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 Promise
Jens Lekman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or are the new laws quoting quotas they have to fill?
They said you to have to work,
So you work and you get worse,
And you curse the day you were born.
Fill in your date of birth,
And sign your name on the application form.
When I speak of blood,
I'm speaking of how you always felt like a brother to me.
Immanuel, when I speak of wine,
I'm speaking of the wine regions outside of Santiago, Chile
Where I will take you when you get better.
Immanuel, it's difficult to stand fast
When it's not your arm nicely wrapped in a cast,
When your a needle in a haystack,
And a dead horse on the racetrack,
And no one sees you bleeding,
When the story is old
And the winter blowing cold in Sweden.
Immanuel, every drop of blood tastes like wine.
When I speak of blood,
I'm speaking of what I would do if anyone hurt you.
Immanuel, when I speak of wine,
I'm speaking of the wine regions outside of Santiago, Chile
Where I will take you when you get better.
And that's a promise.
Immanuel, imagine the cool breeze from the Andes.
Immanuel, imagine the full-bodied red wine against your lips.
Immanuel, imagine the Chilean women,
The most beautiful women in the world.
The lyrics of Jens Lekman's song A Promise touch on the theme of sickness and the struggles that come with it. The song is addressed to Immanuel, a character who seems to be unwell, and the lyrics question whether the doctors will allow him to rest or continue to work, making his condition worse. The song paints a picture of how difficult it can be to cope when you're sick, yet nobody seems to notice or care.
The lyrics also reference blood and wine, with Immanuel's blood tasting like wine and the promise of taking him to wine regions in Chile when he gets better. These references perhaps symbolize the experience of being sick - feeling like you're bleeding out, yet hoping for something beautiful and enjoyable once you recover.
As the song continues, it becomes clear that the singer cares deeply for Immanuel and wants to support him through his struggles. They promise to take him to Chile, show him the beautiful women there, and do everything they can to make him feel better. The song's gentle melody and soothing vocals add to the sense of comfort and care that the singer conveys.
Overall, A Promise is a touching song about the difficulties of being sick and the importance of caring for those who are unwell. It's a reminder to be there for our loved ones who may be going through a tough time.
Line by Line Meaning
Immanuel, will your doctors let you be ill?
Are you going to be permitted by your physicians to rest, Immanuel? Or will they be required to fulfill quotas as a result of new legislation?
Or are the new laws quoting quotas they have to fill?
Perhaps new laws have been implemented that require physicians to meet a certain quota of patients or treatments, regardless of individual needs.
They said you have to work,
Your employers or doctors have mandated that you continue working despite being ill.
So you work and you get worse,
As a result of continuing to work despite poor health, your condition has deteriorated further.
And you curse the day you were born.
You feel a sense of regret and frustration about your existence in this world, Immanuel.
Fill in your date of birth,
Provide your birth date on this form, Immanuel.
And sign your name on the application form.
Please affix your signature to this document, Immanuel.
Immanuel, every drop of blood tastes like wine.
Immanuel, your pain and suffering have become almost poetic and bittersweet to me, like wine.
When I speak of blood,
By 'blood,' I mean the emotional turmoil and physical harm you are experiencing, Immanuel.
I'm speaking of how you always felt like a brother to me.
You have always been a close and dear friend to me, like a brother, Immanuel.
Immanuel, when I speak of wine,
By 'wine,' I refer to the delightful and exotic wine-producing regions situated beyond Santiago, Chile.
Where I will take you when you get better.
Once you have recovered, Immanuel, I will whisk you away to these regions for some rest and relaxation.
Immanuel, it's difficult to stand fast
It can be challenging to persevere, Immanuel.
When it's not your arm nicely wrapped in a cast,
It's much harder to endure when your wounds and pain aren't visible or apparent to others, Immanuel.
When your a needle in a haystack,
You feel as though you are drowning in an endless sea of people, Immanuel.
And a dead horse on the racetrack,
You feel exhausted and beaten like a horse that has met its end on the track, Immanuel.
And no one sees you bleeding,
Your pain and hardship are being ignored or overlooked, Immanuel.
When the story is old
When the plot has been dragged out for far too long.
And the winter blowing cold in Sweden.
And the frosty climate of Sweden compounds all these problems, Immanuel.
Immanuel, imagine the cool breeze from the Andes.
Picture the refreshing wind blowing from the majestic Andes range, Immanuel.
Immanuel, imagine the full-bodied red wine against your lips.
Imagine savouring some of the robust and hearty red wine, Immanuel.
Immanuel, imagine the Chilean women,
Envision the dazzling and gorgeous women of Chile, Immanuel:
The most beautiful women in the world.
Some of the most stunning and attractive individuals on the planet, Immanuel!
And that's a promise.
Rest assured, Immanuel, that I will make sure these things are made a reality for you in the future.
Contributed by Grace C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.