Jill Anna Maria Johnson, born May 24, 1973 in Ängelholm, is a Swedish count… Read Full Bio ↴Jill Anna Maria Johnson, born May 24, 1973 in Ängelholm, is a Swedish country- and pop-singer and songwriter. She performed the Melodifestivalen 1998 winning song Kärleken är, and represented Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 with that song, which finished 10th with 53 points. In 2003 she again entered Melodifestivalen with Crazy in Love, which finished fourth in the final. She also hosted the final of Melodifestivalen in 2005. Johnson is today one of the most successful artists in Sweden, with several gold and platinum records.
Biography

Johnson is from the small town of Ängelholm in the south western part of Sweden, but the surroundings and the media compare her with the biggest stars in the music business. By the age of four, she had decided that she wanted to become an artist. She was highly encouraged by her local choir leader.
She now lives in a hunting lodge in the Western Gothlandic woods of Sweden, but also has a home in Stockholm.
As a 12-year old, she started off as vocalist in a Country & Western band, Tomboola Band, touring in Norway and Denmark. She signed eventually with EMI-Medley in Denmark and recorded an album, produced by top producer Paul Bruun. The title-track, Sugar Tree, became a hit in Denmark. In 1996, she had her first Swedish hit with Kommer tid, kommer vår”, a duet with Jan Johansen.
In 1998, she performed Kärleken är at Melodifestivalen, winning the Swedish finals and going on to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest. This established Johnson as one of the prime Swedish artists. The success was followed by the hit album När hela världen ser på and a successful tour.
In mid 1999, Johnson went to L.A. to look for material for her second album. At home, she worked with Andreas Carlsson (ASCAP Writer of the Year 2000), who is known for several massive hits, the biggest , so far, being Celine Dion's That's the Way It Is. She also tried out a few local new-comers and the album Daughter of Eve was released in early 2000. It was very well received and Johnson was compared with some of the world's best artists.
In 2000, she received a platinum-record in Denmark for the sound-track Promise To Love from the Danish block-buster, "Eneste Ene". Later that year, Johnson started to collaborate with other songwriters such as Jenny Orenstein, Charlie Stefl, Mary Green [Biem Writer of the Year 2001]. This resulted in her receiving a Publishing contract in Nashville Tennessee. Consequently, in 2002 Johnson's album entitled "Good Girl" came to be with the help of producer Scott Bagget and some of Nashville’s top musicians. This album secured Johnson's artistic sound and style and once again she was extremely well received by the press in their reviews where she was described as an artist of International calibre.
In the Swedish finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 she qualified at fourth place (out of 32 entries) but and her song “Crazy in Love" became a hit and received a great deal of radio play and was followed by a successful tour.
Johnson's collective "Discography" CD was released in late March 2003. It contains the 20 most popular songs since her debut in 1995. This Cd went straight into the sales charts for best selling CDs in Sweden. The single “Crazy in Love” stayed at No 1 in the Swedish Top Charts (Svensktoppen) 12 weeks consecutively and No 2 for 15 weeks. "Discography" sold Gold in Sweden and Johnson also got a Grammy for this album.
The new album "Roots and Wings" was released in November 2003, recorded and produced by Amir Aly in Sweden and by Scott Baggett in Nashville, USA. "Roots and Wings" sold gold in less than two weeks and platinum a few months later. The album "Being who you are" was released in Sweden in late March 2005 and sold gold in only a few weeks. Johnson was the host of the 2005 Swedish finals of the Eurovison Song Contest in Stockholm

Benen i kors
Jill Johnson Lyrics

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Jag vill inte förklara mig
vill inte stå upp för mina ideal
inte heller försvara mig
vill varken vara svår eller hal
så vad vill jag då?
det är enkelt att förstå
jag vill bara sitta här med benen i kors
och varför vill jag det?

det är inte svårt att se
för att du sitter bredvid förstås

Jag vill inte beveka dig
att göra någonting du inte vill
men inte heller förneka mig
och påstå att jag inte duger till
så vad vill jag då?
det är enkelt att förstå
jag vill bara sitta här med benen i kors
och varför vill jag det?
det är inte svårt att se
för att du sitter bredvid förstås

Jag vill inte stressa dig
och jag vill inte pressa dig
men jag vill säga högt och klart
vad jag finner underbart
och du är det skönaste jag vet

Jag vill inte förklara mig
vill inte stå upp för mina ideal
inte heller försvara mig
vill varken vara svår eller hal
så vad vill jag då?
det är enkelt att förstå
jag vill bara sitta här med benen i kors
och varför vill jag det?
det är inte svårt att se
för att du sitter bredvid förstås

Jag vill inte stressa dig
och jag vill inte pressa dig
men jag vill säga högt och klart
vad jag finner underbart
och du är det skönaste jag vet men

jag vill inte beveka dig
att göra någonting du inte vill
men inte heller förneka mig
och påstå att jag inte duger till
så vad vill jag då?
det är enkelt att förstå
jag vill bara sitta här med benen i kors
och varför vill jag det?

det är inte svårt att se
för

Overall Meaning

att du sitter bredvid förstås

The lyrics of "Benen I Kors" by Jill Johnson express the desire to simply be present with someone without the need to prove oneself or defend one's ideals. The singer wants to sit with their legs crossed and enjoy the company of the person sitting next to them without any pressure or expectation. They do not want to coerce or deny themselves, but instead, be true to what they find wonderful.

The repetition of the chorus emphasizes this desire for simplicity and ease. The singer does not want to stress or pressure the other person, but they still want to express their feelings. The use of the phrase "vad jag finner underbart" (what I find wonderful) adds a layer of vulnerability to the lyrics, showing that the singer is willing to be open and honest with the person sitting next to them.

Overall, "Benen I Kors" is a song about the desire for a genuine connection without any artifice. It is a reminder that sometimes the best moments are the simplest ones, and that true connection transcends ideals and expectations.

Line by Line Meaning

Jag vill inte förklara mig
I don't want to explain myself.

vill inte stå upp för mina ideal
I don't want to stand up for my beliefs.

inte heller försvara mig
Nor do I want to defend myself.

vill varken vara svår eller hal
I don't want to be difficult or manipulative.

så vad vill jag då?
So, what do I want then?

det är enkelt att förstå
It's simple to understand.

jag vill bara sitta här med benen i kors
I just want to sit here with my legs crossed.

och varför vill jag det?
And why do I want that?

det är inte svårt att se
It's not hard to see.

för att du sitter bredvid förstås
Because you're sitting beside me, of course.

Jag vill inte beveka dig
I don't want to manipulate or persuade you.