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
The Dirty Dozens
Emilíana Torrini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And shake yo shimmy like i'm shakin' mine
You shake yo shimmy and you shake it fast
If you can't shake the shimmy, shake it yes yes yes
And you'sa dirty mistreatin' robber and a-cheatin'
Strip you in a desert and you pop aint yo cousin
And you mama do the lordylord
You're to go with pop and runnin' round the field
Slippin' and a-slidin' like an automobile
I hollared at poppa and told him to wait
He slipped away from me just like a cadillac snake
'Cause he's a rotten mistreater, robber and a cheater
Slip you with a dozen, yo pop aint yo cousin'
And you mama do the lordylord!
Now i liked yo uncle, liked yo brother too
I did like yo papa but yo papa wouldn't do
I met yo' daddy on the carn the other day
You know about that 'cause he was funny that way
'Cause he's a funny mistreater, robber and a cheater
Strip you in a dozen, yo pop is yo cousin
Yo mama do the lordylord!
Now God made'em an elephant, he made him stout
Wasn't satisfied until he made him a snout
Made him a snout just as long as a rail
Wasn't satisfied until he made him a tail
Made him a tail just to find the flies
Wasn't satisfied until he made him some eyes
Made him some eyes just to look on the grass
He wasn't satisfied until he made his yes-yes
Made his yes-yes-yes, did he get fixed
He wasn't satisfied until he made him sick
He made him sick, oh lord, he made him well
You know about that 'cause the elephant cried out
He's a funny mistreater, robber and a cheater
Strip you in a dozen, yo pop is yo cousin
Yo maaaaaama do the loooooordylooooord!
Wooooo!
In Emilíana Torrini's song The Dirty Dozens, she calls on all the men to line up and shake their shimmy just like she's doing. The song has a playful tone to it as she pokes fun at men who mistreat, cheat, and rob, calling them "dirty mistreatin' robbers and cheaters". She also hints at a romantic interest in some of the men, declaring that she liked their uncle and brother but not their father because "he was funny that way."
The song takes an unexpected turn when Emilíana starts to speak about God creating the elephant. She describes how God made various parts of the elephant, such as its snout, tail and eyes, but wasn't satisfied until he made the yes-yes. Then, she says that God made the elephant sick and well, and the elephant cries out that he's a funny mistreater, robber and cheater. It's unclear what the overarching message of the song is or how the two parts of the song are connected, but it's a playful and energetic tune nonetheless.
Line by Line Meaning
I want all you manfolk to fall in line
I am commanding all the men to follow my lead
And shake yo shimmy like i'm shakin' mine
Shake your body in the same way I am shaking mine
You shake yo shimmy and you shake it fast
Move your body quickly and energetically
If you can't shake the shimmy, shake it yes yes yes
If you cannot do the shimmy, move your body in any other way you can
And you'sa dirty mistreatin' robber and a-cheatin'
You are an untrustworthy and dishonest person
Strip you in a desert and you pop ain't yo cousin
You deserve severe punishment, even if you are related to the person
And you mama do the lordylord
And your mother is not any different from you
You're to go with pop and runnin' round the field
You are expected to go with your father and play outside
Slippin' and a-slidin' like an automobile
Running around so fast that you slide like a car
I hollared at poppa and told him to wait
I shouted at my father and asked him to stop
He slipped away from me just like a cadillac snake
He managed to escape from me quickly, like a snake moves
Now i liked yo uncle, liked yo brother too
I am fond of your uncle and brother
I did like yo papa but yo papa wouldn't do
I was attracted to your father, but he did not reciprocate my feelings
I met yo' daddy on the carn the other day
I saw your father at a carnival recently
You know about that 'cause he was funny that way
You may be aware of it because he displayed strange behavior
Now God made'em an elephant, he made him stout
God created an elephant and made it strong and sturdy
Wasn't satisfied until he made him a snout
God continued to add features to the elephant, such as a long nose
Made him a snout just as long as a rail
The elephant's nose was very long, comparable to a railroad track
Wasn't satisfied until he made him a tail
God then added a tail to the elephant
Made him a tail just to find the flies
The elephant's tail was meant to swat away flies
Wasn't satisfied until he made him some eyes
God added eyes so the elephant could see
Made him some eyes just to look on the grass
The elephant's eyes were meant to help it see the grass it eats
He wasn't satisfied until he made his yes-yes
God then added the ability for the elephant to say 'yes'
Made his yes-yes-yes, did he get fixed
The elephant was able to say 'yes' multiple times, as if it was 'fixed'
He wasn't satisfied until he made him sick
God even added the ability for the elephant to become ill
He made him sick, oh lord, he made him well
God had control over the elephant's health, making it sick and well
You know about that 'cause the elephant cried out
You can know this because the elephant made noise and expressed its emotions
He's a funny mistreater, robber and a cheater
The elephant can be seen as humorous, but also deceitful and dangerous
Strip you in a dozen, yo pop is yo cousin
Even if you are related, you will suffer consequences for your actions
Yo maaaaaama do the loooooordylooooord!
Your mother is no exception to this and will also face judgement
Wooooo!
Expressing enthusiasm for the song or the message conveyed
Contributed by Elizabeth V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marthe Geluk
I love this song
Paul Manton
Awsome
princeollie82
You better SANG!!!