The press has likened Landes to "the grand old dames of country" and in the same breath The Black Keys and The White Stripes (Uncut). She’s also garnered comparisons to Cat Power and Pavement, an interesting mix that made even NPR’s David Dye wonder.
Raised in the fertile musical fields of Branson, Missouri and Louisville, Kentucky, Landes came to New York City in 1999 and did a cannonball into the music scene. While holding down several jobs to pay the rent, she abandoned university (NYU) and began to intern at some of the best studios in the city. "I had very little experience", she says. "I was just really, really curious. Dangerously curious in the studio… I picked heros like Tchad Blake and Brian Wilson and took a flying leap."
What started as a job getting coffee for engineers has blossomed into a truly enviable resume; among others she has worked with Phillip Glass, Ryan Adams, Hem, Joseph Arthur, The Earlies and Josh Ritter in the studio. Working late into the night, and often sleeping at the same studios she was interning in, Dawn began producing and recording her own songs after hours. "I wanted to get the sounds in my head onto tape exactly as I heard them. And that’s not an easy thing, there are a lot of sounds in there!"
After meeting the band Hem in the studio, Landes joined them on the road as an 8th band member (vocals and glockenspeil) and opening act. Her performing career started to gain speed. Her first full-length, «dawn’s music» was released in France in 2005, followed by extensive touring in Europe and two other European releases; «234» a 7-song EP released in the UK and finally «Fireproof», released worldwide in 2007. Since then her music has become the stuff of whispers and internet buzz, and her touring schedule has put her on the road with artists such as Feist, Jose Gonzales, Midlake, Suzanne Vega, Martha Wainright, The Swell Season…(the list goes on) At times solo, at times with a revolving cast of musical guests, her shows have the guileless and vibrant quality of a work of art in constant creation.
Landes penned the end-credit song for the movie «Savage Grace» starring Julianne Moore and plucked the WST Bluegrass band from a BBQ in Austin, TX to help her record her version of the Peter, Bjorn and John classic, «Young Folks.» Rumor has it, James Blunt liked it so much he covered dawns cover of the song! In 2007 Landes became the co-partner, designer and full-time dry-waller of Saltlands Studio in Brooklyn. «What if we get bored?» Dawn sings in the Fireproof gem, «Kids in a Play.»
As a solo artist, Landes has put out a number of albums:
* Dawn’s Music (self-released-US/Ocean Music-Europe) 2002
* two, three, four (Boy Scout recordings-UK) 2006
* Fireproof (Cooking Vinyl-US/Fargo Music-Europe) 2008
* Sweetheart Rodeo (Cooking Vinyl) 2010
Official Website: www.dawnlandes.com
Clown
Dawn Landes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got caught with your guard down
I saw you dancing around
You know how to shake that thing
Running round and round the ring
You'd chase anything
You'd chase anything
Clap your hands in the air
Play the fool, you don't care
People gonna laugh and stare
Ha ha ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha ha
Rob from always on the run is so bad and copy paste is a sin
Hey, hey, you're such a clown
Got caught with your guard down
I saw you dancing around
In Dawn Landes's song, "Clown," the singer is addressing someone who they believe to be acting foolishly. The lyrics, "Hey, hey, you're such a clown/Got caught with your guard down/I saw you dancing around," suggest that this person is not taking things seriously and is not aware of their surroundings. The phrase "caught with your guard down" means caught off guard or not prepared for something.
The singer seems to have a mixture of admiration and bemusement towards this person, as evidenced by the lines, "You know how to shake that thing/Running round and round the ring/You'd chase anything/You'd chase anything." They acknowledge that this person is a skilled performer or dancer, but also point out that they seem to lack focus and direction. The chorus, with its repeated "ha ha ha's," further emphasizes the singer's amusement and enjoyment of the situation.
The later lines, "Rob from always on the run is so bad and copy paste is a sin," are a bit of an enigma. These seem to be unrelated pop culture references that don't fit neatly into the rest of the song's narrative. It's possible that they're meant to signal the singer's own sense of detachment from the situation, or perhaps they're meant to be read more straightforwardly as criticisms of dishonesty and lack of creativity, respectively.
Overall, "Clown" is a catchy, upbeat song that explores themes of performance and self-awareness.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hey, you're such a clown
Addressing someone who comes across as foolish and naive.
Got caught with your guard down
Being caught in a vulnerable state or unprepared for a situation.
I saw you dancing around
Observing the person trying to hide their true feelings or intentions.
You know how to shake that thing
Acknowledging the person's skill in presenting themselves in an entertaining way.
Running round and round the ring
Engaging in repetitive and unproductive behavior.
You'd chase anything
Being easily distracted and going after anything that catches their attention.
Clap your hands in the air
Encouraging the person to continue their performance.
Play the fool, you don't care
Pretending to act foolish or silly in order to gain attention.
People gonna laugh and stare
Expecting others to react in amusement or ridicule.
Ha ha ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha ha
Emphasizing the laughter and amusement at the person's behavior.
Rob from always on the run is so bad and copy paste is a sin
Possibly a statement about the negative aspects of taking things without proper credit or originality.
Hey, hey, you're such a clown
Repeating the opening line to emphasize the person's behavior.
Got caught with your guard down
Once again emphasizing vulnerability or being caught off guard.
I saw you dancing around
Repeating earlier observation for emphasis.
Writer(s): Dawn Landes Copyright: Touch Tones Music Ltd.
Contributed by Muhammad V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.