Loney Dear is the moniker used by multi-instrumentalist and home-recording … Read Full Bio ↴Loney Dear is the moniker used by multi-instrumentalist and home-recording phenomenon, Emil Svanängen (born 29 March 1979 in Jönköping, Sweden).

Until 2009 Svanängen recorded and released four records as Loney, dear. In 2009 he slightly changed this name, skipping the comma and becoming Loney Dear. All albums are now listed under Loney Dear on streaming platforms. but Loney, dear still exists on Last.fm.

Released as Loney, dear:
The Year Of River Fontana (2003)
Citadel Band (2004)
Sologne (2006)
Loney, Noir (2007)

Released as Loney Dear:
Dear John (2009)
Hall Music (2011)
Loney Dear (2017)
A Lantern and a Bell (2021)
Atlantis (live, 2022)
All Things Go (2024)

In either his tiny Stockholm studio apartment or the basement of his parents’ house, and with a dedication bordering upon manic, Emil discreetly builds Loney Dear songs using a modest home studio set-up. The music of Loney Dear has been aptly described as “soulful indie folk with a powerful mini orchestra.”

Layer upon layer, adding instrumentation and vocals, these songs seem to bloom like time-lapse photography, depicting glimpsed scenes of modern disaffection and timeless yearning. When performing live, Loney, dear becomes the band Emil conjures alone in his home studio, and mutates into a full, five-member band complete with guitar, sax, drums, organ and clarinet, shouts and claps.

Loney Blues
Loney Dear Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

And I try and cut my back with a scissor in hand
and all I do is scare the hell out of you I just
wanted someone seeing how sad I was, I
wanted someone seeing how it really hurts.
When it gets to your head and it gets to your
heart and now it's like never before, love is like
never before.I could't help but worrying now.
I could't help but crying now.

Overall Meaning

In "Loney Blues" by Loney Dear, the lyrics describe a deep feeling of sadness and desperation. The singer confesses to attempting self-harm by cutting their back with a scissor, but it only results in scaring their loved ones. Despite this, the singer longs for someone to truly see and understand how much pain they are in. The repetition of the line "love is like never before" suggests that perhaps a failed romantic relationship has led to the singer's emotional turmoil.

Line by Line Meaning

And I try and cut my back with a scissor in hand
I attempt to harm myself with a scissor while feeling overwhelmed and distressed.

and all I do is scare the hell out of you I just
Despite my intention to show my sadness to someone, all I manage to do is frighten them.

wanted someone seeing how sad I was, I
I desired for someone to witness the depth of my sadness and to understand how much pain I was experiencing.

wanted someone seeing how it really hurts.
I yearned for someone to acknowledge and comprehend the agony that I was enduring.

When it gets to your head and it gets to your heart and now it's like never before, love is like never before.
Love reaches your emotions so deeply that it becomes an incomparable experience.

I could't help but worrying now.
I am unable to resist feeling anxious at the moment.

I could't help but crying now.
I cannot avoid shedding tears in the present.

Writer(s): Emil Svanangen

Contributed by Kaylee A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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