Broder Daniel was a Swedish indierock and pandapop band, that consisted of … Read Full Bio ↴Broder Daniel was a Swedish indierock and pandapop band, that consisted of charismatic Henrik Berggren (vocals), Anders Göthberg (guitar - claims that Berggren bit him while barking like a dog the first time they met), Theodor Jensen (bass guitar) and Lars "Poplars" Malmros (drums). The band, often refered to as "BD", has spawned successful Swedish music acts like Theodor Jensens The Plan and the solo career of former bassplayer Håkan Hellström. In retrospect, this makes BD look like a Swedish all star-band.

Since they signed for EMI in 1994, Henrik has told his story about fear, broken hearts and love for all the enthusiastic fans. Early Henrik developed his trademark habit of sticking star shaped glitter under his eyes, an act that supposedly alone spawned the Swedish "panda" indie subculture (many pandas are often refered to as BD-girls/-boys) among the band's young fans, who followed the Berggren star tradition.

Broder Daniel released four official albums.

Saturday Night Engine (1995)
Broder Daniel (1996)
Forever (1998)
Cruel Town (2003)

Between and after that, the band released some collections.

Singles (2000 - a collection of singles released until then)
No Time For Us 1989-2004 (2005 - mostly later singles and different versions and demos of older tracks)
The Demos 1989-1997 (2005 - a vinyl-only demo collection)

Broder Daniel also featured three songs (Underground, Whirlwind and I'll be gone) on the soundtrack of internationally famous Swedish film Show me love (Fucking Åmål in Sweden) by Lukas Moodysson.

Currently Berggren mostly performs acoustic solo tours, and as of january 2007 nothing has been heard from the band in a long time. "Broder Daniels future is always unsure" the singer said in an official message to his fans on the band's homepage 03/16/2006, but emphasized that it had nothing to do with him playing solo.

On the 30th march 2008 guitarist Anders Göthberg sadly commited suicide, and the band held a farewell concert in his honour at the Way Out West festival in their hometown Gothenburg, 8th august 2008.

In November 2019 the band released a live album with the title Live 2003, consisting of a concert from the Cruel Town tour in Stockholm in 2003.

Steel
Broder Daniel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, it's all made of steel
They make it all out of steel oh, it's all made of steel
They make it all out of steel
Oh oh no

What you think you can not say
And what you feel you can not show

And what you think you can not say
And what you feel you can not show
No oh no

Oh, why don't I count
Why don't I count

Why don't I count

Why don't I count
Why oh why

Overall Meaning

The song "Steel" by Broder Daniel appears to be about the emotional barriers we put up, as represented by the industrial material of steel. The repeated phrase "Oh, it's all made of steel / They make it all out of steel" could be interpreted as a commentary on society's tendency to prioritize efficiency and practicality over emotional expression and vulnerability. The lines "What you think you can not say / And what you feel you can not show" suggest that we often hold back our true thoughts and feelings, perhaps due to fear or a desire to fit in with societal norms.

The chorus of the song, with its repeated question "Why don't I count?", could be seen as a plea for validation and recognition. The singer may feel invisible or unheard in a world that values productivity and tangible accomplishments over emotional well-being. The repetition of this question could also represent a sense of frustration or hopelessness, as if the singer knows that they may never receive the validation they crave.

Overall, the lyrics of "Steel" seem to convey a feeling of isolation and disconnection from others, as well as a yearning for emotional connection and validation. The use of steel as a metaphor for emotional barriers is a powerful one, suggesting both the strength and the coldness of our society's expectations and norms.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, it's all made of steel
Everything seems hard and unfeeling

They make it all out of steel oh, it's all made of steel
Everything is manufactured and lacking in emotion

They make it all out of steel
The world has lost its warmth and humanity

Oh oh no
Expressing sadness about this reality

What you think you can not say
Struggling with self-expression and communication

And what you feel you can not show
Feeling unable to exhibit true emotions to the world

And what you think you can not say
Reiterating difficulty with expressing oneself

And what you feel you can not show
Resonating with the struggle to be vulnerable

No oh no
Lamenting over this personal challenge

Oh, why don't I count
Feeling insignificant in a world that values manufactured things and conformity

Why don't I count
Questioning one's worth and impact on society