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".
Groovin' On A Feeling
Laid Back Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Groovin' on a feeling
Groovin'
Groovin' on a feeling
Everybody loves you when you give a smile
Everybody loves you when your light shine high(?)
Everybody loves you when you turn it on
All you need is love nine days a week
(All you need is love) Ten days a week
(All you need is love)
Groovin'
Groovin' on a feeling
Groovin', groovin', groovin'
(Groovin' on you) Yeah
Everybody loves you when you're in the (...?)
Everybody loves you when you're number one
Everybody loves you; well, come on, come on
When you're down and out and need
someone to hold you tight, then you'll find out
What it's all about, yeah
Groovin'
Groovin' on a feeling
(Groovin', groovin', groovin', groovin')
Groovin'
Groovin' on a feeling
(Groovin' on a feeling-feeling-feeling-feeling)
Groovin'
Groovin' on a feeling
(Groovin' on a feeling)
I'm groovin'
(Groovin', groovin')
Groovin' on a feeling
Groovin' on a feeling
Yeah
Yeah
The lyrics of "Groovin' on a Feeling" by Laid Back encompass the theme of how love brings people together and makes them feel alive. The repeated "groovin'" in the song creates a sense of joy and elation, reflecting the idea that love can generate feelings of happiness and positivity that can be hard to put into words. The opening lines suggest that when we show warmth and kindness by giving a smile, people are drawn to us. The lyrics go on to say that in times of need, when we're feeling down and looking for somebody to lean on, love is the answer. Through this song, Laid Back highlights the importance of love in our lives, and the feeling of being "groovin'" on it is one that we should strive to capture and bask in.
Line by Line Meaning
Groovin'
Enjoying oneself in a relaxed manner
Groovin' on a feeling
Feeling good and enjoying the present moment
Groovin'
Enjoying oneself in a relaxed manner
Groovin' on a feeling
Feeling good and enjoying the present moment
Everybody loves you when you give a smile
People appreciate kindness and positivity
Everybody loves you when your light shine high(?),
People like being around those who are successful and thriving
Everybody loves you when you turn it on
People are attracted to confidence and energy
Love is all you need
The most important thing in life is love
All you need is love nine days a week
Love is so important, it feels like it's needed every day
(All you need is love) Ten days a week
Love is even more important than time itself
Groovin'
Enjoying oneself in a relaxed manner
Groovin' on a feeling
Feeling good and enjoying the present moment
(Groovin' on you) Yeah
Feeling good because of a loved one's presence
Everybody loves you when you're in the (...?)
People admire those who are successful or popular
Everybody loves you when you're number one
Everyone wants to be associated with success and winners
Everybody loves you; well, come on, come on
People are attracted to positive people and energy
When you're down and out and need someone to hold you tight, then you'll find out
In difficult times, love and support are especially important
What it's all about, yeah
Love and support are at the core of what's important in life
Groovin'
Enjoying oneself in a relaxed manner
Groovin' on a feeling
Feeling good and enjoying the present moment
(Groovin', groovin', groovin', groovin')
Continuing to feel good and enjoying oneself
Groovin'
Enjoying oneself in a relaxed manner
Groovin' on a feeling-feeling-feeling-feeling
Feeling good and enjoying oneself deeply
Groovin'
Enjoying oneself in a relaxed manner
Groovin' on a feeling
Feeling good and enjoying the present moment
(Groovin' on a feeling)
Continuing to feel good and enjoying oneself
I'm groovin'
I am enjoying myself in this moment
(Groovin', groovin')
Continuing to feel good and enjoy oneself
Groovin' on a feeling
Feeling good and enjoying the present moment
Yeah
Expressing satisfaction and joy
Writer(s): Tim Peter Stahl, John Guldberg
Contributed by Brayden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.