Laura Jansen (born on March 4 1977 in Breda, Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands… Read Full Bio ↴Laura Jansen (born on March 4 1977 in Breda, Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands,) is a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and pianist. Chronicles those little things, like cutting her hair, buying pink floral sheets, and venturing out for a drink with the guy down the hall, on her debut album Bells, a dreamy collection of piano-driven alt-pop songs with lush arrangements and intimate, intelligent lyrics reflecting the thoughts and hopes of an independent girl alone in the world.

Jansen was so close to giving it up before she even began. But a year after deciding to give music a try she tried to make waves with advance copies of her EP Trauma (released summer 2006). June 12, 2009, she released her second EP, Bells, featuring single Single Girls, accompanied by a music video.

In the U.S., Jansen is a fixture in the constellation of artists associated with Los Angeles nightclub The Hotel Café — a musical haven, creative incubator, and ultimately, national launching pad for such confessional-minded artists as Sara Bareilles, Priscilla Ahn, and Joshua Radin, whom Jansen toured with in 2008 and in 2011. Jansen’s songs were used in various television shows on MTV and ABC.

Jansen, being half American, half Dutch, was invited to The Netherlands in 2009 for a series of appearances, which led to her signing with Universal Music. Debut album Bells (composed of Jansen’s two previously released EP’s 2007’s Trauma and 2009’s Single Girls, plus “Use Somebody”), has already gone platinum in Jansen’s native Holland and reached a #1 position on iTunes. Propelled by “Single Girls” and a stunning cover of Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody,” which has spent more than 6 months lodged in the Top 25 on the Dutch singles chart.

Jansen hit the road in Europe with her pal William Fitzsimmons as a member of his band as well as his support act. In 2010 she sold out both headline tours of her own in The Netherlands, after which she toured in Germany, Austria, UK as fans spread the word.

The year 2011 was yet another exciting year, with Jansen’s debut album Bells being released in the US, the rest of Europe and China, with tours set up on these continents as well.

Jansen is currently working on her next album.

Soljah
Laura Jansen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I wanna be a soljah for your loveI, I, I wanna be, be,
Be a soljah for your love
My eyes have finally adjusted
To the light down here below
My eyes can finally see
Everything real that's real to me
I, I was a hungry soldier
I, I move like a broken train

Looking for the way to go
Hungry for a little brain
But this is the truth and the truth is the love
And the love is all we need,
Yo
This is the truth and the truth is the love
And the love is all we need,
Yo oh oh oh oo oh ohhh oh oh oh ohh yeah yeah yeah yeah mmhmmhmm
I wanna be a soljah for your love
I wanna be a soljah for your love
My song was long forgotten
My heart moves without a beat
I heard your voice there in the silence
And in the stillness the music was revealed
This is the truth and the truth is the love
And the love is all we need, yo
This is the truth and the truth is the love and the love is all we need,
Yo oh oh oh oo oh yo oh oh oh oo oh yo ohh oh oh
Oo oh oh oo oh oh oo ohh oh
Surrender
(That's what you gotta do)
Surrender
(Ohh)
Surrender
(That's what you gotta do)
Surrender
(Ohh)
Surrender
That's what you gotta do
(Surrender)
That's what you got to do
(Surrender)
That's what you gotta do
(Surrender)
Surrender
That's what you gotta do
Surrender
That's what you gotta do
Surrender
Surrender
Surr-e-e-nder
I wanna be a soljah for your love
I wanna be a soljah for your love

Oh I wanna be a soljah for your love
I wanna be a soljah, soljah for your love

Overall Meaning

In Laura Jansen's song "Soljah," she expresses her desire to become a "soldier" for love. She uses the term "soljah" (soldier) to describe her devotion and commitment to loving someone. Jansen begins the song by stating that her eyes have finally adjusted to the reality of love after searching for it for so long. She compares herself to a "hungry soldier," implying that she has been fighting for love for a long time without success. But now, she has found the one she wants to serve and protect with all her heart.

Jansen then goes on to talk about the power of love, citing it as the only thing that people truly need. She acknowledges the truth that love can be all-consuming and all-encompassing, but ultimately, it is worth it. The chorus of the song repeats the same lines, emphasizing her desire to be a "soljah" for her lover's love.

In the bridge of the song, Jansen calls for surrender, stating that it is what you have to do when you want to love someone fully and unconditionally. By surrendering oneself entirely to love, the two people involved can become an unbreakable force.

Overall, Laura Jansen's "Soljah" is a beautiful expression of the power of love and one's commitment to fighting for the person and the relationship they love.

Line by Line Meaning

I wanna be a soljah for your love
I want to be your warrior, your protector, your champion, your everything for the love I have for you

My eyes have finally adjusted to the light down here below
I have finally come to grips with the reality of life, the struggles and the darkness around me

My eyes can finally see everything real that's real to me
I can finally see and appreciate the things that truly matter in my life, and the people who matter the most to me

I, I was a hungry soldier
I was a person who was starved of love, care, and affection

I, I move like a broken train
I move through life aimlessly and haphazardly, without any direction or purpose

Looking for the way to go hungry for a little brain
I am searching for direction in life and crave some intelligence and wisdom

But this is the truth and the truth is the love and the love is all we need, Yo
The truth of life is that love is the most important thing, and it's all that we ever need to survive and thrive

My heart moves without a beat
I am devoid of any love and emotions in my heart, that is not even beating properly anymore

I heard your voice there in the silence
I heard your voice (or the voice of love) when all was quiet and peaceful, and that is when I knew what true love meant

And in the stillness the music was revealed
When all the chaos and noise of the world faded away, there was only stillness and peace, and that is when the true music of love was revealed to me

Surrender. (That's what you gotta do)
To truly experience love, one must surrender completely or give in to the power and force of love entirely

Oh I wanna be a soljah for your love
I want nothing more than to be a loyal and faithful warrior, dedicated solely to protecting and loving you

Contributed by Juliana C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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