Her father is Italian and her mother Icelandic. Emilíana grew up in Kópavogur where, at the age of 7, she joined a choir as a soprano. She continued with the choir until she went to opera school at the age of 15. Later she worked as waitress at her father's restaurant. In 1994, Emilíana became well-known at the age of 17 after winning the song competition for junior college students (Icelandic: Söngkeppni framhaldsskólanna), singing "I Will Survive".
Prior to her appearance on the worldwide stage, she released 3 other albums in Iceland: Spoon in 1994, Crouçie D'où Là in 1995, and Merman in 1996. Emilíana also worked with trip-hop group Gus Gus on their debut Polydistortion (1997) on two songs: Is Jesus Your Pal? and Why?.
Later Torrini continues to collaborate with other artists, notably composing Kylie Minogue's international #1 track Slow with Dan Carey in 2003, and providing the voice for Gollum's Song, the closing theme for the film "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers". Also in 2002, she sang vocals on Paul Oakenfold's song Hold Your Hand taken from his Bunkka album.
In 2003 she collaborated with Thievery Corporation on two songs Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes and Until the Morning from The Richest Man in Babylon (2005), and Slovo's debut album, Nommo.
Emilíana Torrini released her international debut album, Love In The Time Of Science in November 1999. This trip-hop album was produced by Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears. Four singles were issued: Dead Things, Baby Blue, To Be Free, and Unemployed in Summertime.
Working with Dan Carey, her second major album release released in 2005, Fisherman's Woman, signified a departure from her earlier electronic roots to an acoustic-folk sound; applying the ethereal beauty of her voice in a much more intimate setting, reminiscent of the work of Nick Drake and fellow Icelanders múm. The singles Lifesaver, Sunnyroad, and Heartstopper supported the album.
Her third album, Me and Armini was released on 8 September 2008, to generally good reviews. The album was promoted by three singles: Me and Armini, Big Jumps, and Jungle Drum. The single Jungle Drum became Emilíana's most successful song, reaching #1 in Iceland, Austria, Belgium, Germany, #5 on Finland, and #11 in Switzerland.
Her fourth international studio album, Tookah was released in 2013.
http://www.emilianatorrini.com/
Torrini has lately worked with Canada's Kid Koala, providing vocals on the ambient album Music To Draw To: Satellite, released in January 2017.
The album is described as "...his first non sample-based album, with all the instruments and effects being manipulated by him and him alone) and lyricist (a collaboration with Icelandic vocalist Emilíana Torrini, who somehow makes this sometimes stark, often celestial-sounding record even more chilling with her captivating performances on tracks like "Collapser" and "Adrift") — is able to transport listeners to the depths of space, or wherever their imagination wills them, with ease."
http://exclaim.ca/music/article/kid_koala-music_to_draw_to_satellite
Dead Things
Emilíana Torrini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're both alone
What's the problem
I don't know
We're the same height
The same eyes
But you can't borrow my clothes all the time
Dead things
Sad things have to happen
Sometimes
I let the snow
Melt in my mouth
Until my head hurts
Until I'm out
Makes me laugh a bit
Makes me cry
Same way you confuse me all the time
Bad things
Dead things
Sad things have to happen
Bad things
Dead things
Sad things have to happen
Bad things
Dead things
Sad things have to happen
Sometimes
Sometimes
Sometimes
Sometimes
The song "Dead Things" by Emiliana Torrini expresses a sense of loneliness and disconnection from the world. The first verse establishes a similarity between the singer and the person she's addressing - they are both alone, but there's a problem that she can't quite pinpoint. The second verse goes on to describe an unusual sensation of letting snow melt in her mouth until it hurts, which seems to bring both laughter and tears. This pattern is then repeated with the chorus, where the repeated phrase "bad things, dead things, sad things have to happen" conveys a certain inevitability and acceptance of life's difficulties.
One interpretation of these lyrics is that the singer is trying to make sense of her own emotions by looking for commonalities with someone else who's going through similar experiences. However, the fact that they can't necessarily "borrow each other's clothes" suggests that there are still differences and boundaries between them. The reference to "dead things" could be seen as a nod to the fact that we all have to face mortality and loss at some point, while the imagery of melting snow in the mouth could represent a desire to escape or numb oneself from that reality.
Line by Line Meaning
You're like me
You and I are similar
We're both alone
We are both on our own
What's the problem
I don't understand what the issue is
I don't know
I truly don't have the answer
We're the same height
We have the same stature
The same eyes
Our eyes are identical
But you can't borrow my clothes all the time
However, you cannot keep using my clothes frequently
Bad things
Tragic events happen
Dead things
Things that have ceased to exist can occur
Sad things have to happen
Unhappy events are inevitable
Sometimes
On certain occasions
I let the snow
I allow the snow
Melt in my mouth
To liquefy in my mouth
Until my head hurts
Until it gives me a headache
Until I'm out
Till it gets out of hand
Makes me laugh a bit
This amuses me slightly
Makes me cry
It also makes me cry
Same way you confuse me all the time
Just like how you always perplex me
Sometimes
On certain occasions
Sometimes
On certain occasions
Sometimes
On certain occasions
Bad things
Tragic events happen
Dead things
Things that have ceased to exist can occur
Sad things have to happen
Unhappy events are inevitable
Bad things
Tragic events happen
Dead things
Things that have ceased to exist can occur
Sad things have to happen
Unhappy events are inevitable
Sometimes
On certain occasions
Sometimes
On certain occasions
Sometimes
On certain occasions
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EMILIANA TORRINI, FRANCIS EG WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AndresDavid88
You're like me
We're both alone
What's the problem
I don't know
We're the same height
The same eyes
But you can't borrow my clothes all the time
Bad things
Dead things
Sad things have to happen
Sometimes
I let the snow
Melt in my mouth
Until my head hurts
Until I'm out
Makes me laugh a bit
Makes me cry
Same way you confuse me all the time
Bad things
Dead things
Sad things have to happen
Bad things
Dead things
Sad things have to happen
Bad things
Dead things
Sad things have to happen
Sometimes
Sometimes
Sometimes
Sometimes
@SS-gx7tg
Man the production on this song just takes me to a totally different headspace, really crazy how good this particular song is
@Oatmealintheam
Absolutely brilliant
This woman is ethereal.
This video hits all the right receptors.
@mcmurdostation7134
Till now everything she made especially in the earlier years, are so purely art, i love her so much definitely so underrated love that i always come back to her after 10 Years :)
@cristianmendoza4983
i used to love this song in 2000. a great remenbering from the trip hop music from the 90S. nowadays theres no music like this.
@Vincenzo-wn1or
I reckon it's still there but it gets clumped with chill hop? Maybe?
@mayaparker1877
Long time I haven't heard this song, still love the atmosphere... just something about it...
@mcmurdostation7134
This is my favourite every year I will come back to this, hi!
@claudiameyer8715
Still one of my favorites. It's so beautiful... 🖤
@Vincenzo-wn1or
The video is just genuis! .. A cross between David Lynch and Tarantino vibe
@corysheldon7516
So unique. Of all the ideas you could have come up with for this song. Really a bit of subtle (and briefly not so subtle) brilliance.