Their first release was a double-A-side 7" single on Off The Wall (later signed to Peacefrog) that had two tracks: "Twice" and "Test".
Nagano was born and raised in Göteborg to a Japanese father and American mother. She grew up listening to American folk, but always had an affinity for R&B. Keyboardist Wirenstrand spent his childhood in Småland before moving to Göteborg where listened to a lot of Swedish folk music before getting into electronic music. Bodin grew up listening to early hip-hop and jazz. Fredrik was influenced by experimental, noise and electro house.
Nagano and Bodin play live with José González. Bodin also drums with Peps Perrson, a Swedish blues/reggae artist. Swedish electronic jazz duo Koop's albums Waltz for Koop and Koop Islands feature Yukimi Nagano's vocals on several tracks.
The band collaborated with Gorillaz on two tracks ("Empire Ants" and "To Binge") from their 2010 released album, Plastic Beach. Little Dragon also collaborated with Maximum Balloon (the solo project of David Andrew Sitek, producer and member of TV On the Radio), for one track entitled "If You Return". In 2011, the band's collaboration with SBTRKT on "Wildfire" was released as the lead single from his self-titled début LP.
.Test
Little Dragon Lyrics
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No rest, no rest
Just when you wanna exhale
Yoga down hill
He stands in the light kisses your ears
Just when you wanna relax
Wanna be alone
A crowd comes
No rest, no rest
Just when you wanna give up
And everything's flat
Emotions running back and forth
There's no rest, no rest
Hurry to be on track
Don't wanna walk back
Steady on the elevator lift to the top
Then a stop, a challenge
Confess confess
Up and down the hill
All around the carousel
A flowery smell
A dead end
A stop, a stop, a challenge
Confess, confess
The test, a test, a test no rest
No rest, no rest
Just when you think it's the end
And everything's black
Hiding in the dark there's a sudden flash light
And your back
Back on the elevator lift to the top, another stop
The song "Test" by Little Dragon opens up with the lyrics "A test, a test, a test, no rest," which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The feeling of constantly being tested and challenged without any break permeates throughout the lyrics. The song is about the challenges and struggles one faces while trying to achieve their goals. Little Dragon uses various metaphors in the lyrics, like "yoga down hill" and "elevator lift to the top," to represent the ups and downs of life.
The lyrics suggest that just when one thinks they can finally relax or have some alone time, a crowd comes or another challenge presents itself, never allowing for any rest. The repeated line of "confess, confess" emphasizes the idea that one has to keep pushing forward and confronting their fears to achieve their goals. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer being lifted to the top again, ready to face the next challenge.
Overall, "Test" is a powerful song about perseverance and determination. It encourages the listener to keep going despite the obstacles and tests thrown their way, reminding them that resilience and hard work can help them achieve their dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
A test, a test, a test, no rest
Life is a continuous test and there is no rest from it, with new challenges presenting themselves frequently.
No rest, no rest
There is no break from life's tests and trials, they come one after the other without a pause.
Just when you wanna exhale
Just when you think you can relax and take a break from life's struggles, a new challenge arises.
Yoga down hill
Even when things seem calm and peaceful, they can quickly become difficult and challenging.
He stands in the light kisses your ears
In moments of reprieve, it's important to appreciate the goodness and love that you have in your life.
Just when you wanna relax
Just when you want to take a break from everything, life throws another challenge your way.
Wanna be alone
Sometimes you just want to be alone and not deal with anything or anyone else in the world.
A crowd comes
Unexpectedly, something comes up that draws unwanted attention to you and takes away your solitude.
Then a test, a test, a test, no rest
Life continues to test you, with no end in sight and no time for rest.
Just when you wanna give up
When it seems like life is too much, and you want to give up, that's when you need to keep going.
And everything's flat
When everything seems to have lost its excitement or fervor, and just feels monotonous.
Emotions running back and forth
Feeling a tumultuous wave of competing emotions, sometimes getting caught up in your head or getting ahead of yourself.
Hurry to be on track
Feeling the urgency to stay on task and focus on what's important, otherwise, you might lose stability or momentum.
Don't wanna walk back
The fear that if you stop moving forward and take a step backward, you'll have wasted all the progress you've made, and won't be able to regain the ground you've lost.
Steady on the elevator lift to the top
Slowly but surely making progress towards your goals, constantly inching forward in life.
Then a stop, a challenge
A new obstacle in life that gets in the way of progress, forcing you to pause and overcome it.
Confess confess
Acknowledging your struggles, taking responsibility for your actions, and owning up to your mistakes.
Up and down the hill
The roller coaster ride of life: up and downs, highs and lows, good times and bad times.
All around the carousel
The cycle of life, spinning and repeating itself, a constant flow of different experiences.
A flowery smell
The beauty and sweetness that life has to offer, the good moments that make it all worth it.
A dead end
Feeling like you've reached the end of the road, with no way out or forward, only backward.
The test, a test, a test no rest
Continuing to struggle with life's challenges, which seem never-ending and without pause.
Just when you think it's the end
When things seem like they couldn't get any worse and that you've hit rock bottom.
And everything's black
When everything feels dark and hopeless, like there is no way out.
Hiding in the dark there's a sudden flash light
In the midst of the darkness, clarity and a spark of inspiration comes through.
And your back
A moment of relief, feelings of hope that you can overcome your struggles and continue to move forward.
Back on the elevator lift to the top, another stop
With newfound motivation and determination, continuing the journey towards success, with obstacles still on the horizon.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Erik Oskar Bodin, Fredrik Daniel Wallin, Hakan Wirenstrand, Yukimi Eleanora Nagano
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind