Up to 2003, the success of her four Universal albums had been mainly confined to Slovakia and the Czech Republic; she was singing (for the most part) in her mother language and playing to an audience who knew her, loved her and generally had the T-shirt.
This is where new album ‘Shine’ comes in; 11 songs that roll like liquid honey, all easy drift and rainy-day emotion, topped off by vocals – English vocals – that consistently favour the personal over the pat.
Set for release on Universal this summer, with the title track getting the nod as lead single/video, this is also the first album from Jana to be recorded & mixed outside of Slovakia, in an environment that sometimes loomed large in terms of language, weather & workload…
By the age of 21, Jana was one of Slovakia’s most noted performers, a genuine front-cover face, and within a couple of years, this appeal had extended to the Czech Republic, too – a country where those older and (supposedly) wiser had assured her that, for reasons of culture, she could never hope to break. It’s one thing to have a talent, the ability to grab a melody and a voice that naturally charms, but this kind of against-the-odds success pointed to someone with a sense of belief & responsibility far beyond their years; someone whose career could boast its fair share of awards (Newcomer Of The Year,Artist of the year,Album of the year,The best song,Producer of the year,Best lyrics....), high-profile appearances (Special Guesting with Elton John in Prague) and carefully-crafted songs shot through with atmosphere & grace. In short, someone pretty special.
JANA KIRSCHNER WAS born in the small town of Martin, about 300 km from Bratislava. It was here, aged just seven, that she took top place in a singing competition, setting her off down a creative path that – with the odd detour to take in a beauty pageant and contemporary dance – finally led to a record deal and a successful first single.
‘Don’t Cry’ was the track in question, a pure pop hit, but 17-year-old Jana wasn’t happy. Where was the substance? The soul? She was finding herself drawn in a different direction, and after joining forces with a like-minded manager, a guy used to working with ‘genuine’ artists, she was able to embark on a voyage of discovery – expanding her musical knowledge, playing with seasoned professionals and getting a feel for the performance side of things.
“I began to sense that I was involved with something bigger,” reflects the singer, who would soon add guitar playing to her burgeoning list of skills, “That I was part of a new family…” With her ‘mission’ now officially underway, Jana was offered a contract by Universal, and the resulting album" Jana Kirschner" (issued in 1997).
Two years later her album"In the foreign city"(issued in 1999) saw her winning support in both Slovakia and the Czech Republic, where ‘Modra’ (‘Blue’) became the breakthrough track at radio. The follow-up collections (2002/2003) served to sustain her momentum at home, and there were festival dates in Germany & Poland to keep the international flame a-flicker, but still no plans to turn that flicker into a blaze. It was clear that more dramatic moves were required, plus real discipline from Jana in respect of the material…
“I bought a computer so I could write a song every day, like a diary, and I came up with 30 to 40 numbers for the new album. I put some of them on a CD, which I called the ‘Pink CD’, then I gave this to my manager’s daughter as a Christmas present; I explained that the songs were just for her, but she couldn’t resist playing them to her father, who went mad when he heard them and so did Universal…” Mission still on track. Next stop: LONDON.
HAVING BUILT his reputation on records designed to ruffle the emotions, Ross Cullum had the perfect credentials to take on a project that had at last won its international spurs. What’s more, he and Jana hit it off straight away, spending hours, days & weeks locked in deep musical debate, batting names such as Bob Dylan & Bonnie Raitt back an’ forth across the net. Only after many such (extended) rallies did they mutually agree where the fourth Universal album should sit…
There was never any question that Jana would sing in English (“I find it easier to be brave with my lyrics in a language that isn’t my own!”), or that the music should have a flavour of her culture and her past; the hard part was deciding which of the vast choice of songs would make most sense to record… then finding the plain & simple truth in those. Which sounds straightforward enough, but once in process can squeeze the emotions like a vice, as album opener ‘Another Day’ – the only song written in London – documents in full (‘don’t let me give up this fight until I find the truth’). There’s no doubt, however, that the final results fully justify the effort…
Wonderfully constructed by a host of great players, including Robbie MacIntosh (guitar), Chris Hughes (percussion) and multiinstrumentalist Cullum himself, ‘Shine’ is an album that speaks from within; it doesn’t shout or raise its voice without reason, but there’s a gentle strength to the music plus a take-it-or-leave-it honesty to the lyrics that are hard not to succumb to – even for those whose vital organs have been left out in the cold…
Another Day
Jana Kirschner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's falling on me like heavy rain
Don´t wanna give up this fight
So I'll wait until another day
My hears put a shadow on my lovely heart
Feels like waiting in the dark
Don´t wanna give up this fight
And I stick around
But I can't stop the rain from falling
I stick around
But I can't stop my tears from rolling down
Lord I sold a friend for my own good
And now I´m left alone with you
Don´t let me give up this fight
Until I find the truth…
And I stick around
But I can't stop the rain from fallin´
I stick around
But I can't stop my tears from rollin´ down
Oh, let me wait, let me wait…
The lyrics of Jana Kirschner's song Another Day speak about a person caught up in the midst of innumerable troubles and facing various challenges. The opening lines "Lord so much trouble on my mind today / And it's falling on me like heavy rain" indicate the overwhelming burden of challenges that the person has to carry. The lyrics further indicate that the person does not want to give up and is willing to fight until another day to overcome these challenges. It's as if the person is asking for some respite from the hardships that are untiringly pressurizing them.
The lyrics go on to describe the person's gloomy inner world, "My heart puts a shadow on my lovely heart / Feel like waiting in the dark," indicating that they are struggling with an uncertain internal battle. The repetition of "Don't want to give up this fight / So I'll wait until another day" reiterates the perseverance of the person, who is determined to keep fighting until they find a solution.
The song's chorus talks about how the person even though wants to keep going strong and stick around, can't stop the rain from falling, and their tears from rolling down, indicating that the person may be feeling helpless and overwhelmed despite their determination to fight against their problems. The song concludes with the lyrics "Don't let me give up this fight until I find the truth," signifying that the person wants to continue fighting until they uncover the hidden truth and find peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord so much trouble on my mind today
I am feeling overwhelmed with problems and stress today
And it's falling on me like heavy rain
My problems are coming down hard on me, like a heavy rainfall
Don´t wanna give up this fight
I don't want to quit and give up on my struggles
So I'll wait until another day
I'll wait for a better time to deal with these issues
My heart's put a shadow on my lovely heart
Negative feelings have covered up my loving emotions
Feels like waiting in the dark
It's like waiting for something with no hope of it coming
And I stick around
I'm still here, trying to deal with everything
But I can't stop the rain from falling
I can't control difficult situations from happening
But I can't stop my tears from rolling down
I can't control my emotional reaction to these situations
Lord I sold a friend for my own good
I betrayed a friend for my own benefit
And now I'm left alone with you
As a result, I am alone, faced with my actions and decisions
Don´t let me give up this fight
I don't want to lose hope in overcoming my challenges
Until I find the truth…
I will keep fighting until I find the answers I need
Oh, let me wait, let me wait…
Please allow me to have patience and wait for a better time to handle these difficulties
Contributed by Aaliyah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.