His voice speaks for itself. Blues to the utmost ground!
Official Website: Bjørn Berge
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
Bjørn Berge, Norway's best selling blues artist, started to play guitar when he was 13 years old. After playing for some years, Bjørn discovered Robert Johnson, Elmore James, Leo Kottke and John Hammond. Bjørn Berge, as we know him today, was born. Yet, the term "blues" doesn't cover what Bjørn Berge is all about. We're taking raw, hellraising rock influenced by a wide variety of music styles.
Bjørn Berge's got a voice like gravel and broken glass, and sings as if the devil himself is snapping at his heels. Years of touring with nothing much but junk food, cigarettes, rainy tarmac and ferry ports to look forward to between gigs have paid off; these days Berge is one of Norway's most respected and critically praised artists. Those who have seen this medicine man of music on stage know to rate him as one of our greatest guitarists.
He growls and barks, sometimes snarling the lyrics rather than singing them, spitting out his blueblack groove accompanied by just his guitar and right foot. It's raw with dirt, sweat and hunger and at times almost menacingly in touch with the dark side.
Even if Berge's background is blues, his spicy homebrew reflects equal measures hip-hop and badass-funk as it does traditional blues.
Berge released his critically acclaimed Blue Mood/Warner Music debut "Blues Hit Me" in 1999. The album firmly established him as one of the most exciting contemporary artists, as well as impressing critics and audiences alike with the rare authority of his musical expression. "Bag Of Nails" goes straight for the listeners jugular, and is an even more immediate and explosive experience than its predecessor.
Armed with only his guitar, Berge is a musical highway robber savvy enough to leave the mediocre by the wayside, and only take with him what can enrich his music and performance. Live Berge is merciless, leaving audiences, but reeling as he packs up his guitar and heads on to the next venue, the next gig, the next challenge.
He plays as if he had fifty sets of arms and twenty pairs of legs, and with an insatiable musical curiosity and appetite which will never allow him to become jaded or stuck in a rut.Album available by Bjørn Berge: "Blues hit me", "Bag of nails" and "Stringmachine".
Farmen have licensed Berge's releases on Warner Music for sale outside Norway.
In August 2002 he released his first album for Farmen, called "Illustrated Man", for which he received fantastic reviews in the press in Norway and Denmark. With "Illustrated man" he won the Norwegian Grammy (Spellemannprisen) for the best Norwegian blues album in 2002.
Mad Fingers Ball: Bjørn Berge, Norway's best selling blues artist, started to play guitar when he was 13 years old. After playing for some years, Bjørn discovered Robert Johnson, Elmore James, Leo Kottke and John Hammond. Bjørn Berge, as we know him today, was born.
Yet, the term "blues" doesn't cover what Bjørn Berge is all about. We're taking raw, hellraising rock influenced by a wide variety of music styles.
Bjørn Berge's got a voice like gravel and broken glass, and sings as if the devil himself is snapping at his heels. Years of touring with nothing much but junk food, cigarettes, rainy tarmac and ferry ports to look forward to between gigs have paid off; these days Berge is one of Norway's most respected and critically praised artists. Those who have seen this medicine man of music on stage know to rate him as one of our greatest guitarists.
He growls and barks, sometimes snarling the lyrics rather than singing them, spitting out his blueblack groove accompanied by just his guitar and right foot. It's raw with dirt, sweat and hunger and at times almost menacingly in touch with the dark side.
Even if Berge's background is blues, his spicy homebrew reflects equal measures hip-hop and badass-funk as it does traditional blues.
Berge released his critically acclaimed Blue Mood/Warner Music debut "Blues Hit Me" in 1999. The album firmly established him as one of the most exciting contemporary artists, as well as impressing critics and audiences alike with the rare authority of his musical expression. "Bag Of Nails" goes straight for the listeners jugular, and is an even more immediate and explosive experience than its predecessor.
Armed with only his guitar, Berge is a musical highway robber savvy enough to leave the mediocre by the wayside, and only take with him what can enrich his music and performance. Live Berge is merciless, leaving audiences, but reeling as he packs up his guitar and heads on to the next venue, the next gig, the next challenge.
He plays as if he had fifty sets of arms and twenty pairs of legs, and with an insatiable musical curiosity and appetite which will never allow him to become jaded or stuck in a rut.Album available by Bjørn Berge: "Blues hit me", "Bag of nails" and "Stringmachine".
Mad Fingers Ball: On this new album, Bjørn Berges unique fingerstyle is shown to its fullest advantage, reinforced by his unusually harsh, deep voice. His cover of Deep Purple's "Hush" is worth the listen.
All in all, the artist has released a total of 10 studio albums, two of which won a Norwegian Grammy (Stringmachine in 2001 and Illustrated Man in 2002).
Monkey Ship
Bjørn Berge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am not you
Thank God for that
What would life be, if we were the same?
They're trying
Copy and paste, It seems all the same
All in time
We're buying
Who's driving the monkey ship?
So tired and sick of it!
I buy into all the shit
I am, I'm not mine!
I don't know you, I don't know me
Not in sync
Nothing to do, nothing to feel
Don't you think?
Who's driving the monkey ship?
So tired and sick of it!
I buy into all the shit
I am, I'm not mine!
You are not me
I am not you
Where is my world?
Passing me by
Who's driving the monkey ship?
So tired and sick of it
I buy into all the shit
I am
Who's driving the monkey ship?
So tired and sick of it
I buy into all the shit
I am, I'm not mine
I'm not mine
The lyrics to Bjørn Berge's song "Monkey Ship" delve into the themes of individuality, conformity, and self-awareness. The opening lines, "You are not me, I am not you, Thank God for that, What would life be, if we were the same?" highlight the appreciation for uniqueness and the value of diversity in the world. The singer expresses gratitude for the fact that everyone is different, emphasizing how life would lose its essence if everyone was identical.
The song then criticizes society's tendency to homogenize individuals through aspects like consumerism and conformity. The line, "Copy and paste, It seems all the same, All in time, All the same clothes, all the same phones, We're buying," reflects on how people often conform to societal trends and follow a template, losing their individuality in the process.
The repeated refrain, "Who's driving the monkey ship? So tired and sick of it! I buy into all the shit, I am, I'm not mine!" questions who is in control of one's life and expresses frustration with the pressure to conform and consume without truly knowing oneself. The lyrics suggest a longing for authenticity and a sense of self that is not influenced by external factors.
Overall, "Monkey Ship" serves as a contemplation on the importance of embracing individuality, resisting societal pressures, and finding one's true identity.
Line by Line Meaning
You are not me
Acknowledging that we have different identities and perspectives.
I am not you
Recognizing the individuality and uniqueness of oneself.
Thank God for that
Expressing gratitude for the diversity and differences among people.
What would life be, if we were the same?
Contemplating the monotony and lack of growth that would exist if everyone were identical.
They're trying
Suggesting that others are attempting to impose conformity and uniformity.
Copy and paste, It seems all the same
Observing the prevalence of imitation and lack of originality in society.
All in time
Highlighting the inevitability of this behavior over time.
All the same clothes, all the same phones
Noting the tendency to conform in terms of fashion and technology.
We're buying
Indicating consumerism as a driving force behind this conformity.
Who's driving the monkey ship?
Questioning the authority or influence behind this societal conformity.
So tired and sick of it!
Expressing weariness and frustration towards the lack of individuality.
I buy into all the shit
Admitting participation and acceptance of societal norms.
I am, I'm not mine!
Contemplating the loss of personal autonomy and freedom.
I don't know you, I don't know me
Admitting a lack of understanding or connection with oneself and others.
Not in sync
Feeling disconnected or out of harmony with the world.
Nothing to do, nothing to feel
Experiencing a sense of emptiness or numbness.
Don't you think?
Challenging others to consider the implications of this lack of authenticity.
Where is my world?
Expressing a sense of loss or disorientation in one's own reality.
Passing me by
Feeling like opportunities or experiences are slipping away or being missed.
I am
Affirming one's existence and identity.
I'm not mine
Feeling a lack of ownership or control over one's own life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ellis del Sol, Bjørn Berge
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind