1) German musician
2) 19… Read Full Bio ↴Elli is the name of more than one artist
1) German musician
2) 1960s-1970s rock
3) an alias of Elisa Tiilikainen
4) lo-fi pop musician from Maryland (alias of Elliot Dean)
5) Vocaloid producer ( 衿)
1) Elli Erl (born Elisabeth Maria Erl on May 25, 1979 in Straubing, Bavaria) is a German musician, who came to fame as the winner of the second season of the television show Deutschland sucht den SuperStar, the German version of Pop Idol.
Erl had a typical childhood growing up in Straubing, Germany with her parents Ludwig and Renate and her brothers Josef (Josey) and Ludwig Jr. In elementary school she started learning the trumpet, piano and the guitar opposite expanding interests in tennis, cycling and skiing. In her late teenage years she became the lead singer of several soul and rock bands, including The Gong FM Band, LOP and the more popular Panta Rei. After her high school graduation Elli decided to become a student teacher and began studying Music and Sports at Regensburg University.
Around the same time, in 2003, she participated in the second season of Deutschland sucht den SuperStar. Because of her massive stage experience, her raspy voice and the unconventional look she was seen as an early favourite by the judges and also by the audience, who enabled her to sing against comrade-in-arms Denise Tillmanns during the final show. However, in the end she beat out runner-up Tillmanns by a margin of 11 per cent. As of 2007 she is the show's only female winner.
Elli's first single "This Is My Life" (written and produced by Dieter Bohlen) was released in April 2004 via BMG. In comparison with "Take Me Tonight", the debut single by first season's winner Alexander Klaws, the song failed to become a big hit and peaked only at #3 on the German single chart. Afterwards Elli decided not to collaborate with Dieter Bohlen once again (as Klaws had done before), caused by personal and musical differences with the judge. She eventually released her self-composed second single "In My Dreams", but neither the single nor her debut album "Shout It Out" could reach the top 30 once again. As a consequence she went on tour with her band Panta Rei for some time.
In winter 2006 Erl's previously unreleased record "Better Than the Best" was chosen to become the Corporate Song for DHL.
After her 2007 Album "Moving On" failed to make an impact she chose to get full creative control over her subsequent work and founded her own record label 1773 Records.
Her third album "Human" is slated for a May 2009 release. Erl has written most of the tracks and played several instruments (acoustic guitar, piano, harmonica and accordion) on the album
"Human"
Open Arms
Elli Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lost without a trace
Whatever happened to the mirror
That showed me a happy face
Whatever happened to sorry
You know it′s never too late
Whatever happened to good things coming
Coming to those who wait
It's not like it used to be
Whatever happened to you
Whatever happened to me
Gotta look myself in the eye
And say it′s gonna be alright
Maybe everything won't be alright
All the time
I've gotta take these chances where they are
It′s gonna be alright
I′ve gotta see things for what they are
At the time
Lost with no place to begin
I'll slowly adjust to the sun just face I′m in
Whatever happened to the list
Of things I wanted to be
Whatever happened to you
Whatever happened to me
Gotta look myself in the eye
And say it's gonna be alright
Maybe everything won′t be alright
All the time
I've gotta take these chances where they are
And it′s gonna be alright
I've gotta see things for what they are
At the time, at the time
Yeah the words are on the seam
Ready to receive
I'm the ocean you′re the stream
Ready to receive
It′s like open arms to me
Ready to, ready to receive
Gotta look myself in the eye
And say it's gonna be alright
Maybe everything won′t be alright
All the time
No, I've gotta take these chances where they are
And it′s gonna be alright
I've gotta see things for what they are
At the time
I′ve gotta see things for what they are
At the time,
At the time
The lyrics of Elli's song "Open Arms" touch on themes of introspection, nostalgia, and self-acceptance. The opening lines lament the disappearance of truth and the loss of a positive self-image. The singer wonders what happened to the mirror that used to reflect a happy face, and questions the absence of apologies and good things coming to those who wait. The mention of the city not being the same suggests a broader disillusionment with the world.
In the chorus, the singer confronts themselves and asserts the need to look in the mirror and tell themselves that everything will be alright, even if it won't be all the time. They understand the importance of seizing opportunities as they come, and accepting things for what they are in the present moment. The lyrics suggest a sense of lostness, but also a determination to navigate through it.
The bridge introduces a more positive perspective, with the words being ready to be received like a message. The comparison of the singer to the ocean and the listener to the stream conveys a sense of openness and readiness to connect. The mention of "open arms" reinforces this idea, suggesting a willingness to embrace whatever comes their way.
Overall, "Open Arms" is a song that reflects on the uncertainties and challenges of life, while also emphasizing the importance of self-assurance, adaptation, and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
Whatever happened to truth
What happened to honesty and authenticity?
Lost without a trace
Disappeared completely, leaving no clues or evidence behind
Whatever happened to the mirror
What happened to the reflection that used to show a happy face?
That showed me a happy face
That displayed a joyful expression
Whatever happened to sorry
What happened to expressing remorse or regret?
You know it's never too late
You are aware that it is always possible to make amends
Whatever happened to good things coming
What happened to positive outcomes arriving
Coming to those who wait
Rewarding those who are patient
Whatever happened to this city
What occurred to change the state of this urban area?
It's not like it used to be
It has changed significantly from its previous state
Whatever happened to you
What happened to you as an individual?
Whatever happened to me
What happened to me personally?
Gotta look myself in the eye
I need to confront and face myself directly
And say it's gonna be alright
Assure myself that everything will be fine
Maybe everything won't be alright
Perhaps not everything will be okay
All the time
Throughout every moment
I've gotta take these chances where they are
I must seize opportunities as they present themselves
It's gonna be alright
Things will turn out fine
I've gotta see things for what they are
I need to perceive situations as they truly are
At the time
In that particular moment
Lost with no place to begin
Confused and uncertain, not knowing where to start
I'll slowly adjust to the sun just face I'm in
I will gradually adapt to the reality I find myself in
Whatever happened to the list
What became of the list containing my aspirations?
Of things I wanted to be
Of the dreams and ambitions I had
Yeah the words are on the seam
The words are teetering on the edge
Ready to receive
Prepared to accept or understand
I'm the ocean you're the stream
I am vast and powerful, while you are smaller and part of me
It's like open arms to me
It feels welcoming and accepting
Gotta look myself in the eye
I need to confront and be honest with myself
No, I've gotta take these chances where they are
No, I must seize opportunities as they come
And it's gonna be alright
And everything will be fine
I've gotta see things for what they are
I need to perceive situations as they truly are
At the time
In that specific moment
I've gotta see things for what they are
I need to perceive situations as they truly are
At the time
In that particular moment
Writer(s): Jonathan Cain, Stephen Ray Perry
Contributed by Charlie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.