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".
Universe Lovesong
Laid Back Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Al leer tu carta de despedida,
Hasta este día no comprendo,
¿Por qué me dijiste tantas mentiras?
Después de haberte dado tantas rosas,
Después de haberte dado toda mi vida;
Mi recompensa ha sido un desengaño,
¡Voy pa'llá.!
¡Ójua.!
¡Bene, benensen!
¡Pan, Paran!
A mi corazón todavía le pregunto
Si te quiere después de haberlo abandonado,
Hay un vacío muy profundo; en mi pecho,
Al recordar lo que una vez tuvimos.
¿Cómo puede ser que después de tantos años?,
Después de tanta lucha y sacrificio
Te vayas sin decirme una palabra
Me dejes sólo a sufrir, un llanto.
¡Y voy a buscar a esa mujer... Y la voy a encontrar!
¡Épa.!
():
Después de tanto amor, tu te vas y me abandonas
¡Ya no puedo seguir así, buscaré a otra!
Hoy tú te ríes, pero mañana llorarás
Porque el amor que yo a ti te daba
Tú vas a ver, que no es fácil de encontrar.
()
Y algún día voy a encontrarte
Y ojalá que me pidas perdón
Te diré: "mamita olvídalo,
Tú fuiste la que fallaste".
()
¡Buscaré a otra...!
¡A otra.!
¡A otra.!
¡A otra.!
¡Oh..., A otra.!
...Amada mía:
Ando buscando tu querer,
Día tras día...
¡Épa.!
()
Ring, ring, ring, ring
El telefonito está sonando,
Pero nadie lo va a responder
Madam Kalalú me dijo: "Roberto
Olvídate de esa mujer".
()
¿Qué no te di, qué te faltó?
Qué tú, te fuiste corriendo
Pero lo que a mi me intriga es que tú te vayas,
Con tanto misterio.
¡Burr.!
()
¡Uh.!
¡Épa, Colombia.!
¡Ópa.!
¡Up.!,¡Ah.!,¡Uao.!, ¡Ah!
¡Burr.!
()
Se acabó mi amor, con tu carta tú lo mataste
Siento dolor, siento traición
Porque tú a mi me engañaste.
()
El tiempo me hará olvidar, aquella pesadilla
Otra mujer vendrá y curará
aquellas heridas.
()
¡Épa!
¡Uh.!,¡Ah.!,¡Uh.!,¡Ah.!
¡Burr.!
¿Dónde estará esa mujer?
¡Épa.!
The lyrics of Laid Back's song "Universe Lovesong" are about a painful breakup and the aftermath of trying to move on. The singer is filled with regret and confusion as to why their partner lied to them, causing them so much pain. Despite having given their partner everything, including love and roses, they were still left heartbroken and alone. The singer struggles with the emptiness in their heart, wondering if they can still love their ex-partner after they abandoned them. The song then takes an empowered turn as the singer decides to move on and find love again.
The lyrics mix Spanish and English, adding an interesting flavor to the song. The use of repetition ("¡Épa!", "Burr!") and nonsensical phrases ("¡Ójua!", "¡Bene, benensen!", "¡Pan, Paran!") create a unique and fun atmosphere. The incorporation of Madam Kalalú, who advises the singer to forget about their ex-partner, adds a mystical element to the song.
Overall, "Universe Lovesong" is a melancholic yet empowering song about heartbreak and moving on. The mixture of languages and playful phrases make it a standout track in Laid Back's discography.
Line by Line Meaning
Lágrimas brotan de mis ojos,
Tears well up in my eyes
Al leer tu carta de despedida,
Reading your farewell letter
Hasta este día no comprendo,
Until this day I don't understand
¿Por qué me dijiste tantas mentiras?
Why did you tell me so many lies?
Después de haberte dado tantas rosas,
After giving you so many roses
Después de haberte dado toda mi vida;
After giving you my whole life
Mi recompensa ha sido un desengaño,
My reward has been disillusionment
Con el cual, me haz hecho mucho daño.
With which, you have hurt me a lot.
¡Voy pa'llá.!
¡Ójua.!
¡Bene, benensen!
¡Pan, Paran!
Expressions of enthusiasm and encouragement.
A mi corazón todavía le pregunto,
I still ask my heart
Si te quiere después de haberlo abandonado,
If it loves you after you abandoned it
Hay un vacío muy profundo; en mi pecho,
There is a deep void in my chest
Al recordar lo que una vez tuvimos.
When I remember what we once had.
¿Cómo puede ser que después de tantos años?,
How can it be that after so many years?
Después de tanta lucha y sacrificio
After so much struggle and sacrifice
Te vayas sin decirme una palabra
You leave without saying a word to me
Me dejes sólo a sufrir, un llanto.
Leave me alone to suffer and cry.
¡Y voy a buscar a esa mujer... Y la voy a encontrar!
And I'm going to look for that woman... and I'm going to find her!
¡Épa.!
():
Expressions of surprise and excitement.
Después de tanto amor, tu te vas y me abandonas
After so much love, you leave and abandon me
¡Ya no puedo seguir así, buscaré a otra!
I can't keep going like this, I'll look for someone else!
Hoy tú te ríes, pero mañana llorarás
Today you laugh, but tomorrow you will cry
Porque el amor que yo a ti te daba
Because the love I gave to you
Tú vas a ver, que no es fácil de encontrar.
You will see that it's not easy to find.
()
An interlude of music.
Y algún día voy a encontrarte
And someday I'm going to find you
Y ojalá que me pidas perdón
And I hope you ask for my forgiveness
Te diré: "mamita olvídalo,
I'll tell you: "mommy, forget it,
Tú fuiste la que fallaste".
You were the one who failed".
¡Buscaré a otra...!
¡A otra.!
¡A otra.!
¡A otra.!
¡Oh..., A otra.!
I'll look for another...! Expressions of determination and hope.
...Amada mía:
Ando buscando tu querer,
Día tras día...
...My beloved: I'm looking for your love, day after day...
¡Épa.!
():
Expressions of surprise and excitement.
Ring, ring, ring, ring
The phone is ringing
El telefonito está sonando,
The little phone is ringing
Pero nadie lo va a responder
But nobody's going to answer it
Madam Kalalú me dijo: "Roberto
Olvídate de esa mujer".
Madam Kalalú told me: "Roberto, forget about that woman".
¿Qué no te di, qué te faltó?
What didn't I give you, what did you lack?
Qué tú, te fuiste corriendo
That you left in a hurry
Pero lo que a mi me intriga es que tú te vayas,
But what intrigues me is that you're leaving
Con tanto misterio.
With so much mystery.
¡Burr.!
¡Uh.!
¡Épa, Colombia.!
¡Ópa.!
¡Up.!,¡Ah.!,¡Uao.!, ¡Ah!
Expressions of excitement and enthusiasm.
Se acabó mi amor, con tu carta tú lo mataste
My love is over, you killed it with your letter
Siento dolor, siento traición
I feel pain, I feel betrayed
Porque tú a mi me engañaste.
Because you fooled me.
El tiempo me hará olvidar, aquella pesadilla
Time will make me forget that nightmare
Otra mujer vendrá y curará
aquellas heridas.
Another woman will come and heal those wounds.
¡Épa!
¡Uh.!,¡Ah.!,¡Uh.!,¡Ah.!
¡Burr.!
¿Dónde estará esa mujer?
¡Épa.!
Expressions of surprise and excitement about finding that woman.
Writer(s): John Guldberg, Tim Peter Stahl, Gunleif Grube
Contributed by Lauren B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
George ツ
Love this
Zongsi Zhang
Terraria