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.
In Your Back
Keren Ann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where you are the valet of honor and I am the thief
And don't ever mention the stains that you left on my track
How from a beautiful girl I became someone ruined and wrecked
Was all in your back, all in your back
So I spin in the dance of your absence and put on a show
But why do I smile baby, you of all people should know
You can't do me wrong with charity until
You'll exhaust your lies and remedies, you will
But with your voice and melodies you kill, you kill
Your version of glory is dark and it's covered with sin
And I wanna dive in an ocean of pink tourmaline
I've seen the pure souls, they exist and they fly
And I think I could live with it, I know I can now
You can't do me wrong with charity until
You'll exhaust your lies and remedies, you will
But with your voice and melodies you kill, you kill
It's funny how now that I'm not in the palm of your hand
You're still running blindly to save me again and again
But I don't need a friend
No, I don't need a friend
You can't do me wrong with charity until
You'll exhaust your lies and remedies, you will
But with your voice and melodies you kill, you kill
And you can't do me wrong with charity until
You'll exhaust your lies and remedies, you will
But with your voice and melodies you kill, you kill
And you can't do me wrong with charity until
You'll exhaust your lies and remedies, you will
But with your voice and melodies you kill, you kill, you kill
The lyrics of Keren Ann's song "In Your Back" tells a story of a person trying to move on from a past lover. The opening lines of "Come tell me your story to unload your glorious grief" suggests that the person is willingly listening to their ex talk about their troubles, possibly hoping to find closure and understanding. However, the dynamic between the two is unequal, as the person singing is portrayed as a "thief" who has caused harm to the ex-lover. The line "Was all in your back, all in your back" suggests that the singer caused the ex-lover's suffering indirectly, as if it was all behind their back.
The chorus reveals some of the inner turmoil the person is experiencing despite putting on a facade of moving on. The lines "But why do I smile baby, you of all people should know / The one that you loved died a long time ago" suggests that while they appear to be okay, inside they are hurting and feel like they have lost a part of themselves. The bridge of the song reveals that the person's ex-lover is attempting to win them back with "charity" and "lies", but their "voice and melodies" are what really have the power to affect them.
The final verse puts a different spin on the power dynamic at play in the song. While the person has been painted as the one who caused harm to the ex-lover, they reveal that the ex-lover is still coming after them even though they are not interested in rekindling the relationship. The line "But I don't need a friend / No, I don't need a friend" emphasizes this point - the person is not seeking to keep any sort of connection with their ex.
Overall, "In Your Back" is a song about the complexities of relationships and the struggle to move on from past lovers who have left emotional scars.
Line by Line Meaning
Come tell me your story to unload your glorious grief
Share your personal story and let go of the emotional weight that is causing you tremendous anguish.
Where you are the valet of honor and I am the thief
You are the one holding the power and responsibility, and I have betrayed that trust by stealing it from you.
And don't ever mention the stains that you left on my track
Don't bring up the past transgressions you've made against me and the permanent damage it has done to me.
How from a beautiful girl I became someone ruined and wrecked
Your actions towards me have taken beauty and turned it into something broken and destroyed.
Was all in your back, all in your back
Your actions and decisions are the root cause of the pain and suffering I am experiencing.
So I spin in the dance of your absence and put on a show
I am pretending to be unaffected by your absence, but inside I am struggling to cope.
But why do I smile baby, you of all people should know
Despite the pain you have caused me, I am still drawn to your presence and feel compelled to put on a happy face for you.
The one that you loved died a long time ago
The person you fell in love with is no longer alive, as you have caused irreversible damage to the relationship.
Your version of glory is dark and it's covered with sin
Your concept of what makes you great is tainted by your immoral actions and the negative impact they have had on others.
And I wanna dive in an ocean of pink tourmalines
I want to be surrounded by the healing energy and positive vibrations of pink tourmalines to cleanse myself from your negative influence.
I've seen the pure souls, they exist and they fly
I have witnessed individuals who possess genuine kindness and compassion, and they are able to rise above the negativity and toxicity of others.
It's funny how now that I'm not in the palm of your hand
Now that I am no longer under your control or influence it's surprising how you still try to save me despite the damage you've inflicted.
You're still running blindly to save me again and again
You continue to try to rescue me, but you are unaware of my true desires and no longer have the power to do so.
But I don't need a friend, No, I don't need a friend
Despite your attempts to patch things up, I am content being on my own and do not require your support or friendship.
You can't do me wrong with charity until
You might try to wrong me under the guise of charity or good intentions, but ultimately will exhaust all deceits and remedies.
You'll exhaust your lies and remedies, you will
You will eventually run out of excuses and faulty solutions.
But with your voice and melodies you kill, you kill
Your voice and music hold a powerful emotional sway over me, even though our relationship is destructive and draining.
And you can't do me wrong with charity until
You may try to deceive and hurt me under the guise of doing good, but I am not unaware of your true intentions.
But with your voice and melodies you kill, you kill, you kill
Despite the pain and damage caused by our relationship, your music and voice still have an irresistible draw, which continues to impact and harm me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KEREN ANN ZEIDEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sharon Spears
Love this. She is amazing. If you ever get the opportunity to see her live, go.
황혜경
What a beautiful voice! J'adore
Bennie Guirolla
One of the beautiful song too. Anyone listening 2020 on 1:30 am ? Tell me if i'm not alone here. 😊😊
Hybridcat6
I am lol
A B
Another great one Keren!
Timothy Hill
Only a few ever reached the corner here in this place, and saw how beautiful the world is from our perspective
Betül Betül
Hayallerin gerçeğe değdiği yeri seviyorum 🤍
Samet Altunok
Güzel ve hoş, teşekkürler 😊
woogynuri
beautiful
Philtre
Keren Ann, vous êtes formidable. J'en profite pour vous féliciter de la chanson "Le goût d'inachevé" qui m'est rentrée dans la tête et que je connais presque par cœur.