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]
It Was a Strange Time in My Life
Jens Lekman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Making a little gesture as if switching off a radio
Sliding her fingers 'cross her lips as if shutting a zipper
And I clearly got the message; I didn't need to ask her
Making the reverse zipper 'cross my lips, opening for conversation
Signaling the international sign of reckless contemplation
Shrugging her shoulders and lifting up the hand that rested on her thigh
I turned 17 and I swore to never speak a word again
But then someone came along and ruined everything
It was a strange time in my life
People seem to think a shy personality equals gifted
But if they would get to know one I'm sure that idea would have shifted
Most shy people I know are extremely boring
Either that or they are miserable from all the shit they've been storing
I turned 17 and I swore to never speak a word again
But then someone came along and ruined everything
It was a strange time in my life
I had a good time at the party when everyone had left
I flirted with a girl in sign language 'cause she was deaf
It was a strange time in my life
It was a strange time in my life
The song "It was a Strange Time in My Life" by Jens Lekman delivers a narrative featuring a young man who has experienced a strange period. It starts with the Spanish girl's gesture and the singer's understanding of her intention. The girl desperately wants the singer to stop talking, and she uses a zipper movement to convey her message. In response, he makes the “reverse zipper” sign, signifying that he wants to converse with her instead. The girl rebuffs him using the middle finger gesture.
The narrative then delves into the singer's thoughts on shyness, dispelling the notion that shy people are more talented compared to extroverts. In contrast, many introverts are uninteresting, overwhelmed, and lonely. In the final verse, the singer recounts his memories of a night he spent with a deaf girl where he had a great time communicating with her through sign language.
The song has a catchy tune that captures the reflective tone. The song's theme of avoiding communication contrasts with the pop-style music, resulting in an ironic situation. Also, the singer's outlook on shy people may not be what many expect, but it makes the song stand out.
Line by Line Meaning
The Spanish girl pointed at me and said, 'silencio'
The Spanish girl motioned for me to be quiet
Making a little gesture as if switching off a radio
She made a hand motion akin to pressing a mute button on a radio
Sliding her fingers 'cross her lips as if shutting a zipper
She moved her fingers across her lips as if closing a zipper to signal she wanted silence
And I clearly got the message; I didn't need to ask her
The meaning was received without having to ask her what she intended
Making the reverse zipper 'cross my lips, opening for conversation
I opened up, ready to converse
Signaling the international sign of reckless contemplation
Preparing to make bold statements
Shrugging her shoulders and lifting up the hand that rested on her thigh
She shrugged and raised her hand from her thigh
Her middle finger extended until its simple message could not be denied
Her middle finger was extended to communicate one specific, impolite message
I turned 17 and I swore to never speak a word again
After turning 17, I promised to never talk again
But then someone came along and ruined everything
Someone disrupted the silence I had maintained
People seem to think a shy personality equals gifted
There's a common misconception that being shy means you're talented
But if they would get to know one I'm sure that idea would have shifted
If this were the case, they'd come around on that notion
Most shy people I know are extremely boring
The shy people I know are usually uninteresting
Either that or they are miserable from all the shit they've been storing
They may be sad due to pent-up emotions
I had a good time at the party when everyone had left
After the party cleared out, I still enjoyed myself
I flirted with a girl in sign language 'cause she was deaf
I communicated with a deaf girl through sign language to flirt with her
It was a strange time in my life
This was a strange period of my life
It was a strange time in my life
This was a strange period of my life
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jens Martin Lekman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind