Kayah is a pseudonym of Katarzyna Rooijens (b. Katarzyna Szczot, 5 Nov 1967… Read Full Bio ↴Kayah is a pseudonym of Katarzyna Rooijens (b. Katarzyna Szczot, 5 Nov 1967, in Białystok, Poland), a successful female Polish singer-songwriter. She has released several albums & won numerous awards. At the start of her career, Kayah sang in choirs and with many bands (such as Tilt and Atrakcyjny Kazimierz). She made her solo debut with the song Daughter in 1988 at the Sopot Festival.

She released her first, self-produced solo album, Kamien (Stone), in 1996. It was a great success, consisting of melancholy pop songs. In the same year, she was voted ‘Vocalist of the Year’ by the Polish music industry and received a Fryderyk in recognition of her achievements.

In 1997, she received another Fryderyk, this time for the album Zebra, in the category of ‘Composer of the Year’. With Zebra she changed her style, moving in the direction of American soul music.

In 1999, she recorded one of the most popular Polish albums ever, with the Balkan composer Goran Bregović, entitled Kayah & Bregović: it is a blend of old Slavic songs and modern rhythms. Most of the music was composed by Bregović for the band Bijelo Dugme (White Button), which he had been a part of and movie soundtracks that he had worked on. The lyrics are both translations of the original text and inspired. In the same year she was awarded a Wiktor and another Fryderyk, in the category ‘Vocalist of the Year’.

In 2000, she released the album Jaka Ja Kayah which featured pop, jazz, and techno-influenced songs. She also released the single "Aniol Wiedzial" ("The Angel Knew") from the album, duetted with Cesaria Evora in Portuguese, and recorded English-language versions of some of her songs.

She was twice cast in advertisements for Polish mobile phone's Web - Orange POP (formerly Idea POP).

Sites: En.Wikipedia.

Bursztynowa wieża
Kayah Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

W bursztynowej wieży jak księżniczka siedzi
Piękny widok z okna ma
Za miłość dawał wszystko
Wszystko jest tak blisko
Z okna widać cały świat
To co, że zza krat

Gdy on w srebrzystej zbroi

Swoje demony goni
Ona czeka chociaż wie
Tak jak grzywy koni
W słodkiej lecz niewoli
Ona też ozdobą jest

Lecz nocą gdy on zapada w sen
Otwarte okno śni się jej
Przez które wolna lecieć chce jak ptak

Gdy głos podniesie na nią
Przeprasza swoją panią
Karatem wielkim jak jej lęk
Gdy podniesie rękę
To kupi jej sukienkę
I pereł tyle da
Co łez

Lecz nocą gdy on zapada w sen
Otwarte okno śni się jej
Przez które wolna lecieć chce jak ptak
Rozkłada swoje skrzydła, więc

I w czarną otchłań rzuca się
Po to by w objęć jego siatkę spaść

Overall Meaning

In "Bursztynowa wieża" (Amber Tower), Kayah tells a captivating story of a princess-like figure who is trapped in a tower. Despite being confined, she is able to enjoy a beautiful view from her window. The lyrics suggest that she has given up everything for love, and although everything seems close, there is still a barrier separating her from the world outside.

In the second paragraph, the lyrics describe a knightly figure who is chasing his own demons. The princess waits patiently, aware of his struggles. The comparison to a horse's mane implies that she is willingly bound to him, finding herself in a sweet but confined captivity. The princess is also seen as an adornment, which highlights her value or importance.

The third paragraph unfolds the dynamic of their relationship further. When the knight falls asleep at night, the princess dreams of an open window through which she longs to fly freely like a bird. The open window symbolizes her desire for liberation from her confinement and the chance to escape the limitations imposed on her.

The fourth and final paragraph delves deeper into their relationship, revealing a darker side. The knight raises his voice and apologizes to his lady, suggesting that he may harm her physically. The use of the word "karatem" (karate) emphasizes the forceful nature of his actions, matching her fear. However, in an attempt to please her, he buys her gifts, such as dresses and pearls, as if material possessions can amend the pain he inflicts.

The lyrics circle back to the princess's nightly desire for escape, symbolized by the open window. She spreads her wings and throws herself into the black abyss, hoping to fall into his embrace. This portrays a complex and seemingly contradictory desire for freedom and submission, as she willingly falls into his grasp, seeking a sense of security despite the constraints it brings.

Overall, "Bursztynowa wieża" paints a vivid picture of a captive princess yearning for freedom, caught in a tumultuous relationship where love is intertwined with fear and control. The lyrics invite us to reflect on the complexities of power dynamics within relationships and the longing for liberation from oppressive situations.

Line by Line Meaning

W bursztynowej wieży jak księżniczka siedzi
She sits in an amber tower like a princess

Piękny widok z okna ma
She has a beautiful view from the window

Za miłość dawał wszystko
He gave everything for love

Wszystko jest tak blisko
Everything is so close

Z okna widać cały świat
From the window, the whole world can be seen

To co, że zza krat
So what if it's behind bars

Gdy on w srebrzystej zbroi
When he's in his silver armor

Swoje demony goni
He chases his demons

Ona czeka chociaż wie
She waits even though she knows

Tak jak grzywy koni
Like the manes of horses

W słodkiej lecz niewoli
In sweet but captivity