She supposedly declared that at a very young age she decided that she would be an actress, singer, musician and dancer, most preferably all at the same time. She studied classical piano, but practically hated her education. She enrolled at the age of 17 at the art-school Studio Herman Teirlinck in Antwerp. In her third year there she made a solo-programme with songs of her own, alone at the piano. Shortly after she became known to a moderately wide audience in 1996 when she entered Humo’s Rock Rally with a tape of her own version of Are 'Friends' Electric?, originally sung by Tubeway Army. The song ended up on Random, a tribute album to Gary Numan (of the Tubeway Army), who says he was impressed by An's version.
After this, An toured for two years with a theatre group, and starred in a Belgium television series ("Moeder, waarom leven wij"), gave a few solo performances and collaborated with DAAU on their song "Broken", where she sings all of the vocals.
In 1998 she signed a record deal with Warner Music Benelux. This resulted in her first album titled Mud Stories, completely in singer-songwriter fashion. Most of the album was recorded on electric piano in the winter of 1998 and 1999 in the attic of a theatre in Gent. The extra acoustic piano parts were done in the spring of 1999. This resulted in a range of songs with very little production. It’s basically just An and her piano (and accordion, occasionally). Mud Stories speaks to the mind with complex lyrics and professional piano play, which misled the press (especially the Dutch) into comparing her with Tori Amos, much to An's surprise. An herself said that her music was not at all influenced by Tori Amos, but rather by John Cale and classical music. The record sold over 25,000 copies in Belgium and the Netherlands. Even though the Dutch press didn't give her good reviews, she managed to sell a lot of albums, possibly because of her extensive touring and appearing at a few big festivals.
In 2002 An Pierlé released her second record, Helium Sunset. Unlike the previous album, this album was also released outside of the Benelux and France. The sound of Helium Sunset moves away from the dark, gloomy solo performance to a more enriched band feel, with expanded drums, cello and other instruments. Her lyrical style remains of highly poetic and complex level.
Following the release of Helium Sunset was a live album named Live Jetset with Orchestra, an album with back up from a full orchestra. The album was apparently very limited in release numbers and sold out pretty quickly.
An Pierlé and band released the album An Pierlé & White Velvet in early May 2006. An and the band are now also performing under the same name. As of late April 2006, the first single named "How does it feel" was already available for download in online stores.
An Pierlé is involved in a romantic relationship with her guitarist, Koen Gisen.
Good Year
An Pierlé Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To look back sober and rewind
Good for us
We try to live at present, well
Glimpse of the pearl, re-shut the shell
Memory graph
It's been a good year for us
Good year hunters
What's done is past but for a while
It was the absolute present time
Mind fucks us
Because if now is all there is
I'm philosophically quizzed
When does time
Take time to look behind
It's been a good year for us
It's been a good year for us
Good year hunters
It's been a good year for us
It's been a good year for us
Good year hunters
Time's a long chain
Knitting, knitting on a chain
Knitting
Time's a long chain
Knitting, knitting on a chain
Knitting on a chain, chain
Knitting on a long chain
Knitting on a long chain
Knitting, knitting on a chain
Knitting on a chain, chain
Knitting on a long chain
Knitting on a long chain
Knitting, knitting on a chain
Knitting on a chain, chain
Knitting on a long chain
Knitting on a long chain
I really try to realise
To capture time
By living twice
Now and now
'Cause now is now but yet it's gone
When the future turns into things done
Just in time
We're not surprised
It's never been foreseen
Exactly how it seems to turn out
An Pierlé’s “Good Year” is a soulful and introspective song that invites listeners to reflect on the passing year and the ephemerality of time. The lyrics suggest that we should take the time to freeze time occasionally to reminisce and rewind. It is important to acknowledge how far we have come and the milestones that we have achieved. Pierlé suggests that we should try to live in the present but also take the time to look back and learn. The song’s title, “Good Year,” serves as a reminder of the positive experiences and memories that one has gathered over the year, and how they have shaped and molded us into who we are today.
Pierlé seems to be struggling with the idea of time and its transient nature. She questions whether the present is all there is and what happens when it is gone. She suggests that time is a long chain that keeps knitting over and over again, and we have no control over it. Time moves forward despite our efforts to hold onto it. Yet, she encourages listeners to try and capture time by living twice - once in the moment and then by reliving it later in memories.
The song’s overall theme is one of reflection, appreciating the present, and acknowledging the importance of looking back to learn and grow. Pierlé's haunting vocals and soothing piano playing perfectly encapsulate the sentiment of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Once in a while we should freeze time
Sometimes it's good to take a step back and reflect on the past.
To look back sober and rewind
Reflecting on the past allows us to remember what happened without any bias or influence.
Good for us
This reflection is good for us and helps us grow and learn from our experiences.
We try to live at present, well
We try to focus on living in the moment and enjoying the present.
Glimpse of the pearl, re-shut the shell
We briefly revisit past experiences, but then close that chapter and move on.
Memory graph
Our memories help us create a timeline in our minds that we can reflect on.
It's been a good year for us
This year has been successful and positive for us.
Good year hunters
We have been successful in our pursuits this year.
What's done is past but for a while
The past is behind us but it's still worth reflecting on for a period of time.
It was the absolute present time
The past felt like the present when it was happening.
Mind fucks us
Our minds can play tricks on us and make us question the nature of time.
Because if now is all there is
If the present is all there is, then what is the nature of time and how do we perceive it?
I'm philosophically quizzed
This philosophical question is challenging and thought-provoking.
When does time
When do we actually take the time to reflect on the past and how it has impacted our present?
Take time to look behind
We need to make the effort to reflect on the past and how it has shaped us.
Time's a long chain
Time is a continuous and unbroken chain of moments.
Knitting, knitting on a chain
Each moment is interconnected and builds upon the next.
I really try to realise
The singer is actively trying to understand the nature of time and how it impacts our present.
To capture time
The singer wants to create a lasting memory of the present moment.
By living twice
By reflecting on the past and the present, the singer is able to live twice.
Now and now
The present moment is constantly changing and evolving.
'Cause now is now but yet it's gone
The present moment is fleeting and once it's gone, it's gone forever.
When the future turns into things done
The future becomes the past in the blink of an eye.
Just in time
We need to make the effort to reflect on the past and how it has shaped us before it's too late.
We're not surprised
We're not surprised about the challenges that come our way because life is unpredictable.
It's never been foreseen
Nobody can predict the future or know what's going to happen.
Exactly how it seems to turn out
Life can be full of surprises and twists and turns that nobody can anticipate.
Contributed by Alexandra T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.