Julia Marcell composed since she was 14 years old, and circa 2007 she learned how to play the piano. In 2007 she released her first album, the extended play Storm EP, which featured piano oriented compositions with string arrangements.
In October 2007, with the help of fans around the world, she obtained a sum of US$ 50,000 (through the website Sellaband) in order to record her first studio album. Titled It Might Like You, it was released in Germany in 2009, and was produced by Moses Schneider, who previously worked with such bands as Beatsteaks, Kreator and Tocotronic.
In 2008, Marcell sang a duet with Cuban American dark cabaret singer Voltaire, named "This Sea". The song appears on his album To the Bottom of the Sea. In this same album, Voltaire makes a cover of her song "Accordion Player".
Since 2010 Marcell is extensively touring Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Finland, Japan and the U.S.A.
On September 30, 2011, she released a second studio album, entitled June, which brought a big change in style and saw Marcell playing with rhythm and expanding her sound with the addition of electronic instruments. June's first single, "Matrioszka", was released on August 7, 2011. The music video for "Matrioszka" was released on August 27, 2011. The second single for June, "CTRL", was released on November 30, 2011. The third single, "I Wanna Get on Fire", was released in June 20, 2012, alongside a music video. For June, Marcell was awarded with the prestigious Paszport Polityki prize in 2011, in the "Popular Music" category, and in 2012 she was nominated to seven Fryderyks, winning one of them.
In 2014, she would collaborate with Voltaire once more, providing additional vocals for the track "The Devil and Mr. Jones", off his album Raised by Bats.
Her third studio album, Sentiments, was released on October 6, 2014. On September 10, 2014, she released a music video for one of the tracks that would appear on the album, "Manners".
Band:
Mandy Ping-Pong - viola, vocals
Thomsen Slowey Merkel - bass
Sebastian Schmidt - drums
Thomas Fietz - drums
Jack the Ripoff
Julia Marcell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna stop hurting their ears but
I'm afraid of what silence could bring
I got a head full of melodies
I got sounds coming out of my mouth
But none of these melodies I can call mine
And I can't sing aloud
And I would do most anything
To write something that sounds like it's mine
But I just keep on singing
The melodies I have in my mind
And I-I'm starting to think I'd better
Put my piano down
In some heated place
And forget…
And it does hurt me
Sure you don't wanna feel like I feel
Do you wanna know, know, how much it hurts me
Cause it feels so unreal
And it does hurt me
Sure you don't wanna feel like I feel
Do you wanna know, know, how much it hurts me
And I hate days like these cause they
Make me feel like I can't write a thing
And I would do most anything
To write something that sounds like it's mine
But I just keep on crying and laughing
I think I'm just losing my mind
And I-I'm starting to think I'd better
Put my piano down
In some heated place
And forget…
I know good song is heaven sent
I write it down and my passion spent
But my heart's falls apart
And piano's rent
I see my future in a tent…
And it sounds like this
And it sounds like that
Oh, it sounds like this
And it sounds like that
And it sounds like this
And it sounds like that
Oh, it sounds like this
And it sounds like that
And it sound like it's
Not mine at all…
And it sounds like this
And it sounds like that
And I sound like Regina Spektor at times
But it sure doesn't sound like it is mine…
And if you feel like that
Didn't you want to hide away
Not that I feel the same way
Not that I feel the same way too
The first stanza of Julia Marcell's song Jack the Ripoff tells the story of a musician who is struggling to write a song that is uniquely hers. She feels as though all the melodies in her head have been heard before, and none of them feel like her own. She is fearful of the silence that might come if she stops trying to create, but at the same time, the act of trying is starting to wear her down. She longs to write something that is truly hers, but all she can do is sing the same old melodies that have been done before.
This struggle is further explored in the second stanza, where the musician's frustration is palpable. She is at a loss as to how to capture her own style and sound, and instead finds herself crying and laughing uncontrollably. Her mind is starting to fray at the edges, and she feels as though she is losing her grip on reality. The musician recognizes that a good song is something that is almost magical in its creation, and she laments the fact that she has not yet been blessed with this gift.
Overall, Jack the Ripoff is a poignant and emotional song that speaks to the struggle of creative individuals around the world. It is a reminder that even the most talented among us can feel as though they are falling short, and that the act of creation is not always a smooth and effortless process.
Line by Line Meaning
Every buster in Rome is staring at me
People are paying attention to me and my music, but I am unsure of how they will react
I wanna stop hurting their ears but
I am self-conscious about my music and worried that it may not be good enough for others to listen to
I'm afraid of what silence could bring
I am worried about the possibility of not being able to create music anymore or losing my passion for it
I got a head full of melodies
I have many musical ideas and inspirations
I got sounds coming out of my mouth
I am constantly singing or humming my musical ideas
But none of these melodies I can call mine
I feel like my music is not original or unique enough
And I can't sing aloud
I am too self-conscious to perform my music for others
And I would do most anything
I am desperate to create music that is truly mine
To write something that sounds like it's mine
I want to make music that is truly original and unique
But I just keep on singing
Despite my doubts, I cannot stop creating music
The melodies I have in my mind
I am constantly thinking of new musical ideas
And I-I'm starting to think I'd better
I am considering taking a break from music
Put my piano down
Stop playing music
In some heated place
To take a break from writing music in a relaxed setting
And forget…
To forget about my musical doubts and frustrations
And it does hurt me
The struggle with my music is emotionally painful for me
Sure you don't wanna feel like I feel
I wouldn't want anyone else to feel the pain and frustration that I do
Do you wanna know, know, how much it hurts me
I want others to understand how difficult it is for me to create music
Cause it feels so unreal
The struggle with my music feels surreal and almost dreamlike
And I hate days like these cause they
I dread days when I can't write music
Make me feel like I can't write a thing
I feel uninspired and creatively blocked on these days
But I just keep on crying and laughing
Despite my struggles, I continue to experience a range of emotions through my music
I think I'm just losing my mind
The emotional strain of creating music is taking a toll on me
I know good song is heaven sent
I recognize that truly great music is a gift from a higher power
I write it down and my passion spent
Often or not, I find that I lose my motivation to continue creating music after writing an idea down
But my heart's falls apart
My emotional well-being is tied to my music, and when it doesn't turn out the way I want it to, it hurts me deeply
And piano's rent
My creative spirit and passion for music is shattered
I see my future in a tent…
I feel lost and uncertain about my future as a musician
And it sounds like this
Despite my uncertainty, I continue to create music
And it sounds like that
The music I create may not be perfect, but it is still meaningful to me
And it sounds like it's
The music I create is unique to me and my experiences
Not mine at all…
Despite my efforts, I still feel like my music is not truly mine
And I sound like Regina Spektor at times
My music is sometimes similar to that of another artist
But it sure doesn't sound like it is mine…
Despite similarities to other artists, I struggle to find a truly unique sound
And if you feel like that
If you understand and can relate to my struggles
Didn't you want to hide away
Don't you sometimes feel like you want to escape from the pressures of life?
Not that I feel the same way
I am not sure if I want to escape or not
Not that I feel the same way too
I am still unsure of how I feel about my music and my future as a musician
Contributed by Xavier A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Juan D Daza
The Cure, Kate Bush, Regina Spektor, Björk, what else? Amazing song!
Modern Moonlight
Dresden Dolls if i remember right.
Sa Shaya
Regina Spektor led me to Julia and I love both their styles
Mytinhalo
Thank you so much! I was looking for this. :)
Agrael
Nice song