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.
Happy Times Fly Fast!
Bel Canto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's the way the kitchen sinks and it's not funny no
But that's the way the coockie crumbles so
Chew chew now, oh, chew chew now polliwog
Anno simase
You're looking like a whale who seeks the shore
But sugar pumkin in a few weeks down the track'you'll jump for joy
So take my hand feel the soil
See the sumbeams conjure the sea in my hand is my hand in the mirrored
Sea in my hand is my hand filled with little polliwogs
Innocent polliwog
That's the way the pier walks pumkin
Happy times fly fast
In a few weeks down the track you'll be a boy
So take my hand walk with me
Watch the sunbeams conjure the sea in my hand
Is my hand in the mirrored sea in my hand is my hand
Filled with little ...
Sea in my hand is my hand in the mirrored sea in my hand
Is my hand filled with little polliwogs
(Urashima Tro told the little children not to tease the turtle)
The lyrics to Bel Canto's song "Happy Times Fly Fast!" are filled with esoteric and surreal phrases, making the song open for personal interpretation. The song starts with the line "Innocent polliwog, that's the way the kitchen sinks, and it's not funny no" which may suggest a kind of purity or naivety, as polliwogs are baby tadpoles, and that the kitchen sinks depicts a place of danger or darkness. The phrase "But that's the way the coockie crumbles so, chew chew now, oh, chew chew now polliwog" may be an encouragement to the listener to keep going and confront the difficulties of life, as if they're instructing a baby polliwog to keep chewing and evolving.
The next line, "Anno simase, you're looking like a whale who seeks the shore but sugar pumpkin in a few weeks down the track you'll jump for joy," can be interpreted as a message of reassurance, that even though the listener may feel like a stranded whale, help is on its way and soon they'll be filled with joy. The stanza "So take my hand, feel the soil, see the sunbeams conjure the sea, in my hand is my hand in the mirrored sea, in my hand is my hand filled with little polliwogs" creates a surreal image of someone holding a sea in their hand filled with polliwogs, suggesting that there's beauty even in the smallest things in nature, and that we should enjoy them while we can.
In conclusion, "Happy Times Fly Fast!" is a song that is rich in poetic symbolism and vivid imagery, which can be open to personal interpretation. The lyrics encourage listeners to keep moving forward, even in difficult situations, to find joy in even the small things in life, and to appreciate the beauty in nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Innocent polliwog
Addressing someone as pure and innocent as a baby frog
That's the way the kitchen sinks and it's not funny no
Things don't always go as planned, and it's not a pleasant experience
But that's the way the cookie crumbles so
Despite the unexpected events, that's just the way life is
Chew chew now, oh, chew chew now polliwog
Stay positive and keep moving forward, little frog
Anno simase
You appear to be struggling, my friend
You're looking like a whale who seeks the shore
You seem lost and searching for a way out of your troubles
But sugar pumpkin in a few weeks down the track, you'll jump for joy
But don't worry, in a short while you'll be able to celebrate your success
So take my hand feel the soil
Come with me and experience the earth beneath your feet
See the sunbeams conjure the sea in my hand
Observe the beauty of nature through my fingers
Is my hand in the mirrored sea, in my hand is my hand filled with little polliwogs
The sea that reflects my hand is teeming with new life, just like the little frogs
That's the way the pier walks pumpkin, happy times fly fast
Life may be unpredictable, but it's important to cherish the good moments
In a few weeks down the track you'll be a boy
Don't worry, you'll overcome your difficulties and become stronger
So take my hand walk with me
Let's walk together, supporting each other along the way
Watch the sunbeams conjure the sea in my hand
Observe the power of the sun as it dances on the water in my hand
Is my hand in the mirrored sea, in my hand is my hand filled with little polliwogs
The sea that reflects my hand is full of life, reminding us that everything is interconnected
Contributed by Aria O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.