After first earning notice thanks to a series of acclaimed European festival appearances during the summer of 1999, the twosome signed to American label Kindercore to issue their lovely eponymous debut the following spring. Quiet Is the New Loud was issued in early 2001 on Astralwerks. The album used many of the same tracks from the Kindercore release but re-ordered them and replaced a few with newer songs. The remix album Versus followed later in the year and featured remixes by artists as diverse as Ladytron, avid Whitaker and Four Tet. After a three year layoff during which Øye recorded a solo album, 2003's Unrest, and gained some reknown as an electronica DJ while Bøe worked on finishing up his psychology degree, the pair teamed up again for the recording and release of 2004's Riot on an Empty Street.
After a 5 year layoff, the band released Declaration Of Dependence on October 20, 2009 on Astralwerks in the US and Virgin Records in the UK.
Erlend Øye has released some solo material and is also a member of The Whitest Boy Alive.
Eirik Glambek Bøe is also a member of a second band, Kommode. The Whitest Boy Alive and Kommode toured together this year for a short period.
Winning A Battle Losing The War
Kings of Convenience Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even though she's only giving me pain,
I'll be on my knees to feed her,
Spend a day to make her smile again
Even though I'll never need her,
Even though she's only giving me pain
As the world is soft around her,
Leaving me with nothing to disdain.
Even though I'm not her minder,
Even though she doesn't want me around,
I am on my feet to find her,
To make sure that she is safe and sound.
Even though I'm not her minder,
Even though she doesn't want me around,
I am on my feet to find her,
To make sure that she is safe from harm.
The sun sets on the war,
The day breaks and everything is new
The lyrics to Kings of Convenience's song Winning a Battle Losing the War are full of paradoxes and contradictions that make it difficult to interpret the meaning of the song. The song is about a relationship between two people where one person is giving the other pain, but the other person is still willing to go to great lengths to be kind and helpful. The first stanza talks about a situation where the singer is being hurt by someone, but still wants to make her smile again. He recognizes that he doesn't need her, but he's still willing to do anything to make her happy. In the second stanza, the singer describes how he's not wanted around by this person, but he's still looking out for her, making sure that she's safe and sound.
The lyrics of the song are about the battle between what you want and what you need. The singer knows that he doesn't need this person in his life, but he wants her there nonetheless. His willingness to help her despite the pain that she's causing him shows that he's willing to fight for what he wants, even if it's not what he needs.
Overall, the song is about relationships, the ups and downs that come with them, and the sacrifices that we're willing to make for the people we love.
Line by Line Meaning
Even though I'll never need her,
Despite my lack of necessity for her,
Even though she's only giving me pain,
Despite the fact that interacting with her causes me discomfort,
I'll be on my knees to feed her,
I will humble myself to do anything she needs,
Spend a day to make her smile again
Even devoting an entire day to bring joy to her face,
As the world is soft around her,
The environment becomes serene in her presence,
Leaving me with nothing to disdain.
I have nothing but positive emotions towards her
Even though I'm not her minder,
Although I am not her caretaker or protector,
Even though she doesn't want me around,
Despite her lack of desire to have me in her company,
I am on my feet to find her,
I will actively search for her,
To make sure that she is safe and sound.
To ensure her wellbeing and security.
The sun sets on the war,
The conflict and struggle come to a close,
The day breaks and everything is new
A new day dawns, bringing fresh opportunities and optimism.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EIRIK GLAMBEK BOE, ERLEND OTRE OEYE, EIRIK GLAMBEK BOEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind