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]
Who Really Needs Who
Jens Lekman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Annika Norlin From the remnants of a New Year's Eve The fog that
Slithers through the streets I'm trying to remember how You made
Friends when you were young What were those
Friendships based on And what made them so strong?
Francisco was my first friend He lived 'round the
Bend in my neighborhood He came up one day and asked, "
Are you a turd?" I said I was not, he said, "
Friends We based our friendship on our non-turdness At the
Time, it just made sense Remember the first time that we met?
That fall in New York that I want to forget You asked if someone had
A show for your band I surprised myself when I reached out a hand I
Was feeling so alone back then Vulnerable and heartbroken Despite
That people used to call my name As I
Stepped off the Q train As I stepped off the Q train
I joined a program where you meet refugees To feel a bit better 'bout
Myself honestly I met Nazir,
Once a week And we ended up good friends eventually He said, "
Thanks for taking the time to meet It's really nice of you" And I
Wondered who should be thankful to who And who really needed who Who
Really needed who It's a miserable,
Sad and lonely life You're a slave to your fears and then you die
Once in a while the skin becomes thin
You stand there by the door saying, "
Can I come in?" I just want someone to talk to Well,
Maybe not just anyone I've always liked what goes
On in your brain So would you like to correspond?
Would you like to correspond?
In "Who Really Needs Who," Jens Lekman reflects on the importance of human connections in our lives. He begins the song by addressing Annika Norlin and describing the feeling of emptiness that can follow a celebratory holiday, which leads him to ponder about the nature of friendships. He reminisces about how he made his first friend, Francisco, and how they bonded over their mutual non-turdness in childhood. He also thinks about how he met Annika and how their friendship developed, showing how reaching out to someone when in need can be a powerful thing.
As the song progresses, Jens describes how he joined a program to meet refugees and ended up befriending Nazir. They both take the time to meet each other once a week and develop a relationship over time. Jens wonders who should be thanking who and who really needed who in the relationship. The chorus highlights the loneliness that can be felt in life and how we all crave meaningful connections with others.
The song's themes revolve around our human need to connect with others to find meaning in our lives. Relationships and communities are important, and we need others to remind us of our value, especially when we are feeling lost or alone. Jens Lekman masterfully delivers this message through witty lyrics and charming melodies.
Line by Line Meaning
January 1st, 2018 I'm writing you now, Annika Norlin From the remnants of a New Year's Eve The fog that Slithers through the streets I'm trying to remember how
I am writing to you, Annika Norlin, on New Year's Day 2018 while trying to recollect the hazy memories of last night's New Year's Eve celebration.
You made Friends when you were young What were those Friendships based on And what made them so strong?
When you were young, you formed friendships with people. What were the reasons for your friendships and what made them so solid?
Francisco was my first friend He lived 'round the Bend in my neighborhood He came up one day and asked, " Are you a turd?" I said I was not, he said, "Then you're good" He had post traumatic memories I didn't have any Friends We based our friendship on our non-turdness At the Time, it just made sense
Francisco, who was traumatized, asked if I was a bad person. When I assured him that I wasn't, we became friends despite not having anything in common besides not being a bad person.
Remember the first time that we met? That fall in New York that I want to forget You asked if someone had A show for your band I surprised myself when I reached out a hand
I recall meeting you for the first time in New York, where you asked if there was a gig for your band. I can't remember the rest of that season, but it was good to have offered to help you back then.
I Was feeling so alone back then Vulnerable and heartbroken Despite That people used to call my name As I Stepped off the Q train As I stepped off the Q train
When I got off the Q train, people used to know me, but I was still lonely, vulnerable, and heartbroken.
I joined a program where you meet refugees To feel a bit better 'bout Myself honestly I met Nazir, Once a week And we ended up good friends eventually
I signed up for a refugee assistance program to boost my spirits but ended up making a new friend, Nazir, whom I met once a week.
He said, "Thanks for taking the time to meet It's really nice of you" And I Wondered who should be thankful to who And who really needed who Who Really needed who
Nazir appreciated me for spending time with him, but I began to question who should be thankful for whom in our friendship, and who depended on whom the most.
It's a miserable, Sad and lonely life You're a slave to your fears and then you die Once in a while the skin becomes thin You stand there by the door saying, "Can I come in?"
Life is often miserable, sad, and lonely because we are controlled by our fears and will eventually pass away. Sometimes our emotional defenses may erode and we hope to find comfort by seeking company from others.
I just want someone to talk to Well, Maybe not just anyone I've always liked what goes On in your brain So would you like to correspond? Would you like to correspond?
I long for someone to connect with, but not just anyone. Specifically, I enjoy your thoughts and would like to engage in a correspondence with you.
Writer(s): jens lekman
Contributed by Bailey L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.