In 1995, Lindström made her major breakthrough. After being awarded the "Jazz in Sweden" prize, she recorded her debut album, Another Country, on the Caprice record label that year. This was followed in 1997 by I Saw You. In 1998 she recorded and toured with Norrbotten Big Band, led by trumpeter Tim Hagans in collaboration with pianist Kenny Werner, resulting in a CD featuring music by Kurt Weill as well as repertoire associated with Frank Sinatra, which was released in 1999. For several years, Lindström worked with pianist Steve Dobrogosz as a duo. In 2000, they released Feathers (Prophone Records). She has also toured and recorded with bass player Anders Jormin (Once, Dragon Records, 1997).
Her 2003 album, Walk, marked the start of a new collaboration with the Amigo record label, followed by In The Middle Of This Riddle (2005). These two releases consist mainly of her own compositions, and were unanimously praised by critics and audiences alike. Her latest album, Whistling Away the Dark (2006), has also been very warmly received. This is her first album in her own name, and like her previous two albums, was recorded at the famed Atlantis studio in Stockholm.
The song "Leaf" from In the Middle of This Riddle was recently remixed by American DJ and producer King Britt, and was exclusively released on iTunes Europe. Another track, "Here", from the same album was featured on Saint-Germain-des-Prés Café, Volume 7 (disc 2: Ladies in Nu-Jazz), the second of a 2-disc compilation release featuring tracks by artists like Beady Belle, Michael Bublé, Jamie Cullum, Susi Hyldgaard, Norah Jones, Alice Russell, and others.
Throughout the years, Lindström has also worked with other bands and projects and appeared on several occasions as a featured vocalist with renowned jazz groups, big bands, chamber orchestras, and symphonic orchestras. She has given concerts and toured extensively throughout the Nordic countries as well as France, Belgium, UK, Japan, and Canada.
While first and foremost a jazz singer, Lindström has yet never been opposed to stepping beyond the boundaries of jazz. Today, she is one of Sweden's most prized jazz singers.
In the fall of 2008, Jeanette signed with the Swedish independent label Playground Music Scandinavia/Diesel Music, and subsequently released her new album Attitude & Orbit Control in September 2009. Magnus Öström (from e.s.t.) co-produced and also played drums on the album.
Official website: http://www.jeanettelindstrom.com
Jeanette Lindström on MySpace: www.myspace.com/jeanettelindstrom
Speak Low
Jeanette Lindström Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our summer day withers away
Too soon, too soon.
Speak low when you speak, love,
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift,
We're swept apart too soon.
Love is a spark lost in the dark,
Too soon, too soon,
I feel wherever I go
That tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here
And always too soon.
Time is so old and love so brief,
Love is pure gold and time a thief.
We're late darling, we're late,
The curtain descends, ev'rything ends
Too soon, too soon,
I wait darling, I wait
Will you speak low to me,
Speak love to me and soon.
In Jeanette Lindstrom's song "Speak Low," the lyrics are a plea for a lover to speak gently and softly, as if to preserve the fleeting moment they share. The first lines set the tone for the melancholic mood, lamenting the end of a summer day that seems to have passed too quickly. The repetition of "too soon" emphasizes the sense of urgency in the singer's plea to their lover, to hold on to their moment together for just a little longer.
The song continues with the idea of time slipping away too quickly, almost as if the singer is aware that their time with their lover is limited. The metaphorical language of "swift ships drifting apart" emphasizes the rapid pace of their separation, and the sense that they are powerless to stop it. The phrase "speak low" takes on a deeper meaning in this context, as if the singer is trying to hold on to their time together by speaking softly, almost as if not wanting to startle time itself and allow it to pass even faster.
The final stanza shifts from a mournful reflection on the brevity of love to a direct plea to their lover to not waste any more precious time. The lines "Love is pure gold and time a thief" highlight the contrast between the value of love (something that is priceless) and the fleeting nature of time. The metaphor of the curtain falling suggests that time is running out, as if the singer is on a stage and the performance is coming to an end. Finally, the song ends on a hopeful note, with the repeated request for the lover to speak softly and declare their love, as if that will somehow be enough to slow down the inevitable march of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Speak low when you speak, love,
When expressing love, do it with subtlety, in a whisper-like voice.
Our summer day withers away
Our blissful time together is fading rapidly.
Too soon, too soon.
Our time together is limited, and we must cherish it before it's gone.
Our moment is swift, like ships adrift,
Our time together is moving fast, like ships navigating aimlessly in the sea.
We're swept apart too soon.
We'll be separated sooner than expected, and it'll be too painful.
Love is a spark lost in the dark,
Love is fragile and could quickly lose its impact when plunged into the darkness of the world.
I feel wherever I go
No matter where I am, I'm always aware that time is ticking, and the moment might end soon.
That tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here
The present moment could quickly turn into tomorrow, and our time together is short-lived.
And always too soon.
Our time together always ends without delay or enough time to savor the moment.
Love is pure gold and time a thief.
Love is invaluable, but time could take away its beauty and essence, ultimately turning it into a distant memory.
The curtain descends, ev'rything ends
In the end, everything comes to an end, whether we're ready for it or not.
Too soon, too soon,
It's never an ideal time to be parted from someone we love.
I wait darling, I wait
I long to spend more time with the one I love.
Will you speak low to me,
Could you express your love to me softly and subtly?
Speak love to me and soon.
Please express your love to me as quickly as possible since our time together is limited.
Lyrics © Music Hub O/B/O GEMA, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind