounding the relationship. The chorus repeats with the same lyrics, emphasizing the suffocating and overwhelming feeling within this relationship. The final verse speaks of the singer's resilience, stating that no matter what her lover may bring, be it knowledge or weapons, she cannot be broken.
Overall, the lyrics of "Girdap" are full of tension and uncertainty, suggesting a persistent internal struggle within the singer regarding her emotions and her lover's intentions. The imagery of being swallowed up and toyed with offer visceral evocations of the feeling of loss of control in this situation. This song exemplifies Şebnem Ferah's poetic inclination for straightforward yet poignant lyrics, paired with powerful instrumentation that brings these feelings to life.
Line by Line Meaning
Yaksan beni girdap gibi içine çekip yutacaktın
You were about to suck me like a whirlpool and swallow me up, or else I would take such a deep breath that I would inhale and hide everything inside me, making my world shattered in an instant.
Ya da ben öyle derin bir nefes alacaktım ki
Or, I could take such a deep breath that I'd suck everything inside me, holding and hiding them there.
Her şeyi içime çekecek, içime atacak, orada saklayacaktım
I'd take everything in, swallow, and keep it hidden inside me.
Bir anda oyuncağım paramparça
All of a sudden, everything I hold dear would shatter into pieces.
Pelerinini savurarak karşıdan gel
Come forward with your cape flying, or silently approach me from behind.
Ya da ayak ucunda sessizce arkamdan yaklaş
Or, sneak up on me quietly from behind on tiptoes.
Derim kalın mıdır, incecik mi
I don't know whether my skin is thick or thin.
Çelikten üstüm başım paslı kirli
My steel-plated body is rusty and dirty.
Bildiklerim, bilmediklerim gelsin bütün silahlarıyla
Bring all the weapons you have, both what you know and what you do not know.
Tek bildiğim var, kurşun geçirmem
All I know is that I am bulletproof.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Sebnem Ferah
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind