She studied art in Paris and in the 60s moved to London. During this period she got to know the most prominent designers, musicians and artists belonging to the artistic circles she frequented. Her preferences were predominantly for the Surrealist movement and for bodily expression, since she has also studied the art of mime. The meeting with Dali changed her life.
In the following 15 years she became the only woman friend, the muse and confidant of the great artist and his wife Gala. She lived in their house in Cadaquès (Spain) and accompanied them when they moved to New York and Paris in the winter. Although he had declared that a woman should never paint, Dali became her mentor, allowing her to work alongside him and teaching her all she knows about art and its techniques.
He took her to visit all the great museums of the world, acting as her guide in the discovery of artists from his own highly individual point of view. Famous throughout the world as a pop singer, she soared to celebrity when her first song entered the international hit parades, but this not lead her to neglect the passion of her life: painting.
In 1975, disillusioned by a shallow but surprisingly conservative fashion industry and encouraged by boyfriend David Bowie, who paid for singing and dancing lessons, Lear decided to launch a career in music. Bowie recommended her a Hungarian voice coach Florence Wiese-Norberg, with whom he also worked.[16] She would record a demo song called "Stars" with him, however, the track still remains unreleased
In 1980 she had her first show in Rotterdam. Encouraged by the success of this and the publicity generated by the media, she went on to display in Paris, Berlin, Milan and Geneva, attracting the attention of the European collectors. She likes to recall the fact that she waited 20 years before having the chance to show her paintings and she is grateful to Dali for having been her friend and teacher. Pop icon Amanda Lear has recorded 15 studio albums and has released some 60 singles to date and has so far sold approximately 15 million albums and 25-30 million singles worldwide.
2012 saw the release of a new album "I Don't Like Disco", from which a few single were taken including La bete et la belle and I Don't Like Disco.
Her latest news can be read on her official site: www.amanda-lear.com.
The Stud
Amanda Lear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too old to cry
If he talks of love
People might laugh
He's too lough for love
Too butch to cry
He's a stud, a stud, a stud, a stud
His motorbike
Speedin' on the road
Wind in his eyes
Beatin' up the old
Too shy to fight
He's a stud, a stud, a stud, a stud
He's too proud to jerk
Too pretty to work
Standin' in a street
Trousers too tight
He's sellin' himself
To make a few bucks
He's a stud, a stud, a stud, a stud
Sure, he lies, he cheats
Whenever we meet
He has no finesse
Just a pretty face
He's so good
I can't send him away
He's a stud, a stud, a stud, a stud
A stud, a stud
A -leather-trousered-stud!
The song "The Stud" by Amanda Lear is an ode to a man who is too young to die, and too old to cry. He is a stud, a man's man, too butch to cry, too proud to jerk and too pretty to work. He speaks of love but people might laugh, and trousers too tight he stands in the street selling himself to make a few bucks. He beats up the old, too shy to fight, and drives his motorbike so fast that the wind whips in his eyes. He might lie and cheat, but Amanda can't send him away because he's so good -- he's a stud, a leather-trousered-stud!
The song seems to extol the virtues of this man's "studliness", which is a combination of masculinity and sex appeal. He is rough and tough, but he is also pretty, and people can't seem to resist him. He is not the kind of man who would cry or show weakness, but he also has a vulnerability that makes him attractive. Amanda's admiration for this man is clear, and her lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man who lives life on his own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
He's too young to die
He is not yet ready for death.
Too old to cry
He has experienced too much to express his emotions through crying.
If he talks of love
If he expresses his feelings of love to others,
People might laugh
others might find it ridiculous.
He's too lough for love
He is too dominant to be vulnerable in love.
Too butch to cry
He is too tough and manly to shed tears.
He's a stud, a stud, a stud, a stud
He is a masculine and attractive person.
One and only friend
His only close companion and confidant.
His motorbike
His beloved motorcycle.
Speedin' on the road
He rides fast on the open road.
Wind in his eyes
The wind is blowing his hair and hitting his face as he rides.
Beatin' up the old
He races past old, slower cars on the road.
Too shy to fight
He lacks the courage to be in a physical altercation.
He's too proud to jerk
He is too dignified to engage in embarrassing acts.
Too pretty to work
He is too good-looking for manual labor or serious work.
Standin' in a street
He is loitering on a city sidewalk.
Trousers too tight
His pants are form-fitting and exaggerated.
He's sellin' himself
He is exchanging sexual favours for money.
To make a few bucks
To earn some extra cash.
Sure, he lies, he cheats
He is dishonest in his dealings with others.
Whenever we meet
Whenever we come together.
He has no finesse
He does not have any refinement or delicacy in his actions.
Just a pretty face
He is only attractive, and not much else.
He's so good
He is skilled in what he does.
I can't send him away
I am unable to dismiss him from my life.
A stud, a stud
A masculine and attractive person.
A -leather-trousered-stud!
A particularly masculine and attractive person wearing leather trousers.
Contributed by Arianna N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.