Born to an Argentine mother and an American father, he lived most of his childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area, but moved with his family to Buenos Aires at the age of 12.
Johansen made a brief appearance in the local rock scene with the band Instrucción Cívica in the 80s (only album Obediencia Debida in 1985), but went to New York in 1990. There he met and married his Argentine wife, with whom he has a daughter. He played in the CBGB's club for long years, until he created a group, and in 2000 recorded the album with the same name, The Nada, a mix of different Latin sounds with modern pop, funk and rock.
During the same year, and with the new album in his hands, he returned to Argentina, where he currently lives. The album was relatively successful and Kevin and the group went on tour as far as Spain.
By the end of 2002 Johansen recorded Sur o no sur. Again, Kevin surprises with a combination of Latin music, pop, and humour.
During 2003, Kevin became a huge success in Argentina, playing in June at the Gran Rex Theatre, the largest Buenos Aires hall. Again in Spain, he promoted his new album with concerts in Madrid and Barcelona, this time with bigger audiences. He also performed during the MTV Latino awards, from where he continued a concerts tour to Miami, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco prior to the release of the album in United States.
In 2004 he continues with concerts in Mexico, Chile, Belgium and again Spain (now in many different cities) with an even greater response from the people and the media. At the Latino Grammy Awards, Sur o no sur was nominated for "Album of the year", "Song of the year" (La Procesión) and "Best Music Video" (La Procesión).
In between trips, Johansen recorded his third album (relased as Kevin Johansen + The Nada, City Zen, which was well-received both by fans and the media. The cover of his susequent album, Logo, was drawn by cartoonist Liniers.
Glass
Kevin Johansen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn them into gold
If I'd try the same thing
They'd turn into stone
You're so resilient
You don't break at the seams
And I'm so Brazilian
And I seem to break like glass
I break just like that
You stir opinion
By raising just a brow
But I'm Argentinian
And I'd like to know how
How without effort
Things seem to go your way
While it's such a struggle
And I just seem to break
Yeah, I seem to break like glass
I break just like that
Seem to break like glass
I break like glass
Just like that
You seem to reach things
Going by the book
If I tried the same thing
I'd leap before I look
And I seem to...
And I seem to break
And I seem to...
And I seem to break
And I seem to
break
And I seem to break
Like glass
Break like glass
I break
Just like
I break
Just like
That...
The song "Glass" by Kevin Johansen provides an insightful comparison between two individuals and their approaches towards life. The lyrics illustrate the contrasting attitudes towards life that one person seems to have a way with turning things into gold while the other is always struggling and breaking like glass. The song is about the singer's observations of an individual who appears to have a remarkable ability to succeed in life without any apparent effort, while the singer always seems to struggle and fail.
The song implies that the lyrics are intended to describe two distinct nations that have different ways of achieving their objectives. One country seems to work hard and struggle to reach their goals, while the other succeeds effortlessly without even trying. The lyrics highlight the conflict between the relaxed and easy-going path compared to the path of difficulty and effort. "Glass" is an excellent song that brings to light the dual nature of success and the different approaches and attitudes that determine the outcome of life's goals.
Line by Line Meaning
You seem to touch things
You have a special ability to bring value to things and people.
Turn them into gold
Your touch has the power to transform things into something precious and valuable.
If I'd try the same thing
If I were to attempt what you do, I would not have the same effect.
They'd turn into stone
My efforts would not bring the same positive impact as yours, in fact, they would bring the opposite effect.
You're so resilient
You have an amazing capacity to recover from difficulties without breaking down.
You don't break at the seams
Even when facing many challenges, you have the strength to keep going without losing your composure.
And I'm so Brazilian
I have many Brazilian traits that make me who I am.
Always on extremes
I tend to be more extreme in my reactions to things than you are.
And I seem to break like glass
When I face hardships and difficulties, I tend to fall apart quickly and easily.
I break just like that
My emotional and mental state can crumble in an instant, without any warning.
You stir opinion
You have the power to create a strong reaction or response from people with your actions or words.
By raising just a brow
You can have a significant impact with even the slightest movement or gesture.
But I'm Argentinian
I have many Argentinian traits that make me who I am.
And I'd like to know how
I am curious to understand how you have such an effortless impact on people and situations.
How without effort
You can achieve amazing results without appearing to put in much effort or struggle.
Things seem to go your way
You have a certain luck or charm that attracts positive outcomes and good fortune.
While it's such a struggle
For me, achieving those same positive outcomes is a real challenge and requires significant effort.
Yeah, I seem to break like glass
I have a tendency to fall apart emotionally and mentally when under pressure or experiencing difficulty.
Seem to break like glass
These feelings of fragility and vulnerability are a recurring issue for me.
I break like glass
My emotional and mental state can shatter like glass, causing significant distress and difficulty in coping.
Just like that
These feelings of vulnerability and fragility can come on suddenly and without warning.
You seem to reach things
You have the capability to achieve your goals in a very structured and controlled way.
Going by the book
You follow instructions and guidelines carefully, approaching challenges with a measured and cautious approach.
If I tried the same thing
If I attempted to replicate your approach to achieving goals,
I'd leap before I look
I would tend to rush into situations without a proper plan or understanding of the situation.
And I seem to...
I am still working on my approach to achieving my goals and facing challenges.
I break
But I still have a long way to go and often experience significant setbacks and failures.
Just like
I am still learning how to handle difficult situations and emotional challenges.
That...
But I am determined to keep trying, no matter how difficult things may seem.
Contributed by Mia O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.