Cookies n' Beans are three Swedish girls with country in their hearts. Thre… Read Full Bio ↴Cookies n' Beans are three Swedish girls with country in their hearts. Three girls with incredible voices;
powerful, soulful, personal. Three girls with guitars and harmonicas.
Add to that a contageous energy on stage and you have “Cookies n' Beans”:
Charlotte Centervall, Linda Ström and Frida Öhrn.

On February 14th 2009 they will perform their song "What If" at the Swedish Eurovision Song Contest in Skellefteå.

The story of Cookies n' Beans takes us back to 2003 and a small basement in the Southern part of Stockholm, the indeed modest venue for their first gig. It was just meant to be an entertaining evening for friends and family, but the feedback and the sensation of playing together was just too overwhelming to let it end there.

This evening became the start of a more or less neverending tour, and by now they have made over 200 gigs in Sweden and Europe. In the fall of 2008 they won the category ”Alternative Country” at the prestigeous Swedish Country Music Championship, that took place in Sälen / Sweden.

The music of Cookies n' Beans is made out of heart and soul – they are heart and soul When three strong, personal voices find harmony, without having to compromise with their own expression, pure magic is bound to happen. Testimonies reveal that more than once large, big bearded men with tattoos have bursted into tears while listening to the Cookies playing live.

But they don’t just serve heartbreaking ballads: They also play raw and sweaty country music songs that make it impossible to stand still!

Among the more significant influences you will find artists like the brilliant Dolly Parton, Lucinda Williams and her appealing harshness, Gram Parson and Emmylou Harris with her characteristic touch of sadness.

During the spring of 2009 the band will be recording their second album (title tbc), and right now they are in the midst of the creative process. But first things first – The Swedish Eurovision Song Contest:

”It will be such great fun to participate in this beloved, nation wide music festivity! It’s wonderful that we get to play ”What If”, and with that get a possibilty to spread our joy and our music.”

What If
Cookies N Beans Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When time goes by in a disarray
And thoughts collide every step of the way
It's hard to stand your ground again
When you feel you're being betrayed

You need someone that can point the way
To lead you past all the shades of grey
To show you where you need to be

The means to save the day

Ohh-oh, I don't know how it feels to always wanna run
And I don't know what it means to be dying just to live

What if you were left with a stone cold heart?
And you were all alone, just fallin' apart?
Would you rise again? Would you rise again?
What if hope was lost for a hundred days?
And you feel your life was just slippin' away?
Would you rise again? Would you rise again?
What if?

When dreams are made of the simple stuff
The right to choose and to say enough
When all you want is life again
It's hard to be that tough, oh

I don't know how it feels to always wanna run
And I don't know what it means to be dying just to live

What if you were left with a stone cold heart?
And you were all alone, just fallin' apart?
Would you rise again? Would you rise again?
What if hope was lost for a hundred days?
And you feel your life was just slippin' away?
Would you rise again? Would you rise again?
What if?

What if you were left with a stone cold heart?
And you were all alone, just fallin' apart?
Would you rise again? Would you rise again?
What if hope was lost for a hundred days?
And you feel your life was just slippin' away?

Would you rise again? Would you rise again?
What if? What if

Overall Meaning

The song "What If" by Cookies N Beans is about the struggle of dealing with difficulties and hardships, and the need for someone to guide you during those tough times. When our thoughts are all over the place and life seems to be a chaotic mess, it becomes harder to find clarity and to stand strong in the face of betrayal. The lyrics show a deep longing for someone who could help the singer see the way past the "shades of grey" and to figure out where they need to go.

The chorus is repetitive and features the question "What if?" which is used to ponder the possibilities of what could happen if one were to lose all hope and feel like their life is slipping away. The lyrics ask whether someone would be able to rise again if they had a "stone cold heart" and were all alone, falling apart. This hypothetical scenario seems to be an exploration of the limits of human resilience and the power of hope to pull us back up when we're at rock bottom.

In the verse, the song talks about how dreams are made of simple things, like having the right to choose and say "enough". It's hard to be tough and keep fighting when everything seems to be pushing you down. The lyrics reflect the idea that life isn't always easy, and we need someone to show us the way out of the darkness.

Line by Line Meaning

When time goes by in a disarray
When life becomes chaotic and unpredictable

And thoughts collide every step of the way
Your mind feels jumbled and unclear as you try to navigate through life

It's hard to stand your ground again
It's difficult to regain your footing and feel stable again

When you feel you're being betrayed
When someone you trusted has let you down or turned against you

You need someone that can point the way
You need guidance or support from a trusted friend or advisor

To lead you past all the shades of grey
To help you navigate through the uncertainty and ambiguity in life

To show you where you need to be
To offer direction and clarity to help you find your way

The means to save the day
The resources or tools needed to overcome a difficult situation

Ohh-oh, I don't know how it feels to always wanna run
The artist does not understand the experience of always feeling the need to escape or run away

And I don't know what it means to be dying just to live
The artist does not understand the feeling of being alive but feeling empty or hopeless

What if you were left with a stone cold heart?
What if you lost the ability to love and care for others?

And you were all alone, just fallin' apart?
What if you were completely isolated and struggling to keep yourself together?

Would you rise again? Would you rise again?
Would you be able to overcome your struggles and keep going?

What if hope was lost for a hundred days?
What if you felt hopeless and lost for a long period of time?

And you feel your life was just slippin' away?
What if you felt like you were losing control of your life?

When dreams are made of the simple stuff
When your aspirations are based on basic needs and desires

The right to choose and to say enough
The ability to make choices for yourself and set boundaries when needed

When all you want is life again
When all you want is to feel alive and happy again

It's hard to be that tough, oh
It's difficult to maintain strength and resilience during tough times