Jay-Jay Johanson was born Jäje Johansson on 11 October 1969 in Trollhättan, Västra Götaland. His debut album, Whiskey, was released in August 1996. Recorded at Break My Heart Studios in the Stockholm archipelago, the album was characterized by its jazzy vocals over trippy, film noir arrangements.
In 1998, Johanson released Tattoo, taking a step into a more richly textured, poetic ambience. Johansson's third album, Poison, was released in April 2000 and went straight into the French charts at number four. The album featured contributions from Cocteau Twins founder and guitarist Robin Guthrie. The same year Johanson also composed the soundtrack to French director Ilan Duran Cohen's film La Confusion des Genres, and in 2001, Johanson emerged with "Cosmodrome", a sound-and-image installation first exhibited in the French city of Dijon. This art-piece has travelled around the world and was last shown at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.
Antenna was released in 2002, recorded with assistance from German experimental electronic group Funkstörung. 2004 marked the release of the compilation Prologue, meant for the American market. It was followed by Rush in 2005, an album partly produced by French producer Jean-Pierre Ensuque.
Johanson co-wrote and contributed vocals to The Knife's 2006 song "Marble House".[1] In the spring of 2006, he called together the musicians he had worked with on the three first albums, and January 2007 saw the release of their collaborative effort The Long Term Physical Effects Are Not Yet Known. A tour in promotion of the album kicked off in China and continued to more than thirty cities around the world.
Johanson's eighth studio album Spellbound was released on 2 May 2011.[2] "Dilemma" was released as the album's lead single on 11 March 2011.[3]
On 3 March 2017, "You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone" was released via iTunes as the first single from Johanson's upcoming album Bury The Hatchet, due 15 September 2017 on 29 Music. [4]
Lightning Strikes
Jay-Jay Johanson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Won't let the day light in
Put out the candles
Pour another gin
And when the lightning strikes
The thunder's never far away
And you're the lightning like
Or so it seems, or so it seems
Darkness approaching
Guess there's a storm breaking in
Rain drops increasing
Stronger gets the wind
Autumn brought shadows
My days of mourning are through
Gone is the sorrow
The way my life has grown
When the lightning strikes
The thunder's never far away
And you're the lightning like
I'm thunder on a foggy day
Or so it seems, or so it seems
Chords on my piano
Fading away in the room
The ticking of a clock or
Is it a metronome
And when the lightning strikes
The thunder's never far away
And you're the lightning like
I'm thunder on a foggy day
Or so it seems, or so it seems
The lyrics of Jay-Jay Johanson's song "Lightning Strikes" express a sense of melancholy and emotional turbulence that arise from the singer's contemplation of the approaching storm. The opening lines "I close the curtains, won't let the daylight in, put out the candles, pour another gin" evoke a feeling of isolation and detachment from the outside world, and suggest that the singer is retreating from reality and seeking comfort in alcohol. The reference to lightning and thunder serves as a metaphor for the intensity of the singer's emotions, which are turbulent and unpredictable, like a storm. The chorus, "When the lightning strikes, the thunder's never far away, and you're the lightning like, I'm thunder on a foggy day, or so it seems, or so it seems" underscores the singer's sense of vulnerability and his perception of the other person as a powerful force that can trigger his emotional turmoil.
The second verse of the song intensifies the imagery of the storm, as the rain drops increase and the wind gets stronger. However, the singer suggests that this storm is also a cleansing force that helps him move on from his past grief and sorrow. He says "Autumn brought shadows, my days of mourning are through, gone is the sorrow, the way my life has grown", indicating that he has emerged from a period of darkness and is now ready to face life with renewed strength and resilience. The final verse of the song is more introspective, as the singer contemplates the passing of time and the transience of life. The reference to a piano chord fading away and the ticking of a clock or metronome suggest the fleeting nature of moments in time, and how easily life can slip away like a passing storm.
Line by Line Meaning
I close the curtains
I shut out the sunshine and any hope for a better day.
Won't let the day light in
I refuse to let any positivity into my life or my space.
Put out the candles
I extinguish any remaining light, replacing it with darkness and gloom.
Pour another gin
I drown my sorrows in alcohol, hoping to forget my pain and despair.
And when the lightning strikes
As unpredictable and destructive as lightning, significant and painful events sometimes occur in life.
The thunder's never far away
The aftermath of these events can impact and haunt you for a long time.
And you're the lightning like
You are the striking force behind these significant events.
I'm thunder on a foggy day
I am the lingering, ominous feeling that remains after the event, like the fog on a cloudy day.
Or so it seems, or so it seems
Though it may not be clear or even fully understood, there is a sense of acceptance or resignation to this reality.
Darkness approaching
Negativity and despair are appearing on the horizon.
Guess there's a storm breaking in
A difficult and challenging situation is brewing and will soon impact my life.
Rain drops increasing
As the situation intensifies, so too does my sense of unease and discomfort.
Stronger gets the wind
As the event unravels, it becomes ever-more powerful and impactful.
Autumn brought shadows
A season of difficulty and pain has come, with all its darkness and dreariness.
My days of mourning are through
Though sorrow may have followed me for a long time, I am done with lamentation and ready to move on.
Gone is the sorrow
I have released my pain and no longer allow it to control me.
The way my life has grown
Though challenges have impacted me, I have come out the other side wiser and more capable.
Chords on my piano
The music I create, which is often melancholic in nature.
Fading away in the room
The music may be disappearing, but the feelings it evokes are still present and powerful.
The ticking of a clock or
The passage of time and loss of opportunities, or the measure of the finality of events.
Is it a metronome
The sound and rhythm of a metronome symbolizing the relentless march of life, regardless of personal circumstances.
Contributed by Ava P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.