Lekman recorded and released much of his material privately from 2000 to 2003 on CD-R. Because one of his songs during this time was entitled "Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song to the Blind Girl", Lekman was mistakenly referred to as Rocky Dennis for a while (the song was actually written from the perspective of the main character of the 1985 film Mask). Lekman says that it was a "mistake": "someone thought that was my real name cause I had a song about him, and then radio picked up on it, and I never had a chance to change it". He put the confusion to rest with his Rocky Dennis in Heaven EP (2004).
His self-released 7" vinyl EP Maple Leaves caused a big stir in 2003, mainly due to sound files circulating on file sharing networks. When the same EP was released on CD by the Swedish independent label Service Records in the autumn, he was already a well-known name. The songs Maple Leaves and Black Cab were heavily played on Swedish national radio. He soon signed a contract with the American label Secretly Canadian for releases outside of Sweden. Heavy touring and his debut album soon followed.
His first album When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog was released in 2004, and consisted of recordings made between 2000 and 2004 (some tracks had been previously released independently by Lekman). The album attracted attention among the alternative music press in both Europe and the US. The song You Are The Light was a successful radio hit, and a video received some rotation in the Nordic MTV and ZTV. In Sweden the album reached #6 in the national chart. Lekman was nominated for three Swedish Grammies, three P3 Guld and three Manifest awards, as well as dubbed album of the year by Nöjesguiden.
A concert film shot from Lekman's sold-out show with José González at Göteborg's concert hall in December 2003 was broadcast by Swedish national television two times in 2005. In June 2005, a compilation CD of Jens' first three EPs, with extra tracks, was released as Oh You're So Silent Jens. Lekman also had a track on Secretly Canadian's SC100 compilation, released in April 2007.
His latest album, Night Falls Over Kortedala, was released in October 2007, and appeared on many lists for the best albums of said year.
Live performances by Lekman differs in style. Sometimes he performs alone with only a guitar and a CD player, or doing a capella versions of his songs. Other times, he is accompanied by a choir and string quartet, and he was recently seen on tour with a full band (including horns etc) consisting of all women musicians, dressed in white 60s dresses.
Official: [http://www.jenslekman.com]
Fan-site/Forum: [http://www.mapleleaves.se]
A Little Lost
Jens Lekman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without you
Well that could be an understatement
Now I hope that I have paid the cost
To let a day go by and not
Call on you
Cause I'm so busy, so busy
And now I want to do that
Without entertaining another thought
Out on the ocean flows
I'll have to pull myself together
Now it's harder I'm not on my turf
Just me and, me and those big old waves
Rolling in
Cause I'm so busy, so busy
Thinking about kissing you
And now I want to do that
Without entertaining another thought
It's all so unfinished
Following faith
A voice in me
Is telling me to
Run away
I hope your feeling isn't diminished
I hope you need someone in your life
Someone like me
Cause I'm so busy, so busy
Thinking about kissing you
Now I want to do that
Without entertaining another thought
The song "A Little Lost" by Jens Lekman is a soulful tune that deals with the confusion and heartache of longing for someone who may no longer be present. The opening lines, "I'm a little lost without you / Well, that could be an understatement" set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is lost and is struggling to come to terms with his feelings. He hopes he has paid the cost of letting a day go by without calling on the other person.
The chorus is a repetition of the phrase "Cause I'm so busy, so busy / Thinking about kissing you / And now I want to do that / Without entertaining another thought." The singer is consumed with thoughts of the other person and longs to kiss them without being distracted by anything else.
The second verse sees the singer out on the ocean, struggling to keep it together. He is no longer on his "turf" and is faced with the daunting task of dealing with "big old waves rolling in." Again, he repeats the chorus, emphasizing how preoccupied he is with thoughts of the other person.
The lyrics in the bridge add another layer to the song. The singer admits that it feels like everything is "unfinished" and he is "following faith" in his desire for the other person. There is a voice inside him telling him to run away, but he hopes that the other person still needs someone like him in their life.
Overall, "A Little Lost" is a deeply personal and emotional song that speaks to the universal experience of longing for someone who may no longer be present in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a little lost
I am confused and unsure without you in my life
Without you
You are an important person in my life
Well that could be an understatement
It's an even bigger deal than it sounds
Now I hope that I have paid the cost
I want to have proven that I am capable of being without you
To let a day go by and not
To have the strength to spend time without calling or talking to you
Call on you
To contact you or ask for your help / advice
Cause I'm so busy, so busy
I am preoccupied with thoughts of you
Thinking about kissing you
I am daydreaming about being with you physically
And now I want to do that
I am ready to take action
Without entertaining another thought
Without considering any other options or obstacles
Out on the ocean flows
I am in an unfamiliar place, dealing with constant change/uncertainty
I'll have to pull myself together
I need to get my act together and focus
Now it's harder I'm not on my turf
It is more difficult to stay focused and composed when I am not in my comfort zone
Just me and, me and those big old waves
I am alone, facing life's challenges and uncertainties
Rolling in
The constant ups and downs of life
It's all so unfinished
There is still so much that needs to be done, especially in regards to us
Following faith
I believe in something bigger than myself, that is guiding me through life
A voice in me
My intuition, or conscience, is telling me
Is telling me to
Advising me to
Run away
To avoid taking risks or facing potential hurt/disappointment
I hope your feeling isn't diminished
I hope you still care for me as much as I care for you
I hope you need someone in your life
I wish you would realize how much you need me around
Someone like me
Someone who would love you unconditionally and be there for you, always.
Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
bprett
beautiful beautiful! "i'm so busy, so busy thinking about, kissing you" i also love how he stops playing his instrument at the end and keeps singing it just makes the song that much more powerful-- he really knows how to evoke emotions in a simple yet beautiful manner
starjen42
Beautiful. Sweet. Your voice breaks my heart and makes me smile.
Richard Daigle
Nothing could replace the beautiful original by Arthur Russell, but this is a great tribute to a great artist.
Carolina Mendoza
me encanta! ya quiero verlo!
sonorpaiste702
Very unique and creative take on an extremely unique and creative song. Nothing will come close to touching the original, and it's nice to see Lekman do it in an entirely different style, yet retain the beauty of the original. Like many others, I didn't know of Arthur Russell until I heard this cover, I decided to look for his material and instantly fell in love with World of Echo, he's the greatest unsung genius of the past 50 years.
Sentinel Ex
Amazing cover.
lucía gadea
it's simply beautiful♥
DrRoxtagon
i cant stop listening to this song!!
darktowersl
omg another video of him singing this is with a calimba! <3
upesupernova
i's amazing what a kalimba and a beautiful voice can make...