Lina Nyberg was born in Stockholm in 1970 and raised in an artistic home. S… Read Full Bio ↴Lina Nyberg was born in Stockholm in 1970 and raised in an artistic home. She discovered jazz at age 14 and at 18 years of age Lina began singing with Swedish jazz stars such as Bernt Rosengren, Nisse Sandstrom, Fredrik Noren Band, and others. In 1990 Lina built her own first constellation "Lina Nyberg Kvintett" consisting of Per "Texas" Johansson, Esbjorn Svensson, Dan Berglund, and Mikel Ulfberg. Lina studied at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm from 1991 to 1993.

Lina and her quintet received the prestigious Swedish Grammis award for her CD "when the smile shines through" in 1995. "OPEN" released in 1998 and recorded with Palle Danielsson and Anders Persson, among others, was nominated for a Swedish Grammis and received rave reviews.

Over the years Lina Nyberg has collaborated with jazz musicians such as John Taylor, Dr. Dingo, Esbjorn Svensson, Anders Jormin, Rigmor Gustafsson, and Jeanette Lindstrom. She has toured in Scandinavia, parts of Europe, Canada and Brazil. In 1999 Lina toured Japan with Yasuhito Moris Scandinavian Connection. The fall of 2001 welcomed the release of the CD "Brasilien" a collaboration with bassist Anders Jormin and a result of Lina's longtime love of Brazilian music. In 2002 Lina Nyberg was awarded the Swedish National Jazz Association's prize of distinction, "Jazzkannan," with the following motivation: "Lina Nyberg is a courageous and mature musician. She explores and develops the tradition at her own pace and according to her own senses. Lina is an exciting and determined singer and instrumentalist. Her material is in constant transformation, and her openness in working with creative musicians is a testament to Lina's desire in exploring new directions.

Lina Nyberg is one of Sweden's most creative and interesting jazz singers. For over 10 years she has been attracting consistent and widespread attention in Sweden. In April of 2003 her groundbreaking CD "Time" was released, with Lina's own compositions performed by her exciting new band: Mathias Landaeus on fender Rhodes, piano, and live-electronics, Torbjorn Zetterberg on electric bass, and Sebastian Notini on drums. This CD contains influences from Brazilian music with the main focus nevertheless on progressive Nordic jazz: "Twelve songs, one for every month. Lina Nyberg sings like twelve angels; both her songs and her voice change shape…among the most beautiful and, with modesty, most dramatic I have heard for a very, very long time, regardless of the instrument" Ingmar Glanzelius, Dagens Nyheter

Lina's CD "A song book" was recorded in January of 2003, with pianist Anders Persson and bassist Yasuhito Mori. It was first released in Japan where it was received with much enthusiasm. The CD was later released in Sweden, in May of 2004: "...it is without a doubt Lina Nyberg's best, and possibly the most outstanding Swedish vocal jazz recording since the height of Monica Zetterlund's time. All is as clear as a bell, refined, scaled down, subtle." Sven Malm, Svenska Dagbladet

Lina's latest CD "Saragasso" with the same band as on her CD "Time" has attracted much attention since its release in September of 2004: "…expression with great precision - and great personality." Dagens Nyheter "It's good. Very good. And there is a relaxed desire for discovery that fascinates" Goteborgs Posten "Lina Nyberg's sensitive and articulated way of singing gives emphasis to the content. As a whole it is intelligent and well thought-out, with various musical origins…" Svenska Dagbladet "Nothing characterized as jazz today is more contemporary than this. Saragasso should be high on the sales charts." La Musik

Lina Nyberg has 10 CD's as a leader: "Close" (with pianist Esbjorn Svensson, '93) "when the smile shines through" (with quintet Per "Texas" Johansson, saxophone, Esbjorn Svensson, piano, Dan Berglund, bass, and Mikel Ulfberg, drums '94) "So many stars" (with big band and strings, '96) "Temper" (with pianist Jacob Karlzon, '97) "OPEN" (with Lina Nyberg Bang, '98) "Smile" (with pianist Anders Persson and bassist Palle Danielsson, '00) "Brasilien" (in collaboration with bassist Anders Jormin, '01) "Time" (with Mathias Landaeus, piano, Torbjorn Zetterberg, bass, and Sebastian Notini, drums, '03) "A song book" (with pianist Anders Persson and bassist Yasuhito Mori, '03) "Saragasso" (with Mathias Landaeus, piano, Torbjorn Zetterberg, bass, and Sebastian Notini, drums, '04)

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Lina Nyberg Lyrics

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Ask me how do I feel,
Now that we're cosy and clinging,
Well sir, all I can say is
If I were a bell I'd be ringing!

From the moment we kissed goodnight,
That's the way I just gotta behave,
And if I were a lamp I'd light,

Or if I were a banner I'd wave!

Ask me how do I feel,
Little me with my quiet upbringing,
Well sir, all I can say is
If I were a gate I'd be swinging!

And if I were a watch,
I'd start popping my spring,
Oh, and if I were a bell
I'd go "Ding dong ding dong ding!".

Ask me how do I feel
From this chemistry lesson I'm learning,
Well sir, all I can say is
If I were a bridge I'd be burning!

Well, I knew my moral would crack
From the wonderful way you looked,
Boy, if I were a duck I'd quack,
Or if I were a goose I'd be cooked!

Ask me how do I feel
Now that we're fondly caressing,
And if I were a salad,
I know I'd be splashing my dressing!

Or if I were a season,
I'd surely be Spring,
Yes, and if I were a bell,
Say, if I were a bell,

If I were a bell
I'd go "Ding dong ding dong ding!".

Overall Meaning

Lina Nyberg’s “If I Were A Bell” is a love song that expresses the singer's overwhelming feelings of happiness and love towards her partner. The song is a tale of a love affair that has just begun, and the singer has fallen hard for her partner. The opening line, “Ask me how do I feel, Now that we're cosy and clinging”, sets the tone for the rest of the song, highlighting the physical closeness that exists between the singer and her partner. The singer then goes on to express her happiness through various metaphors, stating that if she were a bell, she would ring out loud, thereby expressing her joy.

The lyrics also allude to the strong emotional connection between the two lovers, as she states that she would behave in certain ways, such as lighting up like a lamp or waving like a banner, if she were a non-human entity. The metaphor is not just about the singer’s state of happiness; it is about how she perceives herself in the relationship. She feels that she is a part of her lover and as if anything that makes him happy will also make her happy.

The song also highlights the singer's sense of vulnerability, as she expresses her fear of losing her moral compass, implying that her love might be too strong for her to handle. Still, she embraces this vulnerability, stating that she would be okay with being a duck that quacks or a goose that is cooked for the sake of love. Overall, “If I were a bell” is a delightful love song that showcases both the ecstasy and vulnerability of falling head over heels in love.

Line by Line Meaning

Ask me how do I feel,
Inquire about my emotional state

Now that we're cosy and clinging,
Now that we are close and intimate

Well sir, all I can say is
This is the only response I have

If I were a bell I'd be ringing!
I feel happy and excited

From the moment we kissed goodnight,
Starting from our first kiss

That's the way I just gotta behave,
That is how I act and feel

And if I were a lamp I'd light,
I am eager to shine

Or if I were a banner I'd wave!
I would want to show off my happiness

Little me with my quiet upbringing,
I grew up in a reserved environment

If I were a gate I'd be swinging!
I am feeling carefree and happy

And if I were a watch,
If I were an object that measures time