A few years ago Jenny Hval witnessed a proposal happening while she was per… Read Full Bio ↴A few years ago Jenny Hval witnessed a proposal happening while she was performing. It was so affecting that she actually wrote a song about it, which she released today, called “Year of Love.” Hval’s experience witnessing this performance of commitment didn’t inspire romantic or excited feelings. Instead, it elicited questions about how her art impacts others, in addition to her own private choices that live alongside conflicting feelings.
“For me, this experience was very troubling,” Hval said in a press statement. “It confronted me with the fact that I am also married. What does that detail from my private life say about me as an artist? ‘Year of Love’ asks, who am I as an artist? Do my private actions betray my work and voice?”
“Year of Love” is a thin, upbeat single that finds Hval reflecting on her marriage and that concert proposal. In the lyrics, she convinces herself that marriage is simply for practical reasons. “I truly believed that a contract was further from the institution than the industrial happiness complex,” she sings. Later, she reflects on the proposal that altered the meaning of the song she was performing and how, whether she likes it or not, her voice paved the way for these two lovers to intertwine their lives contractually
“For me, this experience was very troubling,” Hval said in a press statement. “It confronted me with the fact that I am also married. What does that detail from my private life say about me as an artist? ‘Year of Love’ asks, who am I as an artist? Do my private actions betray my work and voice?”
“Year of Love” is a thin, upbeat single that finds Hval reflecting on her marriage and that concert proposal. In the lyrics, she convinces herself that marriage is simply for practical reasons. “I truly believed that a contract was further from the institution than the industrial happiness complex,” she sings. Later, she reflects on the proposal that altered the meaning of the song she was performing and how, whether she likes it or not, her voice paved the way for these two lovers to intertwine their lives contractually
Year of love
Jenny Hval Lyrics
We were married on a rainy day
Isn't that how the song goes?
I wore black jeans and codeine
I guess I wanted to make sure
I seemed relaxed
"It's just for contractual reasons," I explained
Signing the papers
As if I truly believed that a contract was further
From the institution than the industrial happiness complex
But in the year of love
I signed a deal with patriarchy
Now watch me step
Into the place where you can see me
Look at me
You think that I'm different, but I'm a stagehand
Look, it's there, under the ring
The imprint on my skin
Ooh, a year later, I'm on stage
When a man proposes to a woman
Right in front of me, in the middle of a song
I thought I knew what was about
And I am holding a disco flashlight
It is meant to make the audience
Feel like multitudes of colors
That belong to nobody in particular
That they share between their bodies
But now all it does is light up a proposal
A normcore institution
I am giving it my voice, but then again, I already did
Oh, already did
But in the year of love
I did what I never thought I would
And you may think I'm different
But listen, all contracts can be sung in my voice
Now I'm just a stagehand
Look, it's there, under the ring
The imprint on my skin
Oh, oh, oh
Isn't that how the song goes?
I wore black jeans and codeine
I guess I wanted to make sure
I seemed relaxed
"It's just for contractual reasons," I explained
Signing the papers
As if I truly believed that a contract was further
From the institution than the industrial happiness complex
But in the year of love
I signed a deal with patriarchy
Now watch me step
Into the place where you can see me
Look at me
You think that I'm different, but I'm a stagehand
Look, it's there, under the ring
The imprint on my skin
Ooh, a year later, I'm on stage
When a man proposes to a woman
Right in front of me, in the middle of a song
I thought I knew what was about
And I am holding a disco flashlight
It is meant to make the audience
Feel like multitudes of colors
That belong to nobody in particular
That they share between their bodies
But now all it does is light up a proposal
A normcore institution
I am giving it my voice, but then again, I already did
Oh, already did
But in the year of love
I did what I never thought I would
And you may think I'm different
But listen, all contracts can be sung in my voice
Now I'm just a stagehand
Look, it's there, under the ring
The imprint on my skin
Oh, oh, oh
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jenny Hval
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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cocteautwinned
"Year Of Love"
We were married on a rainy day
Isn't that how the song goes?
I wore black jeans and codeine
I guess I wanted to make sure
I seemed "relaxed"
"It's just for contractual reasons," I explained
Signing the papers
As if I truly believed that a contract was further
From the institution than the industrial happiness complex
But in the year of love
I signed a deal with patriarchy
Now watch me step
Into the place where you can see me: Look at me
You think that I'm different, but I'm a stagehand
Look, it's there, under the ring
The imprint on my skin
Oh, a year later, I'm on stage
When a man proposes to a woman
Right in front of me, in the middle of a song
I thought I knew what was about
And I am holding a disco flashlight
It is meant to make the audience
Feel like multitudes of colors
That belong to nobody in particular
That they share between their bodies
But now all it does is light up a proposal
A normcore institution
I am giving it my voice, but then again, I already did
Oh, already did
But in the year of love
I did what I never thought I would
And you may think I'm different
But listen, all contracts can be sung with my voice
I'm just a stagehand
Look, it's there, under the ring
The imprint on my skin
J V
Another incredible, thought-provoking piece of art from Jenny. I feel so spoiled as a fan. And a new album! Thank you for continuing to give and create. Your music means a lot to me. Beautiful video, too - just like with Jupiter, I want to watch it again! 💙
Axel Bergenholtz
Yes i aggre
Rab
@J V Carry on.
Rab
@J V Apollonian
J V
@Rab Suffer (suffer) ((suffer))
J V
@Rab But I didn't.
cocteautwinned
Been on repeat for two days.😁🙃👍
My cat loves it too.😻
konstantinov
Cocteau Twins rule all, and how classic is it that Jenny wound up on 4AD, where frankly she fits right in... Such an amazing artist and the new album is incredible!
Jon Litchfield
Lol! Im just starting the repeat loop weekend with my good assistant cat splashed out over my workbench and loving it too 😊 no work is being done
Daniel Johnston
Such a good sound on a good sound system.