Born Keren Ann Zeidel in Caesarea, Israel on 10th March 1974, she lived in the Netherlands and Israel until the age of eleven, when her family moved to France. Her first group, KAB (for Keren Ann Band), lasted three years. In 1997, she wrote the song "Father" for the film K by Alexandre Arcady, in which she also acted a small part. The next year, at the age of twenty-four, she formed Shelby with two other women; the group released one album and had a small success with the song "1+1+1", whose composer Benjamin Biolay became an important collaborator. In 2000 she began her solo career with La biographie de Luka Philipsen -- "Luka" in homage to the Suzanne Vega song, "Philipsen" after her maternal grandmother -- written with and produced by Biolay, who also co-wrote and -produced its follow-up, La disparition. (In return, she helped write his debut album, Rose Kennedy.) The pair also wrote several songs for Henri Salvador's best-selling, prize-winning 2000 comeback album, Chambre avec vue.
Lady & Bird is a collaboration with Bardi Johannsson of the Icelandic group Bang Gang.
Not Going Anywhere, which includes several songs from La disparition re-sung in English, was her first U.S. release, but her American breakthrough came with its follow-up, Nolita. Recorded in Paris and New York, it is named for Nolita, her neighborhood in lower Manhattan; it is sung half in French and half in English.
Dans ma ville
Keren Ann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Et la nuit se lève
Dans ma ville, il fait sombre
Les saisons sont brèves
La nuit d'hiver s'étale sur le corps des amants
C'est comme un carnaval, on ne trouve plus le temps
De parler au passants, d'aller voir l'océan
Mais on est différent
On est indifférent,
Dans ma ville
Dans ma ville, les nuages
Ne font pas leur âge
Pour une vie de passage
J'écris ma dernière page
La nuit d'hiver s'étale,je m'assois sur un banc
Fini le carnaval, ce soir je prends le temps
De parler au passants
D'aller voir l'océan
Il est si près pourtant, je le vois, je l'entends
Mais on est différent
On est indifférent
Dans ma ville
The song "Dans ma ville" by Keren Ann is a melancholic ode to the changes that happen in one's life and city. The lyrics delve into the feelings of the singer towards her city at two different points in time. In the first verse, she describes her city as a place where daytime fades and night rises, where it is always dark, and the seasons are brief. This paints a picture of a city that is decaying and where life is fleeting. She juxtaposes this with the image of winter nights stretching over lovers' bodies, like a carnival where time is no longer a concern.
The second verse shows a distinct contrast as the singer sits on a bench and reflects on how her city has changed. She realizes that the clouds never age, but life is just passing. Here, the night of winter extends, and she can take the time to talk to passers-by and see the ocean that she never got the chance to see before despite its proximity to her. The second verse switches from a carnival-like atmosphere to one of stillness and reflection, with the singer acknowledging the different stages of life and the city.
Overall, the song is a reminder that everything in life changes, and one must learn to adapt to these changes. It explores themes of isolation, stagnation, and introspection, while also highlighting the beauty of the city.
Line by Line Meaning
Dans ma ville, le jour tombe
In my city, the day falls
Et la nuit se lève
And the night rises
Dans ma ville, il fait sombre
In my city, it's dark
Les saisons sont brèves
The seasons are brief
La nuit d'hiver s'étale sur le corps des amants
The winter night spreads over the bodies of lovers
C'est comme un carnaval, on ne trouve plus le temps
It's like a carnival, we no longer find time
De parler au passants, d'aller voir l'océan
To talk to passersby, to go see the ocean
Il est si près pourtant, je le vois, je l'entends
It's so close, yet I see it, I hear it
Mais on est différent
But we are different
On est indifférent
We are indifferent
Dans ma ville
In my city
Dans ma ville, les nuages
In my city, the clouds
Ne font pas leur âge
Don't act their age
Pour une vie de passage
For a passing life
J'écris ma dernière page
I write my last page
La nuit d'hiver s'étale,je m'assois sur un banc
The winter night spreads, I sit on a bench
Fini le carnaval, ce soir je prends le temps
The carnival is over, tonight I take the time
De parler au passants
To talk to passersby
D'aller voir l'océan
To go see the ocean
Il est si près pourtant, je le vois, je l'entends
It's so close, yet I see it, I hear it
Mais on est différent
But we are different
On est indifférent
We are indifferent
Dans ma ville
In my city
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BENJAMIN BIOLAY, KEREN ANN ZEIDEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hébréophone Івритомовний
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