He grew up list… Read Full Bio ↴Erlend Øye was born on 21 November, 1975, in Bergen.
He grew up listening to Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake, Suzanne Vega and The Smiths. During high school in the mid-'90s, he and some friends formed the band Skog ("forest" in Norwegian), taking inspiration from A Forest by The Cure. In 1996, he joined the band Peachfuzz as electric guitarist, playing several times in London between 1996 and 1998. In 1998, he moved to London, and then in 1999 to Manchester.
When he was back home in Bergen for vacations he jammed with Eirik Glambek Bøe, his former high-school and Skog mate. The duo formed Kings of Convenience in 1998 and released the debut record, Quiet is the New Loud, in 2001. In the same period, he collaborated with the electronic Norwegian duo Röyksopp, lending his voice for the song Poor Leno and Remind Me on the record Melody A.M.. As a result, he became interested in electronic music. He spent the next years either in Berlin or traveling around the world. He recorded his solo album Unrest in ten different cities with ten different electronic artists. He the toured as a DJ, and released a remix record for the DJ Kicks series in 2004.
In the same year, Kings of Convenience released the second record Riot on an Empty Street. He also founded another project in Berlin, The Whitest Boy Alive. The band originally started as an electronic band, but slowly developed into a band with no programmed elements. Debut record Dreams was released in 2006, while Rules was released in 2009. In 2006, he appeared in the Italian movie Shooting Silvio acting as a DJ during in a house party.
In 2009, Kings of Convenience released Declaration of Dependence. In 2013, he released a new single, entitled La Prima Estate, sung in Italian and inspired by his time living in Italy. He is currently working on more songs in Italian, which will be collected in the future. In 2014, The Whitest Boy Alive announced the end of the project. On 3 October, 2014, he will release his second solo album Legao, recorded in Reykjavík with Hjálmar, a reggae group from Iceland. Despite currently living in Sicily, he is stlll involved in the Bergen music scene, promoting local bands and assisting the organization of the annual Traena Music Festival.
Last Christmas
Erlend Øye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye
Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me
Happy Christmas
I wrapped it up and sent it
Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh
A crowded room, friends with tired eyes
I hide from you and your soul of ice
I thought you were someone to rely on
Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
Face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A man under cover, but you tore me apart
Once bitten and twice shy
I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye
The song "Last Christmas" by Erlend Øye tells the story of heartbreak and hope in the face of betrayal during the holiday season. The song starts with the singer admitting that he has been bitten once and is wary to give his heart to someone again because he is twice shy. However, he still finds himself drawn to this person who betrayed him- he keeps his distance but can't help but notice them in crowds.
The singer then addresses the person who broke his heart by asking if they recognize him after a year. He then reveals that he had sent them a gift last Christmas with a note saying "I love you" and he meant it, but now he realizes what a fool he was to put his heart in their hands again. Despite this realization, he admits that if they were to kiss him now, he knows they could fool him again.
The chorus is the most memorable part of the song- the singer laments that last Christmas he gave his heart to someone who gave it away the very next day. This year, he resolves to give it to someone special to avoid tears. The song ends with the singer describing a crowded room and how he hides from the person who hurt him. He had believed this person was someone he could rely on and be a shoulder to cry on but the opposite turned out to be true.
Overall, the song is a bittersweet reminder that the holiday season can be full of both joy and heartache. While remembering the past can be painful, there is still hope for finding someone who will truly cherish and appreciate us.
Line by Line Meaning
Once bitten and twice shy
I've been hurt before, so I'm cautious now
I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye
You still intrigue me despite my reservations
Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
I wonder if you remember me
Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me
It's been awhile, so I don't expect you to remember me
Happy Christmas
Merry Christmas
I wrapped it up and sent it
I packaged it up and mailed it
With a note saying 'I love you', I meant it
I included a heartfelt message with my gift
Now I know what a fool I've been
I recognize how foolish I was
But if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again
I know I'd fall for you all over again if you kissed me now
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
Last year, I gave you my love
But the very next day, you gave it away
You quickly ended our relationship after Christmas
This year, to save me from tears
This year, I don't want to cry
I'll give it to someone special
I'll give my love to someone who deserves it
A crowded room, friends with tired eyes
I'm at a party with my friends, who all look exhausted
I hide from you and your soul of ice
I avoid you because you seem cold and distant
I thought you were someone to rely on
I believed I could count on you
Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
I was there for you when you needed support
Face on a lover with a fire in his heart
I'm looking for someone passionate and loving
A man under cover, but you tore me apart
You were hiding something from me, and it hurt me deeply
Oh oh
Instrumental
Oh oh
Instrumental
Oh oh
Instrumental
Contributed by Andrew S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Clark Sanford
I've been looking for this one for weeks! Heard this version in a store and needed to find it. It's the best cover out there of this song.
Maya soontephen
So lovely! It is so sad and almost makes me cry.
ˊvˋ
just want to repeat this cover :)
honey butter falcon
I liked this 10 years ago and still do ..
Alfredo Terrado
I arrived here as I was finding another version of the song. This is much like that one but that one, dare I say, is better. Problem is that I could no longer find it. Just in case, here's a brief description of the lost video: it is in a blueish room, I think a vintage sort of kitchen, ones where hipsters would appreciate; the performer is black, the version is jazzier, R&Bish, with an afro; he is sitting in the room playing the guitar and singing. Google is starting to think I'm a robot at this point for my unrelenting search.
En Murer
Kongen er fredhellig.
mauroz
yeah much much better than the otherone...thanks for posting ;)
petrsworld
great job sub !
iseeu666
Tabs anyone?
fuduzan5562
You have no ears.