A Camp is a solo side project of Swedish musician Nina Persson (vocalist fo… Read Full Bio ↴A Camp is a solo side project of Swedish musician Nina Persson (vocalist for the Swedish indie-pop band The Cardigans). A Camp recorded and released two albums, in 2001 and 2009, after which the project has been inactive.

It began in 2001 as a collaborative effort between Nina Persson (of The Cardigans) and Swedish singer, guitarist and songwriter Niclas Frisk (of Atomic Swing). The self-titled debut album A Camp was released later that year.

Persson and Frisk had recorded a collection of songs in 1998, but the project was suspended while they attended to other matters, including Persson's move to New York City with future-husband and fellow rocker Nathan Larson, an american film composer who had known some modest success in the 90s with his band Shudder To Think.

A second batch of recordings for the first A Camp record took place in Woodstock, New York, at the now-dufunct Bearsville studio. Work took place in a barn. Larson played bass. Kevin March (Dambuilders/ Shudder To Think/Guided By Voices) played drums.

The resultant album was released in 2001 in Europe, where it was a considerable success, and a significant hit in Scandinavia. The band toured extensively on the strength of the single I Can Buy You: the touring band included members of Soundtrack Of Our Lives as well as the above mentioned studio players. The album was awarded four Swedish Grammies.

In late 2007, NYC recording sessions included Joan Wasser, Nikolai Dunger, James Iha. The second album, Colonia, was released in January 2009.

A three-track EP named Covers, featuring interpretations of Pink Floyd's "Us And Them", David Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging" and Grace Jones' "I've Done it Again", was released digitally in the United States on 9 June 2009 and in Europe on 16 June 2009.

Persson has continued to record and perform as a solo artist, and reunite with The Cardigans for occasional tours. There are not known to be any plans for further A Camp recordings.

Éléphant
A Camp Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I caught you smiling
With pointed teeth
What once was beautiful
Has turned bitter and cheap
So now thereÂ´s nothing I can do for you
But leave your roses out to die

I misbehaved

IÂ´m in your way
In your way like an elephant

Gentle smiling
With pointed teeth
Now thereÂ´s a war between
My high hopes and me
So this is how you put an end to things
By cutting throats with a smile

I misbehaved
IÂ´m in your way
In you're way like an elephant

But in the corner of my mind
A little angel saying

"DonÂ´t waste you're love,
You love too much"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of A Camp's song Elephant describe a situation where the subject of the song realizes that the person they were once in love with has turned into a bitter and cruel person, represented by the metaphor of "pointed teeth." The subject acknowledges that the love they once had for this person has faded, and they are now feeling like they are in the way, like an elephant in the room. Despite this, there is a voice in the subject's mind telling them not to give up on love and to continue to show compassion, even in a difficult situation.

The use of animal imagery and metaphors is a common theme throughout the song. The subject compares the person they once loved to an elephant and later talks about the "little angel" in the corner of their mind. The lyrics use these devices to help the listener understand the complex emotions at play in the situation the subject finds themselves in. The choice of the word "elephant" is interesting, as it reminds the listener of the phrase "the elephant in the room," which refers to a topic that is known but not discussed openly.

Overall, the song explores themes of love, loss, and compassion in the face of difficult circumstances. It encourages the listener to remember the importance of love and to continue to show kindness, even in situations where it may be difficult.

Line by Line Meaning

I caught you smiling
I noticed that you were smiling

With pointed teeth
Your smile was insincere

What once was beautiful
Our relationship was beautiful

Has turned bitter and cheap
Now it has become unpleasant and worthless

So now there's nothing I can do for you
I can no longer help you or our relationship

But leave your roses out to die
I will leave the things I gave you to perish

I misbehaved
I did something wrong

I'm in your way
I am obstructing your plans

In your way like an elephant
I am as big and difficult to move as an elephant

Gentle smiling
Your smile looks kind

With pointed teeth
But it has a hidden, vicious side

Now there's a war between
A conflict has arisen

My high hopes and me
Between my optimistic desires and reality

So this is how you put an end to things
You are choosing to end our relationship

By cutting throats with a smile
In a cruel and deceptive manner

But in the corner of my mind
Despite everything that's happened

A little angel saying
I have a voice within me that's hopeful and loving

Don't waste your love
I shouldn't stop loving

You love too much
I am capable of giving and feeling a lot of love

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARK LINKOUS, NINA PERSSON, NINA ELIZABETH PERSSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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