The song Crosses, from Crosses EP and the later Veneer, appeared on the finale of the second season of the popular American television comedy-drama The O.C.. His cover of Heartbeats (also from Veneer) was used in a popular Sony BRAVIA TV commercial featuring coloured bouncing balls in San Francisco and an episode of Zach Braff's Scrubs
His song Far Away was also prominently featured in the Rockstar video game Red Dead Redemption.
His trademark sound is solo acoustic guitar with soft melody. His work, although mostly original, does include acoustic covers of great hits such as Love Will Tear Us Apart, Born in the U.S.A., and Teardrop.
González also appears in the Zero 7 album The Garden, in which he sings on three tracks and on a re-worked version of Crosses.
En stund på jorden
José González Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Som landat I havet
När vi tog första stegen
Ifrån oceanen
Det slog mig den gången
När vi vadade fram genom vattnet
Jag la mig på marken
Att vi fick stiga på land
Att vi fick känna på sanden
Nu kan vi säga
Att vi har varit på jorden
Ja, jag var där
Hur underbart var det!
Hur underbart var inte det!
Jag var nära, jag var nära
Jag var nära, jag var där
En stund på jorden
Jag vann över bergen
Jag delade på havet
Jag var den starkaste av oss
Men den svagaste ändå
Jag fick hålla dig I handen
När du fick lämna dina drömmar
Och försonas sen med tiden
Jag fick se dig tacka livet
Trots allt, nu kan vi säga
Att vi har varit på jorden
Säga jag var där
En stund på jorden
The lyrics of José González's song En stund på jorden describes the beautiful moments of humanity's existence on Earth. The song carries a message of gratitude and appreciation for the gift of life and the experiences that come with it. The opening lyrics poetically describe how humans once descended from the stars, landing in the vastness of the sea before taking the first steps on land. The visual imagery here is powerful, suggesting that humans have come a long way from their celestial origins, and yet they still remain connected to the natural world.
As the song progresses, the lyrics evolve to describe the human experience of conquering great challenges, from scaling mountains to crossing oceans. Gonzalez sings that while he may have triumphed over these obstacles, he is also aware of his own vulnerability. He acknowledges that even as the strongest among us, we are still subject to the whims of fate and time. The lyrics reinforce the idea that life is fleeting and that it is important to cherish the moments we have while we are here.
The closing lyrics of the song celebrate the joy of being alive and experiencing all that life has to offer. Gonzalez reflects on the beauty of holding hands with loved ones, embracing the challenges of life, and thanking life itself for the gift of existence. The song's title, "En stund på jorden" (A Moment on Earth), serves as a poignant reminder that life is temporary, and that we should not take for granted the time we have on this planet.
Overall, the lyrics to "En stund på jorden" are a beautiful meditation on the human experience, celebrating the moments of joy, triumph and togetherness that make life special, while also acknowledging life's struggles and fragility.
Line by Line Meaning
Jag såg hur vi var stjärnor
I saw how we were stars
Som landat i havet
That landed in the sea
När vi tog första stegen
When we took our first steps
Ifrån oceanen
Away from the ocean
Det slog mig den gången
It struck me at that moment
När vi vadade fram genom vattnet
As we waded through the water
Jag la mig på marken
I laid myself on the ground
Och tackade himlen
And thanked the sky
Att vi fick stiga på land
That we got to step on land
Att vi fick känna på sanden
That we got to feel the sand
Nu kan vi säga
Now we can say
Att vi har varit på jorden
That we've been on earth
Ja, jag var där
Yes, I was there
Hur underbart var det!
How wonderful it was!
Hur underbart var inte det!
How incredibly wonderful it was!
Jag var nära, jag var nära
I was close, I was close
Jag var nära, jag var där
I was close, I was there
En stund på jorden
A moment on earth
Jag vann över bergen
I conquered the mountains
Jag delade på havet
I divided the sea
Jag var den starkaste av oss
I was the strongest of us
Men den svagaste ändå
But still the weakest
Jag fick hålla dig i handen
I got to hold your hand
När du fick lämna dina drömmar
When you had to leave your dreams
Och försonas sen med tiden
And later reconcile with time
Jag fick se dig tacka livet
I got to see you thank life
Trots allt, nu kan vi säga
Despite everything, now we can say
Att vi har varit på jorden
That we've been on earth
Säga jag var där
To say that I was there
En stund på jorden
A moment on earth
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Laleh Pourkarim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@asalind3700
Spelade din version på mammas begravning. Så vackert, sorgligt och trösterikt. Tack José för din fina tolkning ❤️
@katharinamayer4220
The song led me to a place of a wide, raw and vulnerable beauty, where time is swallowed by the endlesness of the universe. And I find myself somewhere in the middle of this beauty, unknown of where I came from and where I will go. This song is a whole life journey. A miracle, like life itself. Thank you so much, José, for this wonderful version.
@elliot245
The mix of three languages on the new album is so amazing.
@thebianchi1486
La sensibilidad hecha canción otra obra maestra ,bravo jose !
@idaneromi4205
Otrolig! Du har fått Lalehs sång att låta som en tidlös psalm. Så himla vackert! ❤
@chiriveje
A moment on earth to enjoy your music, José. I love you.
@katjakleiber3026
This song is so wonderful! 🤗
@bgb5283
Preciosidad de canción!!
@igatomczuk
Så vakkert!❤️
@spikebr
This is beautiful. Thank you, José.