The band is fronted by singer/composer Gustav Ejstes, who writes all music and plays the majority of instruments on the band's records. Despite this, Dungen plays live as a four-piece. Gustav, who in his teens started his songwriting with hip hop, is backed live by Swedish progressive rock veteran Reine Fiske (Landberk, Morte Macabre, Paatos, The Guild) on guitar, bassist Mattias Gustavsson (Life On Earth!), and drummer Fredrik Björling (The Guild)-- all of whom have played parts on Dungen's studio albums.
Following two vinyl album releases on Swedish record label Subliminal Sounds, Dungen briefly signed to Dolores Recordings (a subset of Virgin Records) in 2002, on which they released the CD Stadsvandringar and three singles, including one for Djungelboken 2 (the Swedish version of The Jungle Book 2). Gustav soon returned to his friend's independent record label Subliminal Sounds, stating that a major label did not feel right because Dungen is not a pop act.
Although Dungen's songs are sung entirely in Swedish, 2004's Ta Det Lugnt received great acclaim within indie rock circles and established the band's international reputation. This resulted in the band headlining two US tours and landing distribution deals in the US and UK. Dungen also performed their song "Panda" on the popular NBC television talk show Late Night With Conan O'Brien. In 2006, Dungen played at the famous Bonnaroo music festival and has also toured with Wolfmother and the Tucker B's around Australia.
Dungen released their third studio album, Tio Bitar on April 25, 2007 but did not tour in support of it.
The group's next long-player, entitled 4 was released on the 30th of september 2008.
In 2010 Dungen released their fifth studio album, Skit i allt.
Mon Amour
Dungen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Och som det goda på sin kant och lovar att inte störa
Det dagliga lunket i mörker och dunkel
Skiner sällan skådat ljus över land och jord
Låt mig slippa bero på allt som dom sa att dom ville att allt skulle bli
Det blev ingenting alls eller ens lite likt som dom ville ha deras liv
Nu är allting förstört men ändrar sig fort och jag sörjer i alla fall
En stil som är hal gör sig påmind som sig ofta bör
Och som det goda på sin kant och lovar att inte störa
Det dagliga lunket i mörker och dunkel
Skiner sällan skådat ljus över land och jord
Låt mig slippa bero på allt som dom sa att dom ville att allt skulle bli
Det blev ingenting alls eller ens lite likt som dom ville ha deras liv
Nu är allting förstört men ändrar sig fort och jag sörjer i alla fall
The lyrics of Dungen's song Mon Amour speak of the feeling of being haunted by something that is incurably painful, and how it affects the mundanity of life, which usually promises not to interfere with such emotions. It is an acknowledgement of the difficulty of coping with this feeling and the resulting darkness that envelops the world around, which makes it hard to find any light or hope in it.
The lines "Låt mig slippa bero på allt som dom sa att dom ville att allt skulle bli" (Let me not depend on everything they said they wanted everything to be) suggests that the pain is linked to a certain expectation or ideal that has been shattered, leaving the singer feeling lost and disconnected from what was once their reality. The last line "Nu är allting förstört men ändrar sig fort och jag sörjer i alla fall" (Now everything is destroyed but it changes quickly and I mourn anyway) reflects the contradictory nature of the experience of pain and loss, as it simultaneously feels all-consuming and fleeting.
Overall, the song creates a beautifully melancholic atmosphere, and its lyrics capture the sense of despair and decay that comes with loss. It is a reflection on the fragility of life, the inevitability of change, and the complex emotions that accompany them.
Line by Line Meaning
Nåt obotligt ont gör sig påmind som sig ofta bör
Something incurably bad reminds itself as it often does
Och som det goda på sin kant och lovar att inte störa
And as the good stays on its side, promising not to disturb
Det dagliga lunket i mörker och dunkel
The daily trot in darkness and obscurity
Skiner sällan skådat ljus över land och jord
Rarely does an unprecedented light shine over the earth
Låt mig slippa bero på allt som dom sa att dom ville att allt skulle bli
Let me avoid depending on everything they said they wanted everything to be
Det blev ingenting alls eller ens lite likt som dom ville ha deras liv
Nothing at all or even a bit like they wanted their lives
Nu är allting förstört men ändrar sig fort och jag sörjer i alla fall
Now everything is destroyed but changes quickly and I still mourn
En stil som är hal gör sig påmind som sig ofta bör
A style that is unsure asserts itself as it often does
Och som det goda på sin kant och lovar att inte störa
And as the good stays on its side, promising not to disturb
Det dagliga lunket i mörker och dunkel
The daily trot in darkness and obscurity
Skiner sällan skådat ljus över land och jord
Rarely does an unprecedented light shine over the earth
Låt mig slippa bero på allt som dom sa att dom ville att allt skulle bli
Let me avoid depending on everything they said they wanted everything to be
Det blev ingenting alls eller ens lite likt som dom ville ha deras liv
Nothing at all or even a bit like they wanted their lives
Nu är allting förstört men ändrar sig fort och jag sörjer i alla fall
Now everything is destroyed but changes quickly and I still mourn
Writer(s): Gustav Ejstes
Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@eliasonoramacelular
♥
@dannyapeshit
Fuck Yea!! If anyone wants to know the difference between Tame Impala and Dungen it's this, Tame Impala can't rock this hard or jam this crazy.