1. An indie pop band from… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least four artists with this name
1. An indie pop band from Scotland
2. A synthpop group from the United Kingdom
3. A hardcore punk band from the United States
4. An electronic music group from France
1. Camera Obscura is an indie pop band which formed in 1996 in Glasgow, Scotland. Currently the band consists of Tracyanne Campbell (vocals, guitar), Kenny McKeeve (guitar), Gavin Dunbar (bass) and Lee Thomson (drums). Keyboardist Carey Lander was a member of the band from 2002 until her death from bone cancer in 2015.
The band was formed in 1996 by Tracyanne Campbell, John Henderson, and Gavin Dunbar and released their debut album Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi in 2001. Camera Obscura released a second album, Underachievers Please Try Harder, the following year, and in September, 2005, the band started recording their next album, named Let's Get Out of This Country, with producer Jari Haapalainen. This album was released on June 06, 2006 and appeared high up in many critical lists of the 'best albums of 2006'.
In November 2008, the band announced that they have completed recording the follow-up to Let's Get Out of This Country, and that the new album would be released in 2009. In February 2009, it was announced that the band had signed to the label 4AD, who released their fourth album, called My Maudlin Career, on April 20, 2009.
http://www.camera-obscura.net/
2. Camera Obscura comprised Nigel James and Peter Oldroyd, and hailed from the UK. The band formed in 1982 and soldiered through record label hardships until 1987, when they went on indefinite hiatus.
‘Destitution’ and ‘Race in Athens’ became the duo’s first single on Small Wonder Records in the spring of 1983, followed by ‘Village of Stars’ b/w ‘Insect’ for the B-side, in London, at the Atmosphere studios on Wardour Street . These tracks were never released and sadly the masters have not survived.
Camera played live extensively at this time and they soldiered on into 1985 with a 4-piece line up (Gary Scargill and Rob Gospel were added) and the Quartet formed Paradise Now in ‘86. Nigel left in ‘87 and was replaced by Steve Wright from “Fiat Lux”. Sadly the band ended there. However, Camera Obscura never officially split up. In 2005, Nigel and Peter dusted off their old material and took to playing shows throughout Europe, finally releasing their lost classic Horizons of Suburbia. All recent Camera Obscura material has been released by German label Anna Louge Records.
http://www.annaloguerecords.com/releases.htm
http://clancamera.com/
3. Camera Obscura is not pulling any punches: they're out to rock you so hard you fall onto the dance floor. The band launches its aural attack using an arsenal comprised of Michelle Maskovich's squealing keyboards, Duane Pitre's mountains of guitar squiggle, William Lamb's thunderous drums, and Russell White's urgent-yet-muffled vocals. Like a dance party during a tornado watch, Camera Obscura throws caution and moderation out the window in favor of thrilling, adventurous sound combinations.
Camera Obscura formed in '98 in San Diego, incorporating members of The Shortwave Channel, The Interstate Ten, and Spanakorzo. The band self-released a seven-inch (now in its fourth pressing on Three One G Records) in October '98 and went on its first U.S. tour in January '99. More touring and recording followed, leading up to the release of their first full-length, 2000's To Change the Shape of an Envelope, on Troubleman Unlimited.
http://www.epitonic.com/index.jsp?refer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epitonic.com%2Fartists%2Fcameraobscura.html
4. 1. Project active in 1982 from Die Form founder, Philippe Fichot. He released three cassettes under the moniker: "1 - "Terrains Vagues"", "2" and "3/Final Edition". Further information can be found here: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Camera+Obscura+%283%29
French Navy
Camera Obscura Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waiting for some words to jump at me
We met by a trick of fate
French navy my sailor mate
We met by the moon on a silvery lake
You came my way
Said, I want you to stay
Said you loved me with a lot of conviction
I was waiting to be struck by lightning
Waiting for somebody exciting
Like you
Oh, the thing that you do
You make me go ooh
With the things that you do (you do, you do)
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
I'll be criticized for lending out my art
I was criticized for letting you break my heart
Why would I stand the disappointed looks
Fully grown but I'm all on tender hooks
Ooh with the looks
On tender hooks
Ooh, with the looks, the looks, the looks
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
Relationships were something I used to do
Convince me they are better for me and you
We met by a trick of fate
French navy, my sailor
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
The opening verse to Camera Obscura's song French Navy paints the picture of a wistful narrator who is seeking inspiration and possibly even romantic love. The singer has spent a week in a dusty library, possibly trying to find some literary spark, when they meet the object of their affection by chance. The sailor that the singer falls in love with is referred to as being a part of the French navy, adding a touch of exoticism and intrigue to their meeting. The lines "We met by the moon on a silvery lake / You came my way / Said, I want you to stay" complement this image of a romantic, fated meeting between the two characters.
The second verse of the song delves further into the singer's thoughts and feelings about the budding relationship. They describe themselves as someone who has been waiting for "somebody exciting" and muses about how their newfound love interest can make them "go ooh" with "the things that you do." However, the singer is also grappling with feeling out of control when it comes to their feelings for the sailor, as evidenced by the repeated refrain "I wanted to control it / But love, I couldn't hold it."
The third verse of the song adds a layer of conflict and vulnerability to the story, as the singer acknowledges that they have been criticized for being too open and vulnerable in their relationships, and that they are now caught up in their feelings for the sailor despite this. They also seem to be struggling with the fact that relationships are not typically something they enjoy, but that they might be willing to make an exception for this particular person. The repetition of "I wanted to control it / But love, I couldn't hold it" throughout the song highlights this feeling of being consumed by emotion, despite any attempts to remain in control.
Line by Line Meaning
Spent a week in a dusty library
I was looking for inspiration in the library, hoping to find something that would make me feel alive.
Waiting for some words to jump at me
I was waiting for something to inspire me, to grab my attention and make my heart race.
We met by a trick of fate
We met each other unexpectedly, as if it were meant to be.
French navy my sailor mate
You became my partner, my soulmate, and together we set sail on the open sea.
We met by the moon on a silvery lake
We encountered each other in a beautiful setting, under the moon's soft glow, surrounded by shimmering water.
You came my way
You appeared in my life, drawing me close to you with your magnetic charm.
Said, I want you to stay
You expressed your desire for me, asking me to be with you and never leave your side.
You with your dietary restrictions
You have certain limitations and requirements, but they don't matter to me because I love you anyway.
Said you loved me with a lot of conviction
You declared your love for me with complete sincerity and certainty, making me believe in the strength of our connection.
I was waiting to be struck by lightning
I was hoping for something extraordinary to happen, for some kind of magical spark to ignite a fire within me.
Waiting for somebody exciting like you
I was waiting for someone who would fill me with excitement and passion, someone who would make me feel alive.
Oh, the thing that you do
You have a way of touching me, of making me feel special and loved.
You make me go ooh
You have a power over me, causing me to feel a rush of pleasure and excitement whenever you're near.
With the things that you do (you do, you do)
You have a way of captivating me, of drawing me in with your charm and your actions.
I wanted to control it
I wanted to keep my emotions and my heart in check, to maintain a sense of stability and control.
But love, I couldn't hold it
But love is too powerful and overwhelming, and it broke through my defenses, making me lose control.
I'll be criticized for lending out my art
I know that people will judge me for sharing my deepest emotions and thoughts, for putting my art out there for others to see.
I was criticized for letting you break my heart
People blamed me for letting you hurt me, for putting myself in a vulnerable position and allowing you to cause me pain.
Why would I stand the disappointed looks
Why should I care about the disapproving judgment of others, when my heart is telling me to follow my own path?
Fully grown but I'm all on tender hooks
I may be an adult, but I still feel vulnerable and uncertain, like I'm on the edge of a cliff, waiting to see what will happen next.
Ooh with the looks
Sometimes the way people look at me, with pity or judgment, can sting and hurt.
On tender hooks
I feel like I'm waiting for something to happen, like I'm always balancing on the edge of uncertainty and fear.
Relationships were something I used to do
I used to treat relationships as something casual, something I could experiment with or take lightly.
Convince me they are better for me and you
But you have made me see the beauty and the value of a deep, meaningful connection, and I am willing to take the risk with you.
We met by a trick of fate
Our love story may seem unlikely, but everything about our meeting and our relationship has been guided by destiny or fate.
French navy, my sailor
You are my partner, my confidante, and my crewmate on this journey called life.
I wanted to control it
I wanted to keep my emotions in check, to maintain a sense of stability and self-possession.
But love, I couldn't hold it
But love is too powerful and all-consuming, and it swept me off my feet, making me surrender to its force.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TRACYANNE CAMPBELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jesusblasmendoza1460
Spent a week in a dusty library
Waiting for some words to jump at me
We met by a trick of fate
French navy my sailor mate
We met by the moon on a silvery lake
You came my way
Said, I want you to stay
You with your dietary restrictions
Said you loved me with a lot of conviction
I was waiting to be struck by lightning
Waiting for somebody exciting
Like you
Oh, the thing that you do
You make me go ooh
With the things that you do (you do, you do)
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
I'll be criticized for lending out my art
I was criticized for letting you break my heart
Why would I stand the disappointed looks
Fully grown but I'm all on tender hooks
Ooh with the looks
On tender hooks
Ooh, with the looks, the looks, the looks
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
Relationships were something I used to do
Convince me they are better for me and you
We met by a trick of fate
French navy, my sailor
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
I wanted to control it
But love, I couldn't hold it
@pascal-janssen
i sometimes miss the early indie folk bands around 2008-2011, like camera obscura, the love language, atlas sound, fleet foxes, grizzly bear, panda bear, deerhunter. bands with forest animals as names apparently lmao. probably nostalgia of careless high school winters :)
@moseses3414
you made my day with all the bands you provided thank you so much
@caolanod2261
Same. Towards the end there, it got really boring and I stopped listening to stations like KEXP.
@margicates553
Rilo kiley, the yeah yeah yeahs, and belle and Sebastian 😍
@nphung
yes. Pre Conde Nast-Pitchfork was a fun time
@Brilleeant
So much this, I'm currently rescuing my old music backup and I'm full of nostalgia, I miss those years so much.
@NoRegretsForOurYouth
Camera Obscura's batting average is off the charts. If you like one of their songs you probably like 90% of them.
@lakshita1408
Cool Hand Luke so true, always said that
@girlgetbeautiful7637
this was one and then there was Hey Lloyd
@brendendavis8596
So true crazy