The four girls in Calaisa are ready to demonstrate that the pop sensibilities of Scandinavia and the musical traditions of Tennessee are perfect partners. Especially when you add some Celtic instrumentation and the experience of two pairs of sisters, who prove that the group that plays together stays together.
It’s there to be heard on ‘Hey Girl,’ the first single from a self-titled debut album that will establish Lisa, Caisa, Anna, Malin and their custom-made Calaisa sound, which marries confident songwriting, golden harmonies and instruments like the violin and accordion.
That song is also a great example of the great songwriting cohesion and amazing teamwork that exists between the four members of the group, developed and honed during many years of creating music together. “Sometimes,” says Caisa, “one of us comes up with an idea of maybe a chorus, takes that to the other girls, and we make it into a Calaisa song. Together we’ll add an intro, an outro, a bridge or whatever. ‘Hey Girl’ was one of those songs.”
The album is the result of the girls’ absolute determination to make their way in the record business, and a refusal to take no for an answer that lured them from Sweden, onto the concert roads through Ireland and Poland, and on again to the USA and Nashville.
When they got there, it turned out the man who was absolutely knocked out by their charm as writers and performers just happened to be the head of Universal Music Nashville. Cue record deal, an album cut in just five weeks and a sound already being hailed as the perfect mixture of the Corrs and the Dixie Chicks, with plenty of personality that’s all Calaisa.
“We come from musicians’s families, so our parents taught us a lot about instruments and music,” says Lisa. “I started the band and asked my little sister Caisa to join, and we started to play on the streets to earn money. When I went to music school I met Anna, who plays the violin, and she joined the band. After that, Anna’s sister Malin joined [soon learning to play the accordion] and we became the real Calaisa.”
Lisa was just 14 when she had that brainwave about busking. It not only made her an obvious candidate for young businesswoman of the year, it was the ideal way to try out Calaisa’s early songs and find out what the girls were made of.
“Busking is the best,” enthuses Malin. “It’s fabulous to stand on the street and see how the crowd gets bigger and bigger. It’s the greatest test, because if you can’t make it on the street, you can’t make it anywhere, that’s how we feel. It’s a great place to practice the music and learn new songs. Instead of sitting home, you can practice together and with an audience, and people don’t expect it to be anything. It’s so great to see the reaction. ‘Wait, four girls, playing, singing! This is fun.’”
Through that early experience, Calaisa’s music began to evolve and mature. “We started playing really traditional Irish music,” says Caisa, “then added a few more instruments, and along the way it became more pop and country, because we found some great influences.” Those include not only the Dixie Chicks but Dolly Parton, via Sheryl Crow, Joni Mitchell, the Indigo Girls and the Rankin Family all the way to the Beatles, Sting and fellow Swedes the Cardigans.
After honing their performance skills by touring in Ireland and Poland, the time came for Calaisa to create their own destiny.
“After we tried to get a record deal in Sweden, we decided to take this in our own hands,” says Anna. “So we saved our money for a year and booked our tickets to New York, rented a car and went to Memphis and Atlanta and Nashville and played on the streets and pubs. This man [who turned out to be bluegrass artist Jonathan McEuen] came up to us and told us ‘You have to meet my producer, you should have a huge record deal.’
“So we went to his studio and out came ten men! We started to play and we had no clue who they were, or what they were doing there. We played a couple of songs, the guy said ‘I want to hear more,’ and after that he said ‘I want to sign you.’
“What we didn’t know was that the man in the middle of the crowd was the big producer and record label chairman James Stroud [the head of Universal Music Nashville]. We’d been playing seven songs and telling him the whole story of Calaisa without knowing. He said ‘Don’t even leave the room. You’re staying with us.’”
And they did. After a visit home to work on new songs (“and get a manager and a lawyer!”), Calaisa recorded their debut album in just five weeks. “It was the best experience we’ve ever had,” says Malin. “We could record in the best studios with the best musicians and producers. We had so much fun.”
The results will be with you soon, and the quality of the music runs in the family. Two families, in fact. “Since we’re two sets of sisters, we have voices that really go together,” concludes Lisa. “This year we really want to travel around the world and play our music.”
You Are Mine
Calaisa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
a long gone love that nerver lost it's shine
Everybody got that one that wonts fade away
thats keeps on taking you back to those days
a memory that wont be left behind
and you are mine
You show up in the strages places
It ain't a sorrow to see you face as
Just long enouth to make me smile and then you disappear
Everybody got someone that they never forgett to turn the road with no regret
a long gone love that nerver lost it's shine
Everybody got that ones that wants fade away
thats keeps on taking you back to those days
a memory that wont be left behind
and you are mine
Just some times I wanna hear you laughin'
But I couldn't call you even if I wanna to
Last they heard you were in Cincinnati
or Dallas, Los Angeles, I don't have a clue
Distants count as missing you
Everybody got someone that they never forgett to turn the road with no regret
a long gone love that nerver lost it's shine
Everybody got that one that wants fade away
thats keeps on taking you back to those days
a memory that wont be left behind
and you are mine
No it's not an every day thing
what its gone it's in the way thing
but, Everybody got someone that they never forgett to turn the road with no regret
a long gone love that nerver lost it's shine
Everybody got that one that wants fade away
thats keeps on taking you back to those days
a memory that wont be left behind
and you are mine
and you are mine
The lyrics of Calaisa's song "You Are Mine" speak to the universal experience of having a long gone love that still holds a special place in one's heart. The opening lines suggest that everyone has someone they can't forget, who they turn to in times of regret or reflection. But the song's focus isn't on the pain or sadness of this kind of attachment; instead, it's a celebration of the enduring power of love and the memories that come with it. The repeated refrain "you are mine" emphasizes the idea that even if the person is no longer present, they still belong to us in some sense - their memory remains a cherished possession.
The verses describe the ways in which the singer encounters reminders of this lost love in unexpected places. They admit that they sometimes long to hear the person's laughter, but also acknowledge that it's not always possible to reconnect. The final lines of the song - "No it's not an everyday thing / what it's gone it's in the way thing" - suggest that this love is not something that actively affects their present life, but that doesn't mean it's any less significant. Overall, "You Are Mine" is a tender and nostalgic tribute to the ongoing power of a past relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody got someone that they never forget to turn the road with no regret
Everyone has that special person that they always remember, even when they are on a different path in life, without any regret.
a long gone love that never lost its shine
This special person is typically someone who was once romantically involved, but the love still remains even though the relationship is long over.
Everybody got that one that won't fade away, that keeps on taking you back to those days
The memories of this person and the love shared are so strong that they never fade away, always reminding you of the good old days.
a memory that won't be left behind, and you are mine
This special person and the memories they bring are so significant that they will never be forgotten, and this person is always held close to the heart.
You show up in the strangest places, but I haven't seen you been a lifetime of youth
Memories of this person unexpectedly surface in unusual places, but it feels like it's been ages since they were last seen and present in your life.
It ain't a sorrow to see your face, just long enough to make me smile, and then you disappear
Seeing a glimpse of this person is not sad, even though it's fleeting, it brings joy and happiness.
Just sometimes I wanna hear you laughing, but I couldn't call you even if I want to
There are moments when hearing the laughter of this person is all that is desired, but it's not possible to reach out and call them.
Last they heard you were in Cincinnati or Dallas, Los Angeles, I don't have a clue
The location and current situation of this person are unknown, and the last heard was a long time ago.
Distance counts as missing you
Even though apart, the feeling of missing this person is still present and strong.
No, it's not an every day thing, what it's gone it's in the way thing
Missing this person is not an everyday occurrence but rather always present, something that can't be ignored, and can often be in the way of moving on.
and you are mine
This person, with all the memories and emotions that come with them, belongs to the singer and is important to them.
Contributed by Landon A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Thady101
Very beautiful! Good job.
@kimbabbles
beautiful!
@fionavara
so true! nice work!
@SuzanneRodrigues
Really cute! Nice job!
@baggo12
calaisa - you are mine
@Mima181
its a game :P and yes its final fantasy, but i dont know what this game is about sorry :P
@Crazycat606
What is this video game??? I wanna play it !!!
@Argbox
Bad this future/ Ват....
@Thady101
Very beautiful! Good job.