Laleh now lives in Los Angeles where she mainly writes and produces music for other pop artists, working on her own music in parallel. She is driven by the fact that the pop industry is dominated by men, and wants to be an example for younger women getting into the pop world.
She studied music and drama at Hvitfeltska Gymnasiet.
She had a major acting role in the Swedish movie Jalla! Jalla!, directed by Josef Fares, which was a big success at the Swedish box office in 2000.
Who Started It
Laleh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before he lost his sense of... fun.
Now he says,
Now he says God in conscious
No wonder we get lost, all of us.
And I say,
We're with stars soon precious
And this world is just a process... ain't it?
Nightmares about the desert sand
Where he puts out his hands up
He says,
Who-who, who cares at all
Who started it, who started it?
He says,
Who-who, who’s strong enough
To stop it all, to stop it all?
Who-who, who cares at all
Who started it, who started it?
Who-who, who’s strong enough
To stop it all, who started it?
Now I’m not strong enough to stop the bombs
So they keep on falling,
Only got my hand, to protect me with.
Now even in seven grade, they said that violence
Brings out the beast in your enemy.
And the ministry sings out,
They sing out Jesus
And he probably, would agree with me.
And the ministry yells out
Sings out Jesus
They probably, would agree with me.
Who-who, who cares at all
Who started it, who started it?
He says,
Who-who, who’s strong enough
To stop it all, to stop it all?
Who-who, who cares at all
Who started it, who started it?
Who-who, who’s strong enough
To stop it all, who started it?
Can you stop, can you stop, can you stop it all?
(Who cares anymore who started it?)
Can you stop, can you stop, can you stop it all?
(Who cares anymore who started it?)
Who-who, who cares at all
Who started it?
And the ministry yells out...
Who started it, who cares at all who started it?
The song "Who Started It" by Laleh is a introspective piece that highlights the futility of war and violence. The opening line "He used to be hilarious before he lost his sense of fun" sets the tone for the song. It highlights how the concept of war has taken away the enjoyment of life from people. The lyrics "Now he says God in conscious, No wonder we get lost, all of us" indicate that the concept of God and religion has further complicated the reason for the war. The line "Nightmares about the desert sand, Where he puts out his hands up" provides an image of soldiers in war-torn areas, being helpless and lost amid the chaos.
The chorus "Who-who, who cares at all, who started it, who started it? Who-who, who’s strong enough To stop it all, to stop it all?" is a poignant question that is asked several times throughout the song. It highlights how no one knows who started the war, but everyone is suffering because of it. The lyrics "Now I’m not strong enough to stop the bombs, So they keep on falling, Only got my hand, to protect me with" emphasises the inability of civilians to protect themselves from the war. The use of religious references in the song, such as "Jesus" in the line "And the ministry yells out, Sings out Jesus, They probably, would agree with me" could be interpreted as a representation of hope and a plea for divine intervention.
Line by Line Meaning
He used to be hilarious
In the past, this man used to be funny and enjoyable
Before he lost his sense of...fun.
But now, he has lost his ability to find amusement in things
Now he says,
Currently, he expresses himself in a different tone
Now he says God in conscious
He now talks about God in a thoughtful and perceptive manner
No wonder we get lost, all of us.
It's no surprise that we are all confused and uncertain
And I say,
In response to that, I reply
We're with stars soon precious
We will eventually be among the stars, and that is something valuable to remember
And this world is just a process... ain't it?
The world is a constantly evolving and gradual progression, isn't it?
He has,
He possesses
Nightmares about the desert sand
Dreams filled with fear and dread about the sandy landscape
Where he puts out his hands up
Where he raises his hands in surrender
He says,
He declares
Who-who, who cares at all
Who-who, does anyone truly care?
Who started it, who started it?
Who ignited this conflict or issue?
He says,
He states again
Who-who, who’s strong enough
Who-who, possesses enough power or authority
To stop it all, to stop it all?
To bring an end to all of this?
Now I’m not strong enough to stop the bombs
Personally, I lack the necessary strength to prevent these explosions
So they keep on falling,
As a result, they continue to plummet
Only got my hand, to protect me with.
The only tool I have to shelter myself is my own hand
Now even in seven grade, they said that violence
Even as early as middle school, we were told that aggressive behavior
Brings out the beast in your enemy.
Would only serve to bring out the worst in our opponents.
And the ministry sings out,
In contrast, the religious institution chants
They sing out Jesus
They express the name of Jesus in a melodic fashion
And he probably, would agree with me.
It's possible that he would concur with my views.
And the ministry yells out
The religious authority also shouts
Sings out Jesus
The name of Jesus echoes once again
Who-who, who cares at all
Who-who, does it matter to anyone?
Who-who, who’s strong enough
Who-who, possesses the required strength or might
Can you stop, can you stop, can you stop it all?
Is it possible for someone to end all of this?
(Who cares anymore who started it?)
(Does it even matter at this point who initiated this?)
And the ministry yells out...
And the religious organization continues to shout...
Who started it, who cares at all who started it?
Who ignited this conflict, does anyone truly care anymore?
Writer(s): Laleh Pourkarim
Contributed by Reagan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alan Welat
Jag älskar dig Laleh!
Joanna Andersen
Jag älskar dig Laleh, tack att du finns :)
Robban Larsson
så vacker
aepan11
Laleh, sing russian!