Jens Martin Lekman (born February 6, 1981 in Angered, Sweden) is a Swedish … Read Full Bio ↴Jens Martin Lekman (born February 6, 1981 in Angered, Sweden) is a Swedish musician. He has released four albums and several EPs since 2003. His music can be described as guitar-based pop with heavy use of samples and strings, with lyrics that are often witty, romantic, and lachrymose. His work is often compared to that of Stephin Merritt of the The Magnetic Fields, Jonathan Richman and Morrissey.

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]

An Argument With Myself
Jens Lekman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Having an argument with myself down Elizabeth Street
Bumping into backpackers and
struggling with the parameters
and the basic construction of my feet

Kicking beer cans and rubbish along the concrete
Crossing the street and crossing galaxies of taxis and
backseats and drunk suites and half-Greeks

Shut up, no, you shut up!
What's the matter, take a number, Buttercup!
Every time I hear you say "Fuck it"
I would remind you of the photo in your pocket

How long it's been there, two years, I bet
have a sniff, it smells like a cigarette
When was the last time you smoked a cigarette?
And more importantly, who did you smoke it with?

Having an argument with myself down Victoria Street
Passing the market now, the windows neon illuminating my path to defeat
Your grinning face scaring a poor parakeet
Your happy breathing scaring the wind

So rich on Summer and so sweet

Fuck you, no, you fuck you!
You didn't come here for nothing, did you?
I know that's what you've been saying lately
But let me draw attention to a ?????

I stuck it in a little plastic envelope
and put the flower in a neon microscope
See what's written on the petals
Look closer, that's her intials

And now I'm walking by Bev and Mick's backpacker hostel on Victoria Street
Where it's reggae night tonight
And the backpackers are pouring out like a tidal wave of vomit
I have to sit down on the curbside and count the coins in my pocket

See if I have enough cash to take a taxi home
...No
Alright, yes, can we just try to figure this out?
Can we just talk about this, please?

Nah, I don't wanna talk to you
OK, you wanna keep fighting?
Yeah, I wanna keep on fighting
Alright, fair enough

1, 2, 3, here we go!

Having an argument with myself down Queensbury Street
The lonely light from the town hall clock tower
Chime of the bells striking
1, 2, 3

And it took shape in the form of an image in the form of a living memory
The way her shadow used to walk by your side
In a different time, in a different city

Oh please, no you oh please!
I wanna see you drop down on your knees
I wanna see your hand waving "Farewell"
Why you hittin' yourself, why you hittin' yourself?

??????? twice at March
???????????????????

To make history of a love, a love like ours
A love like ours

Overall Meaning

In Jens Lekman’s “An Argument with Myself,” the lyrics give a glimpse into the internal conflict of a person as they walk along Elizabeth Street. The song is mostly composed of this tension-filled exchange between the singer and himself as they walk about. The person is contending with the basic construction of their feet as they walk, and they keep bumping into backpackers in the process. As they continue their stroll, they kick beer cans and rubbish along the concrete.

The singer then transitions into a fight with himself, using phrases such as ‘shut up, no, you shut up’ and ‘fuck you, no, you fuck you.’ The internal debate revolves around a picture in their pocket that has been there for two years, raising questions about smoking cigarettes and who they’ve smoked them with. As the song progresses, they find themselves in other locations, such as Victoria Street, passing the market and counting coins in their pockets. In the end, the singer reminisces on “a love like ours,” the memories that were formed before, and the hope that traces of it remain.

Line by Line Meaning

Having an argument with myself down Elizabeth Street
I am in a heated debate with my own inner thoughts while walking down Elizabeth Street.

Bumping into backpackers and struggling with the parameters and the basic construction of my feet
I am clumsily moving around and having trouble walking while also colliding with backpackers along the way.

Kicking beer cans and rubbish along the concrete Crossing the street and crossing galaxies of taxis and backseats and drunk suites and half-Greeks
As I walk, I am kicking garbage around and navigating through a busy street filled with taxis and various people, including those who are intoxicated.

Shut up, no, you shut up! What's the matter, take a number, Buttercup! Every time I hear you say "Fuck it" I would remind you of the photo in your pocket
I am arguing with myself, trying to shut off one of my thoughts. I then bring up a photo in my pocket whenever the opposing thought mentions giving up or quitting.

How long it's been there, two years, I bet have a sniff, it smells like a cigarette When was the last time you smoked a cigarette? And more importantly, who did you smoke it with?
I reflect on a photograph from two years ago, noticing the scent of a cigarette on it. I then question the last time I smoked a cigarette and who I smoked it with, indicating I miss that certain someone.

Having an argument with myself down Victoria Street Passing the market now, the windows neon illuminating my path to defeat Your grinning face scaring a poor parakeet Your happy breathing scaring the wind So rich on Summer and so sweet
I continue to debate with myself while walking down another street, passing by a market lit up by neon lights. I also imagine the face of someone I'm missing, causing nature to react to my emotional state.

Fuck you, no, you fuck you! You didn't come here for nothing, did you? I know that's what you've been saying lately But let me draw attention to a ?????
I am once again fighting with myself, acknowledging that there must be a reason why I am having this internal battle. I then hint at something I may be repressing or ignoring.

I stuck it in a little plastic envelope and put the flower in a neon microscope See what's written on the petals Look closer, that's her intials
I kept a flower and its petals with the initials of the person I am missing, even analyzing it in a microscope, as a reminder of our past together.

And now I'm walking by Bev and Mick's backpacker hostel on Victoria Street Where it's reggae night tonight And the backpackers are pouring out like a tidal wave of vomit I have to sit down on the curbside and count the coins in my pocket See if I have enough cash to take a taxi home ...No Alright, yes, can we just try to figure this out? Can we just talk about this, please?
As I walk past a hostel during reggae night and see drunken backpackers spewing out onto the street, I realize I may not have enough money for a taxi. I then take a break to reflect on my internal conflict, seeking resolution.

Nah, I don't wanna talk to you OK, you wanna keep fighting? Yeah, I wanna keep on fighting Alright, fair enough 1, 2, 3, here we go!
Despite my request to talk, I decide to continue battling with myself, counting down as the argument intensifies.

Having an argument with myself down Queensbury Street The lonely light from the town hall clock tower Chime of the bells striking 1, 2, 3
In a different part of town, I am still engaged in a disagreement with my internal thoughts as the clock tower chimes the hour.

And it took shape in the form of an image in the form of a living memory The way her shadow used to walk by your side In a different time, in a different city
The thought of missing someone starts to take shape in my mind, recalling a vivid memory of the way they used to walk next to me in a different time and place.

Oh please, no you oh please! I wanna see you drop down on your knees I wanna see your hand waving "Farewell" Why you hittin' yourself, why you hittin' yourself?
I beg for a glimpse of the person I'm longing for, expressing my desire to reconcile with them while also questioning why I'm causing myself pain by obsessing over them.

??????? twice at March ??????????????????? To make history of a love, a love like ours A love like ours
The exact words are unclear and open to interpretation, possibly reflecting on how the unique qualities of my past relationship will live on and be remembered in history.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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