The Band was founded together with Geir Jenssen. He left after the second album in 1990 and pursued a solo career in ambient music as Biosphere.
During the years from 1985 to present (2006) Bel Canto have been taking breaks as Anneli Drecker has pursued a solo career and done concerts with other bands and artists (including touring with A-Ha), as well as playing in films and theatre plays. Nils Johansen, on the other hand, has composed music for film and television as well as working and performing with his other band, Vajas.
21 Years after the band was founded they are still active. In the fall of 2006 they continued to do concerts, primarily in Norway.
In 2007 Bel Canto will continue to work together, both by writing new material and by doing more gigs. At the same time both Anneli Drecker and Nils Johansen will also work on other projects. Latest update by 2022 is that Bel Canto are currently working on their next album.
2) Bel Canto Choir from Lithuania.
A Shoulder to the Wheel
Bel Canto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In your ears
But you're doing fine
Find the broken pieces and then start anew
You make yourself believe that you did
Something right
You're denying your only wish
By forgetting your promises
Once and for all
And for ever more
If you finally reach your aim
You will never be able to
Gain back the time you lost between
You're trying hard to reconstruct your image
And you're doing right
But I think that you will always stay like this
When you put your idle shoulder to the wheel
The lyrics of Bel Canto's song "A Shoulder to the Wheel" are an insightful commentary on the human tendency to deny our deepest wishes and ignore our promises to ourselves. The song opens with the image of a person who has been "conquered" and is feeling the physical effects of stress and anxiety, but who is nevertheless determined to keep going. The singer suggests that the person is trying to find "broken pieces" of themselves and start anew, which is a process that requires self-belief and a willingness to deny one's own wishes and forget past promises.
The second verse continues this theme, describing the effort that the person is putting into "reconstructing" their image and doing what they believe is right. The singer suggests that this effort is laudable but ultimately futile, as the person will always remain trapped in this cycle of denial and self-deception. The final lines of the song encourage the person to keep pushing themselves, even if their efforts seem idle, saying that their hard work will eventually bear fruit if they continue to push forward.
Overall, "A Shoulder to the Wheel" is a reflective and introspective song that explores the human psyche and our tendency to push ourselves to the brink of exhaustion and self-doubt. The song encourages listeners to be mindful of their own inner struggles and to strive for self-acceptance and self-love, even in the face of adversity and hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
You're conquered and your blood is pounding
You feel defeated and overwhelmed, but your adrenaline is still flowing aggressively.
In your ears
Your heartbeat and breathing sound louder than usual due to the intense physical and emotional stress.
But you're doing fine
Despite feeling distressed, you reassure yourself that you are handling the situation adequately.
Find the broken pieces and then start anew
You must search for the fragments of your situation that can be mended, and then begin again with renewed effort.
You make yourself believe that you did
You try to convince yourself that you made the right decisions and did the best you could in the past.
Something right
You remain hopeful that amidst the chaos, there is something positive that you accomplished and can build upon.
You're denying your only wish
You refuse to acknowledge that what you truly desire goes against what you have settled for.
By forgetting your promises
You have broken the commitments you made to yourself and others, thus hindering your ability to move forward.
Once and for all
You must finally resolve and leave behind the issues that have been holding you back.
And for ever more
These problems will not continue to plague you indefinitely if you continuously work towards overcoming them.
If you finally reach your aim
If you eventually accomplish your goal,
You will never be able to
It is impossible for you to
Gain back the time you lost between
Recover the time and opportunities that have passed as you worked towards your objective.
You're trying hard to reconstruct your image
You are making a conscious effort to redefine yourself and how others perceive you.
And you're doing right
Your actions and decisions are making positive changes towards your ultimate goal.
But I think that you will always stay like this
Despite your progress, you will likely continue to face similar challenges in the future.
When you put your idle shoulder to the wheel
When you finally take action and make an effort, despite feeling helpless or unmotivated.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANNELI DRECKER, NILS P. JOHANSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stone W
Takes me back to the early 90s. Such a great song!
Stone W
Nice . . .
Fabiano Lolek
I just know what you talking about... I was there... just like you...
Stone W
@DerFabi Anyway, who gives a fuck if it was 89, 90 or 91. All I know is that I was listening to it in 92-93. Early 90s for me!
Stone W
@DerFabi https://www.discogs.com/Bel-Canto-A-Shoulder-To-The-Wheel/master/225370
DerFabi
@Stone W https://www.discogs.com/de/Bel-Canto-Birds-Of-Passage/master/23070
Pinklogik
This is one of my absolute favourites!
Johnny Barber
Love this and love the beat ❤
Ronald Hofman
fantastic song, fantastic band !
Stefan Torto
love this band! Beautiful memories <3