In late 1968, Chappell and Lovich went to London, England to attend art school. It was there that Lovich first tied her hair into the plaits that later became a visual trademark, though at first she did it to keep her hair out of the clay when studying sculpture. Expressing a variety of artistic interests, she sought to find the best outlets for her work.
Over the following decade, Lovich attended several art schools, busked around the London Underground and appeared in cabaret clubs as an "Oriental" dancer. She also travelled to Spain, where she visited Salvador Dalí in his home. She played acoustic rock music around London, sang in the mass choir of a show called Quintessence at the Royal Albert Hall, played a soldier in Arthur Brown's show, worked as a "go-go" dancer with the Radio One Roadshow, toured Italy with a West Indian soul band, and played saxophone for Bob Flag's Balloon and Banana Band and for an all-girl cabaret trio, The Sensations. She recorded screams for horror films, adapted lyrics for French disco star Cerrone (including the sci-fi dance smash "Supernature," later recorded by Lovich in her own version) and worked with various fringe theatre groups. She was also one of thousands of people in the audience at the 1972 Lanchester Arts Festival when Chuck Berry recorded the risqué "My Ding-a-Ling" for Chess Records. As the audience was encouraged to sing-a-long technically this could be described as her first appearance on record. The record was a No. 1 hit in the U.K. and the U.S.A.
In 1975, Lene joined The Diversions, a funk group that put out five singles and an album on Polydor Records without success. In 1978, disc jockey and author Charlie Gillett presented her to Stiff Records boss, Dave Robinson, who quickly signed her to a contract. Her first single for Stiff was "I Think We're Alone Now", a cover of a song originally performed by Tommy James & The Shondells.
Invited to join the Be Stiff Route 78 Tour on 1978, Lovich quickly recorded her first album for Stiff, Stateless, which spawned the remixed hit singles "Lucky Number" and "Say When." Lovich's musical style combined ethnic influences with then current punk rock and new wave.
Maintaining her long term writing partnership with Les Chappell, Lovich recorded the albums Flex and No-Man's-Land for Stiff over the next few years, as well as an EP titled New Toy, the title cut penned by touring band member Thomas Dolby. She also recorded vocals for the track 'Picnic Boy' by The Residents. Following her departure from Stiff, Lovich released "Don't Kill The Animals," a single with Nina Hagen, with whom she had previously appeared in Cha Cha, a film that also starred Herman Brood; together, the three created the film's soundtrack.
In 1989, after an absence of several years, she recorded the album, March which was only moderately successful and was not released until nearly a year after the album's single "Wonderland" had been issued and become an American dance hit. Lovich continues to perform in much the same style she did back in the 1970s and 1980s, with Les Chappell still at her side. In 2005 she appeared on Hawkwind's Take Me to Your Leader CD, as well as appearing occasionally on stage with them.
Lovich's first album since March, entitled Shadows and Dust received a limited release on Mike Thorne's Stereo Society label on September 13, 2005.
Vertigo
Lene Lovich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ever spinning circle-wise we go
Evidently orbital we whirl continuous
And gravity upholds
But if the pressure gets really heavy
It must be easy to feel dizzy
Head to toe
Vertigo
Super sensitive am I
Every turn affects me more and more
Revolutionary forces influence me so
Sometimes I lose control
But if the normal gets out of order
It must be easy to feel dizzy
Ever so
Vertigo
The song "Vertigo" by Lene Lovich is an exploration of the physical and emotional effects of movement and change. The first verse describes the basic mechanics of our planet's rotation and orbit, highlighting the importance of gravity in keeping us grounded. However, Lovich goes on to suggest that even the most stable and constant aspects of our world can become disorienting and overwhelming. The chorus repeats the word "Vertigo," emphasizing the sensation of dizziness and lightheadedness that can result from these disruptions.
In the second verse, Lovich turns inward, describing herself as "super sensitive," someone who is deeply affected by even the slightest changes in the world around her. She compares herself to a "revolutionary" force, suggesting that her own movements and actions have the power to upset the fragile balance of her environment. Once again, the chorus reminds us that even the most energetic and adventurous among us can experience moments of staggering disorientation.
Overall, "Vertigo" is a song that explores the complex interplay between stability and change, order and chaos, and the ways in which our perceptions of the world are shaped by our individual sensitivities and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Truly true the Earth is moving
The Earth is moving and this is a fact
Ever spinning circle-wise we go
We are always moving in a circular motion
Evidently orbital we whirl continuous
We are continuously revolving around something
And gravity upholds
Gravity is what keeps us grounded and prevents us from flying off into space
But if the pressure gets really heavy
If there is too much pressure or stress, things can become overwhelming
It must be easy to feel dizzy
Feeling dizzy is a common symptom of stress or pressure
Head to toe
The feeling of being dizzy can affect the whole body
Vertigo
Vertigo is a medical condition where a person feels as if they or the objects around them are moving when they are not
Super sensitive am I
I am highly sensitive to my surroundings
Every turn affects me more and more
Every movement affects me more and more due to my sensitivity
Revolutionary forces influence me so
Forces that cause a revolution or movement can affect me greatly
Sometimes I lose control
Due to my sensitivity, sometimes I lose control of my reactions or emotions
But if the normal gets out of order
If things become abnormal or chaotic, it can be overwhelming for me
It must be easy to feel dizzy
Feeling dizzy is a common symptom of being overwhelmed or dealing with chaos
Ever so
Feeling overwhelmed or dizzy can happen at any moment and can be unpredictable
Vertigo
Vertigo is a condition that can be triggered by various external factors
Contributed by Sebastian A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Juan Pablo Pineda
this song is very similar to 'vertigo' the 1982 song by Alaska & los pegamoides, or at least, I see them similar