John Guldberg and Tim Stahl met in the mid-1970s, and they played together in a group called the Starbox Band.[1] After a poorly received show supporting the Kinks, the band split up, but the duo continued working together. Guldberg set up a small studio in downtown Copenhagen where the two musicians began exploring the possibilities that were being opened up by new technologies, such as multitrack tape recorders, synthesizers and drum machines.
Their debut album, simply titled Laid Back, was released in 1981, and the single "Maybe I'm Crazy" became a number-one hit in Denmark.[1]
The next year, the single "Sunshine Reggae" was released, and it became another chart-topper in their home country; it was later included on the band's second album, Keep Smiling, in 1983, and went on to become a number-one single in Italy, West Germany, and nineteen other countries around the world. In the US, however, it was the single's B-side that became the band's only big hit. "White Horse" is a funk-influenced dance track with a memorable bassline and ambiguous, drug- and/or sex-themed lyrics ("white horse" being a slang for heroin) that became popular in US clubs. After the song was re-released as an A-side on both 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl, it went on to spend three weeks at number one on Billboard's National Disco Action charts; it was also a crossover success, reaching the top five on the Hot Black Singles chart while peaking at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1984. Its relatively poor performance on the Hot 100 is most likely due to the track's controversial lyrics (including the word "bitch"), which prevented it from receiving radio airplay in much of the country. In 1989, the American rap act 2 Live Crew sampled "White Horse" heavily for their single "Get the Fuck Out of My House"; it was later sampled for Monifah's 1998 hit "Touch It".
Laid Back's next two albums, Play It Straight (1985) and See You in the Lobby (1987),[1] and singles such as "Abu Dhabi" and "Tricky Kind of Thing", were released to little fanfare and limited chart success.
The duo made a return to the European charts in 1989 with the single "Bakerman" (featuring Danish singer Hanne Boel[2]), which peaked at number nine on the West German chart, and number 44 in the United Kingdom in early 1990. It was accompanied by an unusual video, directed by Lars von Trier, which featured the band skydiving while "playing" their instruments. Guldberg and Stahl have both named this their favourite Laid Back track, and said the words were written by Guldberg during the recording session for the song. The lyrics are in English except for the phrase "Sagabona kunjani", which Guldberg has described as a Swahili phrase meaning "Hello, how are you?"[3]
Hoping to capitalize on the success of Bakerman, their label re-released "White Horse" (as "White Horse '89") with new remixes, although this was a commercial disappointment.
Over the course of the following two decades, Laid Back continues to work together, and have since released four albums, a handful of singles, and two greatest hits albums (Laidest Greatest in 1995 and Good Vibes – The Very Best of Laid Back in 2008). The duo also composed the soundtrack of the 2001 feature film Flyvende Farmor, for which they were awarded a Robert, the Danish equivalent of an Oscar. That same year, an exhibition of the band's artwork, including pieces that appeared on their records and promotional posters, took place in Copenhagen. In 2003 they featured on the track "Tango" by Danish band Hæst, produced by Umpff. They continue to make sporadic live performances, as well, including high-profile shows at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2004, and the Roskilde Festival in 2005. A remix of "Bakerman" by British DJ Shaun Baker reached number one in Greenland in 2006.
In 2010 Laid Back returned with the single "Cocaine Cool".
Bakerman
Laid Back Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sagabona kunjani wena
The night train is coming
Got to keep on running
Baker man is baking bread
Baker man is baking bread
You've got to cool down
Take it easy
Relax take it easy
Slow down relax
Slow down relax
It's too late to worry
Slow down take it easy
The song Bakerman by Laid Back describes the daily routine of a baker who bakes bread while the town is asleep. The opening line of the song “Bakerman is baking bread” sets the tone for the entire song. The chorus repeats the phrases “you’ve got to cool down, take it easy” and “slow down, relax” which might indicate that people should not be in a hurry to wait for the bread, instead they should take a relaxed and easy-going approach to life. The reference to “Sagabona kunjani wena” (Zulu phrase meaning “How are you?”) adds an African influence to the song.
The song also mentions the night train coming, and the baker needs to keep running. This could symbolize the daily hustle and bustle of life and how we need to keep going to stay on top of things. The line “It's too late to worry” suggests that it’s pointless to worry about things that have already happened or things that are out of our control, and that we should take things easy and not overstress.
Overall, the song is a reminder to take things slow, relax, and not worry too much about things that we cannot control.
Line by Line Meaning
Baker man is baking bread
Someone is busy making bread
Sagabona kunjani wena
Hello, how are you?
The night train is coming
The train is approaching in the night
Got to keep on running
We need to keep moving forward without stopping
You've got to cool down
Calm down and relax
Take it easy
Don't stress or worry too much
Relax take it easy
Take a break and just relax, don't push yourself too hard
Slow down relax
Take a slower pace and unwind
It's too late to worry
There is no reason to worry anymore
Slow down take it easy
Just relax, take things slowly
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARTIN ROTSEY, ROBERT HIRST, JAMES MOGINIE, PETER GARRETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Dave1980.
Who's here 2023 listening to this masterpiece 💪🏼🤎80s greetings from the netherlands born 1980
@EusebioPiotta-lt3wi
Yes brother here we are, greetings from Italy!
@juergenachenbach7402
24.11.2023 I love this Song
@svenhildebrandt1789
Einfach das beste lied um dicht den tag zu beginnen.
Nerve jeden Morgen meine Nachbarn mit dem Lied.
Mache mir den ersten Kopf klar und fang mega entspannt mit dem Tag an 😊
@ute13
Grüße aus Schwaben, 1965🎉
@martinr.6231
Greats from Germany 🤘 born in 1961....cool Stuff!!!
@ljiljanasamardzic4473
I am here in 2024, enjoing this masterpiece as much as I enjoyed the first time I heard it! Fantastic!
@Biscuit1973
I am now 50 years old and this song still rocks even today in the year 2023.
@MisterUrbanWorld
Sagabona kunjani wena
@strawsonian
Ditto. I first heard this song on MTV Europe in the early 90s. Ray's Requests with VJ Ray Cokes and Rob the cameraman. Happy days.