The band was founded by Janove Ottesen and Geir Zahl, two childhood friends from the small town of Bryne, Rogaland, Norway. The two had earlier played in several bands together, including Blod, snått & juling, and gnom. The musical and lyrical style of Kaizers Orchestra was in part conceptualized during the active period of latter group. Despite the release of a studio album, Mys, any recognition eluded gnom. However, one song written during gnom's active period, called "Hemmelig beskjed", featuring a musical style the group themselves labeled "ompa" music, which elicited significant response from live audiences. This inspired Ottesen to compose a new song, "Bastard"; the song's dissonant sound and absurd storytelling lyrics, clearly inspired by Tom Waits, as well as the unusual inclusion of oil barrels as percussion, inspired them to reinvent their sound, image and name. Kaizers Orchestra was officially founded on 1 January 2000; it was initially a five-piece group that naturally evolved from gnom, with Ottesen as primary vocalist, Zahl as guitarist and secondary vocalist, drummer Rune Solheim, organist Helge Risa, and Jon Sjøen, an educated musician who had become a member of gnom after their previous bassist quit.
Throughout 2000, Kaizers Orchestra held sporadic performances at various small venues in Norway, having received little to no publicity at the time. In July of that year, Ottesen and Zahl performed acoustic shows at Det Beste Stedet in Sandnes, their sets consisting of partly Blod, snått & juling, gnom and newly-written Kaizers Orchestra material. A 14-track demo was recorded, but Ottesen and Zahl grew frustrated at finding it hard to bring their vision for the band to tape. They recorded an unnamed EP in 2000, known as Gul EP (Yellow EP), featuring a recording of "Bastard" (which had not been recorded while gnom was active). After months of struggling, they finally signed a deal with the independent label BroilerFarm. In 2001, Terje Vinterstø (later Terje Winterstø Røthing) joined the band as their first guitarist. In the studio, co-producers Jørgen Træen and Stian Carstensen succesfully aided the group in capturing Ottesen and Zahl's vision for the band's sound, and the album was recorded in six days, "leaving the last day for partying."
Their debut album, Ompa til du dør, was released on 1 September 2001, receiving high praise from critics and launching them into the national spotlight. The album would go on to win a Spellemannspris (the Norwegian equivalent of the Grammy Awards) and become the best-selling Norwegian rock album of all time. Subsequently, as bookings became more and more frequent, Kaizers Orchestra performed in nearly every part of Norway until the end of the year. Early 2002 saw the release of their second EP, Død manns tango. In the summer, they released another EP, Mann mot mann, and performed their first international live concert at the prestigious Roskilde Festival in Denmark, to much critical praise. In early 2003, they performed as part of the Eurosonic festival in the Netherlands, where they made a huge impression on both festival-goers and music business executives.
On 3 February 2003, their second studio album, Evig pint, was released. This album was cited as having a darker atmosphere, and notably included only one song featuring oil barrels, which had become a trademark for the band by then. The album did not receive the same level of critical acclaim their debut album did, nor did it sell as well. Despite this, the band went on a highly successful tour, now often including shows outside of Norway as well, helping to build an international fan base. Later in 2003, Ottesen and Zahl released a remastered version of Mys, the only official release by gnom, including a recording of "Bastard", despite the fact that the track had been recorded only after the band's dissolution. In the same year, Jon Sjøen would leave the group for personal reasons, with the group promptly making Øyvind Storesund, who had served as substitute for Sjøen at concerts he was unable to attend, their new bassist.
In 2004, they signed a recording contract with Universal Germany, and a majority of their backlog was re-released in European countries. By this time, the band had performed in nearly all major countries in Europe. In 2005, they released their third studio album, Maestro, which was released in certain European countries as well as Norway. The album received a majority of positive reviews, however, some were disappointed (the album received the lowest marks given from a Swedish magazine in some time) and the album failed to sell as well as the record company planned, something which the band blamed on little support and promotion from Universal Germany. Nevertheless, the Kaizers embarked on the "Maestro Tour", spanning over ten countries, which perpetuated into 2006.
After the release of their first live album, Live at Vega (as well as a live DVD, Viva La Vega) in 2006, Kaizers announced that they were embarking on a one-year hiatus from performing in 2007. The "Grand Finale Tour" commenced in the fall of 2006, spanning more than 10 countries, culminating in four consecutive shows at Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark; the same venue in which Live at Vega and Viva La Vega were recorded. Concurrently, Kontroll på kontinentet, a book about Kaizers Orchestra and their past, present and future, chronicling their rise from obscure guitar duo to one of the biggest Norwegian music exports in some time, was released. It was written by Geir Zahl's brother Jan Zahl, and featured photos taken by their staff photographer Paal Audestad.
Despite their previously announced hiatus from live performances, the band played three shows in 2007; One at their old favorite, the club Folken in Stavanger, at the Documenta 12 art expo in Germany, and the Sziget Festival in Hungary. Shortly after the Sziget concert, information was released pertaining to their next album. Their fourth studio album, Maskineri, was released on 18 February 2008. It received favorable reviews in Scandaniavian press. The supporting tour received great response and was followed up with a summer tour, with the band performing at various festivals throughout Europe. In the fall of 2008, the band released 250 Prosent, a live compilation album featuring recordings from the Maskineri Tour. Shortly thereafter, the band embarked on the 250 Prosent Tour, during which they played rare songs that they had dropped from setlists long time ago or had never really played much in the first place. Notably, very few songs from Maskineri were played at these concerts.
Early in 2009, Kaizers Orchestra released information concerning a new studio album called Våre demoner; a compilation of re-recordings of songs that had not been released for various reasons. This selection of songs spanned the band's entire career up to that point, and some songs which ultimately appeared on Våre demoner had been bootlegged by the fan community or otherwise leaked, among them the titular song "Våre demoner", of which a demo version was leaked. The album was released in limited quantities on 27 April 2009, followed by a subsequent mini-tour of small venues in Norway. The events of the week of the tour was captured on film by Geir Zahl, as were the recording sessions for the album.
In 2007, Ottesen composed two to three songs a day for the duration of ten days as part of a massive creative outpouring he was experiencing at that time. In the fall of 2009, basic information regarding the upcoming studio album was released, citing a 2011 release date. The band announced a Studio Tour of venues across Norway; the proceedings from these concerts were to finance the next studio album. Attendees were to be given a special edition of the new album at a later point in time. On 10 February 2010, the album's title and format were revealed; it would be a series of three albums, each a part of a trilogy known as Violeta Violeta, to be released gradually throughout 2011 and 2012.
One of the singles from Violeta Violeta Volume I, "Hjerteknuser", became the most successful single of the band's career, and was also the subject of a contest that allowed unsigned talent to cover the song; the prize was an opportunity to perform as a support act for the band, and have their version officially released. Volume I was released on 31 January 2011, and received a varying reception, although critics accentuated positives more than negatives. Concerts for the supporting tour incorporated abstract storytelling visuals projected onto a screen on-stage. The final concert of the tour, to be held at Oslo Spektrum on 9 April 2011, served as the band's tenth anniversary celebration. The entire performance was recorded and released as Live i Oslo Spektrum on 11 November 2011 on CD as well as home video formats.
Violeta Violeta Volume II was released on 11 November 2011; the album's first single, "Tusen dråper regn", was released on 31 May 2011. Around the same time, the many remixed versions of "En for orgelet, en for meg", a song from Volume I, were released as the En for orgelet, en for meg digital EP. On 11 August 2011, Violeta Violeta Volume II was performed, in its entirety, for the very first time at the Øya Festival in Oslo, Norway. Notably, the album features Zahl's return to the position of lead vocalist on the songs he has composed for the album; this has not occurred since the release of Evig pint ("Stormfull vals", featured on Våre demoner, was originally written before the release of their first album, and as such do not meet the specifics).
The promotion for the final installment of the Violeta Violeta trilogy began with "The Kaizervirus", an enigmatic viral marketing campaign. The first single from the album, "Aldri vodka, Violeta", was released in September 2012, and Violeta Violeta Volume III was released on November 2, 2012. Following several tour dates in 2013 (including their first ever concert in the UK), they have announced an indefinite hiatus from performing as a group after an extended series of concerts at the DNB Arena in Stavanger, situated in Ottesen and Zahl's home county of Rogaland. The final concert performance for the foreseeable future took place on 15 September 2013. While the group has cited that a reunion is more or less inevitable, when this will occur is unknown for now.
Drøm videre Violeta
Kaizers Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Du stod, og måtte telle til hundre
Og du såg mellom fingrane dine
Eg låg og lurte en time i sivet
Om kvelden var du oppe på loftet og sang
Månen var full og me ulte på han
Nettene var korte og dagen var for lang
Det var magiske timer me hadde sammen den gong
Og du heiste meg til skyene, og enda lenger opp
Eg var din akrobat, og eg dalte alltid rett inn i armane dine
Me måtte vært sommerfugler om me sko ha følt oss friare
Og far stod og smilte, og vinkte, ner på bakken og såg
Men det var den gong då
Me har det ikkje sånn lenger nå
Me deler på en hemmelighet
Drømmane dine som me grov ner
De vokser opp av bakken når det regner ner
Eg ser det på deg frå mi seng
Drømmer som vokser som ei blomstereng
Og en heilt spesiell og vakker dag
Springer eg over gjerdene alt eg har
Eg kommer til å plukke dine drømmar til bakken er bar
Du heiste meg lenger, og lenger, og lenger og enda lenger opp
Eg var din akrobat, og eg dalte alltid rett inn i armane dine
Me måtte vært sommerfugler om me sko ha følt oss friare
Og far stod og smilte, og vinkte, ner på bakken og såg
Men det var den gong då
Me har det ikkje sånn lenger nå
Eg vil ha det sånn eg hadde det
Du gjorde det umulige
Du ga oss følelsen at alt kunne skje
Det var kaniner i hatten
Eg venta på elefanten
Du drog på kaniner opp av hatten
Eg stod å venta på elefanten
The lyrics of Kaizers Orchestra's song "Drøm videre Violeta" speak about a time of magic and wonder experienced by two people. It starts with a scene of a robbery where the singer is forced to count to one hundred while the robber takes their money or their life. While lying low in a field, the singer thinks of their lover who was up in the loft singing, and together they howled at the moon during the magical hours they had shared in the past. The lover had lifted the singer to the sky, higher and higher, and they felt like acrobats, free and light like butterflies. Even the father watched from below with a smile on his face.
However, the present is not as magical as their past. They share a secret of digging up each other's dreams that grow like a flower field. They hope for a specific day when the singer will come to pick the lover's dreams until they're bare. The song alludes to the feeling of hopelessness and longing for a time when everything felt possible, where the lover seemed to pull rabbits out of their hats and an elephant was expected to appear. The song's title, "Dream on, Violeta," speaks to holding onto hope and not giving up on having magical experiences again in the future.
In summary, the lyrics of the song "Drøm videre Violeta" by Kaizers Orchestra take a nostalgic look back at a time of magic and wonder experienced by two people, contrasting with their less magical present. The song speaks to the longing for hope and magical experiences in one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Hands up. Pengene eller livet
Threatened to give up money or life
Du stod, og måtte telle til hundre
You stood and had to count to one hundred
Og du såg mellom fingrane dine
And you saw through your fingers
Eg låg og lurte en time i sivet
I lay and waited for an hour in the reeds
Om kvelden var du oppe på loftet og sang
At night, you were up in the attic singing
Månen var full og me ulte på han
The moon was full, and we howled at it
Nettene var korte og dagen var for lang
The nights were short, and the days were too long
Det var magiske timer me hadde sammen den gong
We had magical hours together then
Og du heiste meg til skyene, og enda lenger opp
And you lifted me up to the sky, and even further up
Eg var din akrobat, og eg dalte alltid rett inn i armane dine
I was your acrobat, and I always fell right into your arms
Me måtte vært sommerfugler om me sko ha følt oss friare
We would have had to be butterflies to feel freer
Og far stod og smilte, og vinkte, ner på bakken og såg
And dad stood and smiled, and waved, looking down from the ground
Men det var den gong då
But that was back then
Me har det ikkje sånn lenger nå
We don't have it like that anymore
Me deler på en hemmelighet
We share a secret
Drømmane dine som me grov ner
Your dreams that we buried down
De vokser opp av bakken når det regner ner
They grow up from the ground when it rains
Eg ser det på deg frå mi seng
I see it on you from my bed
Drømmer som vokser som ei blomstereng
Dreams that grow like a flower meadow
Og en heilt spesiell og vakker dag
And a very special and beautiful day
Springer eg over gjerdene alt eg har
I'll jump over all the fences I have
Eg kommer til å plukke dine drømmar til bakken er bar
I'll pick your dreams until the ground is bare
Du heiste meg lenger, og lenger, og lenger og enda lenger opp
You lifted me higher, and higher, and higher and even higher up
Eg var din akrobat, og eg dalte alltid rett inn i armane dine
I was your acrobat, and I always fell right into your arms
Me måtte vært sommerfugler om me sko ha følt oss friare
We would have had to be butterflies to feel freer
Og far stod og smilte, og vinkte, ner på bakken og såg
And dad stood and smiled, and waved, looking down from the ground
Men det var den gong då
But that was back then
Me har det ikkje sånn lenger nå
We don't have it like that anymore
Eg vil ha det sånn eg hadde det
I want it like I had it
Du gjorde det umulige
You did the impossible
Du ga oss følelsen at alt kunne skje
You gave us the feeling that anything could happen
Det var kaniner i hatten
There were rabbits in the hat
Eg venta på elefanten
I was waiting for the elephant
Du drog på kaniner opp av hatten
You pulled rabbits out of the hat
Eg stod å venta på elefanten
I stood waiting for the elephant
Contributed by Cole M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MarkFilipAnthony
Violeta remembers more and more of the past and has started to see through her father's one-sided propaganda against her mother. She also understands that she has an own extraordinary power, and has started to put her full potential into effect. She is drawn towards her mother, and the association between the two is strengthened every day. After seven years on the run, Violeta is ready. She flees from her father and his brother in Singapore, manages to shake them off, and finds her way back to her childhood home. There, she picks all her mother's thoughts and dreams. This is when she understands that she will meet her mother for the first time in seven years. She's a big girl now. Her mother promises her a life like no other. And when she has thawed the last bucket of ice, she understands what her mother wants and that they have been closer than she first thought. Violeta does like her mother told her in her dreams and travels right to the highest skyscraper in Tokyo ...
Chamillar
Nå er jeg stolt for at jeg kommer fra Norge! :)
fl366
very good
Kristoffer H. Kingsrød
Magi!
Nora
natten var for lang og dagen var for kort
L H
You are welcome! :D
Suhaas Mathur
thank you lisa! :D for bringing me here!
vljwoman
well.. bit aerosmith influences i guess..
Rognkjeks
@TurtlesButtNaked More like Dream On, Violeta
Rognkjeks
@TurtlesButtNaked relax