In the fall of 1999 at a lunch canteen of the university outside of Uppsala, Sweden, Markus was humming to a Belle & Sebastian song so that David could hear him. It was enough to convince that the chasm between an indie-nerd who didn't care enough and a vegan who wanted only to demonstrate could in fact be bridged. Later they moved in together and formed LAAKSO. The name LAAKSO and the fact that the band exclusively sang in Finnish when they first formed is due to David's both parents and Markus' mother all coming from Tornedalen (Tornionjokilaakso, Laakso meaning valley).
After resolutely searching amongst the students of Uppsala they found Micke, a dungeons and dragons fanatic from Gotland (an island on the East coast of Sweden) who liked Guns & Roses and loved to play bass; and Jonathan, the drummer. Jonathan developed stage fight and was replaced a few days before the recording of their debut EP - Long Beach EP - by Lars, a carefree lad with passion for funk.
Things developed at a steady pace and LAAKSO made new friends. David and the Citizens and The Concretes were probably the most meaningful meetings. The first indirectly lead to a recording contract with a small independent Adrian Recordings and Luger to become their booking agency. The second meeting lead to a love affair between Laakso and producer Jari Haapalainen (Ed Harcourt, Moneybrother, Kristofer Åström, The Concretes and Nicolai Dunger).
Since then Jari had accompanied guys into the studio for all their recordings - from Long Beach EP via LAAKSO's debut album I Miss You, Im Pregnant and a single Aussie Girl to their second release My Gods and finally to an album Mother, Am I Good Looking?.
Dancing Queen
Laakso Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you ask me, if you ask me I'll tell you to be
Be gentle to yourself go find someone else
Be kind to yourself go find someone else
Sure I will hate myself when you find out that
Someone else is better than me
And the hell I made you live
I've got my moments when I'm less sober
I've got my moments, I've got my moments
I've got my moments when I am less aware of what I am, where I am
Less concerned about where you are
With who you are and why we are oh so apart
Your ex boyfriend turned out to be
A rock star wannabe a drug addict
You asked me to be honest with everything
I made promises, I broke promises
I messed up you, I fucked you up
Time after time I let you down
Time after, time after, time after time I let you down
My dancing queen
If you ask me, if you ask me, if you ask me I tell you to be
Be gentle to yourself go find someone else
Be kind to yourself go find someone else
Sure I will hate myself when you find out that someone else
Is better than me
And the hell I made you live
I've got my moments, I've got my moments,
I've got my moments when I'm less sober
I've got my moments when I am with my
Da da da da da da da dancing queen
The lyrics of Laakso's song "Dancing Queen" revolve around the regret of losing someone important due to the singer's own faults. The singer acknowledges his own shortcomings and suggests that the other person find someone else who will treat them better. The line "Sure I will hate myself when you find out that someone else is better than me" highlights the singer's insecurity and fear of being replaced. He acknowledges the pain he has caused this person, reflected in the line "And the hell I made you live." The chorus "I've got my moments when I'm less sober" suggests that the singer has struggled with addiction or unhealthy behavior, leading to his mistakes in the relationship. Despite it all, the singer still views the other person as his "dancing queen," indicating that he still holds love and affection for them.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a waste of time
I have little to offer and may not be worth your attention or affection.
If you ask me, if you ask me I'll tell you to be
If prompted, I would advise you on how to proceed.
Be gentle to yourself go find someone else
Treat yourself kindly and seek someone else for your happiness and fulfillment.
Be kind to yourself go find someone else
Show yourself compassion and look elsewhere for the love and companionship you seek.
Sure I will hate myself when you find out that Someone else is better than me
I anticipate feeling intense self-loathing if you discover that someone else is more desirable than I am.
And the hell I made you live
I caused you to suffer and experience emotional anguish.
I've got my moments, I've got my moments, I've got my moments when I'm less sober
There are times when I am under the influence or impaired in some way.
I've got my moments when I am less aware of what I am, where I am
There are occasions when I lack a clear understanding of myself or my surroundings.
Less concerned about where you are
I am not paying as much attention to where you are.
With who you are and why we are oh so apart
I am less focused on who you are and why we are separated.
Your ex boyfriend turned out to be A rock star wannabe a drug addict
Your former partner was someone who aspired to be a rock star and struggled with drug addiction.
You asked me to be honest with everything I made promises, I broke promises
You requested full disclosure from me, and while I promised to be forthcoming, I failed to keep that promise.
I messed up you, I fucked you up
I caused you emotional damage and disrupted your life.
Time after time I let you down
Repeatedly, I have failed to meet your expectations or fulfill your needs.
My dancing queen
My beloved companion and partner in dance.
Sure I will hate myself when you find out that someone else Is better than me
I will likely experience feelings of self-hatred if you discover someone else who is superior to me.
And the hell I made you live
I put you through a great deal of emotional pain and difficulty.
I've got my moments, I've got my moments, I've got my moments when I'm less sober
There are periods when I am under the influence or otherwise not fully aware.
I've got my moments when I am with my Da da da da da da da dancing queen
Sometimes I am with you, my beloved, and we dance together.
Contributed by Chase E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.