The band began as a project between Ulf and Jo in Oslo, Norway in the winter of 2000-01. Starting out as an instrumental and sampled vocal project, they were signed for a track on a compilation by Beatservice Records in Winter 2001. On hearing the finished track, label manager Vidar Hanssen signed the unnamed band for a full album.
During early Summer 2001, Ulf and Jo recorded most of the album and Anja improvised the vocals. After their vocals, Jo layered the guitars, but it would be a year before the album would be completed and released.
In Spring 2002, the band was known as Flunk and they released their first single, a cover of New Order's Blue Monday in April. The track was well received in the UK and was included on numerous compilations in North America and Europe. Later in April, their debut album For Sleepyheads Only was released which garnered great reviews in Norway. With the success of their album, BBC invited them to do a recording session for the Radio 1 show The Blue Room in London. Shortly after Notting Hill Art's Club would become the location to their live debut. In the United States, they became signed to Guidance Recordings.
By Summer 2002, raving reviews were being returned by British electronica magazines and in July they played Norway's finest rock festival. In October For Sleepyheads Only was released in the US through Guidance Recordings. By November they played the London Jazz Festival.
Throughout 2003 their debut, For Sleepyheads Only was still being echoed across the globe in staggered releases with special editions released to Russia and Greece. Beatservice Records then went on to release Treat Me Like You Do (For Sleepyheads Only Remixed) in June. While their debut continued to make it's way around, the band wasted no time and began work on their second album for the majority of the year, which was recorded in Paris in October.
Their sophomore album, Morning Star was finished in March 2004 and saw a Norwegian release in May while the rest of the world received it in June. In 2005, Play America was released on Beatservice Records which included bonus tracks from the US version of Morning Star along with remixes.
A third effort, Personal Stereo was released in 2007, with the accompanying remix album Democracy following soon after.
Skysong
Flunk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You
You
You know that our love affair is a bit like the rainbow
Unpredictable, still it's one of nature's greatest shows
Soon come fall, it's the best excuse for doing nothing at all
There's people and there's sunshine, it's a perfect day for wasting time
Looking at the sky
Hearing sound of guitars
Looking at the sky
Hearing sound of guitars
You should know the beauty of life, is the beauty of falling in love
Still sometimes the future seems too hard to swallow
And you know there's an ocean of time, starting tomorrow
There's people and there's sunshine, it's a perfect day for wasting time
Looking at the sky
Hearing sound of guitars
Looking at the sky
Hearing sound of guitars
Looking at the sky
Hearing sound of guitars
Looking at the sky
Hearing sound of guitars
Looking at the sky
Looking at the sky
Looking at the sky
Hearing sound of guitars
Looking at the sky
Hearing sound of guitars
The lyrics to Flunk's Skysong are about the unpredictability of love and the beauty of taking a moment to enjoy simple pleasures. The first stanza uses a comparison to a rainbow to describe the love affair, stating it is unpredictable but still a great show. The singer then says in the fall, there is an excuse to do nothing and waste time, enjoying the people around and the sunshine. The refrain follows with the singer looking at the sky and hearing the sound of guitars, emphasizing the importance of taking a moment to appreciate the world around us and the small joys in life.
The second stanza shifts the focus to the beauty of falling in love, but acknowledges that sometimes the future may seem daunting. The singer reminds us that there is plenty of time to navigate the future, starting tomorrow. The refrain follows again, emphasizing the importance of taking a moment to appreciate life's simple pleasures.
Overall, the lyrics of Skysong encourage listeners to take a step back from the chaos of life to appreciate the beauty around us and the people we love. It is a reminder to live in the present and enjoy the little things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
You
Addressing the listener directly
You know that our love affair is a bit like the rainbow
Acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the relationship, but also recognizing its beauty and worth
Unpredictable, still it's one of nature's greatest shows
Comparison of the relationship to the splendor and wonder of a rainbow, representing something that emerges from chaos and is momentarily breathtaking
Soon come fall, it's the best excuse for doing nothing at all
Emphasizing the leisurely lifestyle and freedom of inaction that autumn engenders
There's people and there's sunshine, it's a perfect day for wasting time
Highlighting how everything aligns perfectly for a lazy day where time is wasted on trivial matters
Looking at the sky
Gazing upwards with wonder, likely at the sunset or night sky
Hearing sound of guitars
The sounds are complementing the peaceful, serene state of watching the sky, easing the soul into a tranquil state of being
You should know the beauty of life, is the beauty of falling in love
Encouraging the listener to recognize the wonders of love and to enjoy the moments they have with it
Still sometimes the future seems too hard to swallow
Acknowledging that although love is beautiful, the challenges of the future can feel overwhelming
And you know there's an ocean of time, starting tomorrow
Reminding the listener that there is much time ahead to take on life's challenges
Looking at the sky
Repeating the same imagery of gazing upward with a sense of peace and wonder
Hearing sound of guitars
The guitars are again offering a sense of relaxation and release
Looking at the sky
The repetition of this line underscores the importance of the imagery of the vast, open sky, representing limitless potential and opportunities
Hearing sound of guitars
The final lines of the song reiterate the peaceful sounds and reemphasize the release from tension and anxiety that comes with relaxation
Contributed by Bella O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.