The band's figureheads and main songwriters were Jelle Paulusma (lead vocals) and Anne Soldaat (guitar, vocals). Critics often heard echoes of early Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield and other sixties bands from the American west in Daryll-Ann's particular blend of indie rock.
After an initial EP (Decibel, 1991) and début album (Renko, 1992) on tiny domestic labels, the band drew the attention of Hut, the indie branch of Virgin Records. The I Could Never Love You and Come Around EP's (1993 and 1994, respectively) were praised by critics in Holland and the U.K. The group toured Europe and their first full-length album for Hut, Seaborne West (1995), even saw a U.S. release. It received rave reviews in the U.K. music press.
Due to disappointing sales, however, the band was dropped by Hut and joined the respected Dutch indie label Excelsior Recordings, for which they continued to release albums to huge critical acclaim (but moderate commercial success). A small international cult following continued to follow the band, so that some of their Excelsior releases were also put out internationally.
Daryll-Ann's studio albums for Excelsior Recordings:
Daryll-Ann Weeps (1996)
Happy Traum (1999)
Trailer Tales (2002)
Don't Stop (2003)
Excelsior also released a limited edition live album, entitled DA Live (2000).
The band decided to call it a day in 2004. Frontman Jelle Paulusma resurfaced two years later with his first solo album, using his his family name Paulusma as his moniker, whereas guitarist Anne Soldaat went on to form the band Do The Undo (self-titled début album released in 2007) and subsequently started recording under his own name, Anne Soldaat.
2014 saw Daryll-Ann's eagerly anticipated re-formation: original line-up, no new new material, old songs only. The band's brief reunion and farewell tour of The Netherlands received rave reviews.
On April 24, 2022, the band reunited once again, this time for one night only, to perform at Paradiso during the 25th anniversary party of Excelsior Recordings.
Borderland
Daryll-Ann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hooray to every ball
All that he wants
Is to be part of the winners
Who capture their moments of luck
In bending for hours on the river
On the river
Greet every day with a smile
Oh I don't need
The rage of a sinner
With a mind of his own
And the grace of the winner
Who captures his moments of luck
There is winter everyday
Inside the heart of the maniac
And rivers frozen over
Ice is growing
For at least this merry winter
In the hearts
Of those related to the brace
For every river bears his autograph
He rides them all
At least this merry winter
Keeps him going
Tranquilizes on a journey back
It really turns him on
Yeah, it really turns him on
It really turns him on
Oh I don't need
The rage of a sinner
With a mind of his own
And the grace of the winner
Who captures his moments of luck
In bending for hours on the river
On the river, on the river
Yeah yeah yeah on the river
On the river
The song Borderland by Daryll-Ann is a highly metaphorical piece about the pursuit of success and the joy of the process. The lyrics start off with an optimistic tone, celebrating every good thing in life, every miracle and every ball. The singer of the song longs to be part of the winners, those who are lucky enough to capture their moments of luck, just like how one bends for hours on the river to catch fish.
The second verse takes the song to a cold, wintry wonderland where the singer greets every day with a smile. The lyrics paint a picture of a maniacal heart that is frozen, just like the rivers in the winter. However, this doesn't bring him down because the ice that's growing in his heart during this merry winter is something that he cherishes. The singer seems to find himself amongst the brace, those who are daring enough to ride every river, and leave their autographs as a reminder of their journey.
The song concludes with the same verse as the first, re-emphasizing the desire to be a part of the winners who capture their moments of luck. This time, however, the focus is on the river, the place where the singer spends hours bending to catch fish. Overall, the song is a celebration of the struggle and the passion that comes with trying to succeed, rather than just the end result.
Line by Line Meaning
Hooray to every miracle
Celebrating and acknowledging every miracle that life brings
Hooray to every ball
Enjoying every happy moment and being grateful for them
All that he wants
Is to be part of the winners
Who capture their moments of luck
The desire to be among the successful people who make the most of their good luck opportunities
In bending for hours on the river
On the river
Spending extended periods of time on the river, perhaps fishing or carrying out some other activity
Far out in winter wonderland
Greet every day with a smile
Being in a winter environment and choosing a positive, happy attitude to make the most of it
Oh I don't need
The rage of a sinner
With a mind of his own
And the grace of the winner
Who captures his moments of luck
Prefer not to have the negative attitude of a sinner and instead adopt the graceful approach of a winner who knows how to take advantage of opportunities
There is winter everyday
Inside the heart of the maniac
And rivers frozen over
Ice is growing
For at least this merry winter
In the hearts
Of those related to the brace
For every river bears his autograph
He rides them all
At least this merry winter
Keeps him going
Tranquilizes on a journey back
It really turns him on
Yeah, it really turns him on
It really turns him on
For some, winter never truly leaves their heart and they take pride in leaving their mark on every river they traverse, experiencing a sense of satisfaction and excitement in doing so.
Yeah yeah yeah on the river
On the river
Reiterating the joy and excitement of being on the river
Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHANNES A. JELLE PAULUSMA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind