Luísa Sobral. A voice, guitar, paper and pen. From this an entire musical u… Read Full Bio ↴Luísa Sobral. A voice, guitar, paper and pen. From this an entire musical universe is created in each composition. 24 years of open choices. Instinctive and expectant. «The Cherry on my Cake» is the fruit of all those possibilities. Songs full of images. Videos that are imagined for the rhythm of each song. It’s her first full-length album under in her own name, outcome of a musical journey that started at the early age of 12.

The empathy with the musical instruments started with the guitar. It was with the guitar that she realised were the chords of her parent’s music come from. From The Beatles and from many others. And it was on an early age that she gave herself to the unique melodies that the jazz immortalized. The capacity of a melody to stand by itself, without the instruments. She embraced such artists as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzerald, Chet Baker, and many others and with them in her heart she set off to the Berklee College of Music, in Boston, USA, to study music. In her 4 year stay in Boston she was nominated for the «Best Jazz Song» at the Malibu Music Awards (2008); «Best Jazz Artist» at the Hollywood Music Awards ; «International Songwriting Competition» (2007) and «The John Lennon Songwriting Competition» (2008).

More than being nominated or completing her studies, Luísa was also discovering herself every year that went by. Her musical identity would further develop in New York, where she moved after finish her degree in Boston (2009). In her bags a lot of what would eventually give shape to songs that where already wandering inside her head. Hers and her mother’s who confessed to her she had dreamed that her first album would be called «The Cherry on My Cake». Maternal magic that made a dream come true.

The learning of the jazz standards, the practice done by playing a Brazilian music in bars and the stamina of her creativity all filtered into songs that would either gain live in paper or in chords. One after another. Well thought melodies with images inside. «I Would Love To», «Don`t Let Me Down», «Why Should I», among other songs that came together in an EP («My Funny Clementine»). The emphasis on the starting theme was obvious: «Not There Yet». A triple time rhythm, like a jazz waltz, colorful, an imposing chorus and violins in heaven. The record composition wasn’t to become limited to the English language. Between trips to and from Portugal, Luisa performed at the Super Bock Super Rock festival in Stock 2009. At this gig she mentions how much she would like to have a song in Portuguese. Upon her return to the States Luisa sketches a poem and melody for “O Engraxador” (the shoe shine man). That is followed by “Xico and Dolores”. For the upcoming record the will for a Portuguese cover song was still very much present. Nobody would be better to fill this part than Rui Veloso, artist that Luisa’s father listens to insistently. Luisa registers Carlos Te’s lyric and tries a different version of “Saiu para a Rua”.

«The Cherry on my Cake» is the result of all of this: of the person who dreams to live in Paris - totally inspired by French cinema. Result of the hectic New York vibe, of the familiar affection for Lisbon. From Regina Spektor to Elis Regina. From Billie Holiday to Bjork. From the 50’s to ingenuousness. From sound to image. From voice and talent: “I have a good life” she concludes.

Janie
Luísa Sobral Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When we were young
We could play all day long by ourselves
We believed that we could
Run a store and a school all in my room
And we always wished that summer
Would come real soon

Then we grew up we fought and made up

Like all friends do then I moved away
Too far, far away and for so long
We shared heartbreaks
And crushes on the phone

Janie, oh Janie why are you
So far away now? Janie, Janie
Did I let you down? Did I hurt you somehow?
Did I, Janie?

Now that I'm here to stay
I see you less than when I was away
And when we talk on the phone
Time is short and there's so much to say
And I wonder if our friendship has faded away

Janie, oh Janie why are you
So far away now? Janie, Janie
Did I let you down? Did I hurt you somehow?
Did I, Janie?

I know you're hurting now
But I'm here, Janie

Overall Meaning

The song "Janie" by Luísa Sobral is a heartfelt reflection on the ups and downs of a long-distance friendship that has evolved over time. The lyrics reminisce about the innocence and boundless imagination of childhood, where the singer and Janie could play together for hours, imagining themselves running a store and a school right in the confines of their own room. They longed for summer to arrive, symbolizing a sense of anticipation and excitement.

However, as they grew older, the friendship faced challenges. Like any close friends, they had their fair share of fights and reconciliations. Eventually, the singer moved away, resulting in a physical distance between them. Despite the separation, they still shared their heartbreaks and crushes over the phone, maintaining a deep connection.

The chorus of the song expresses the singer's yearning for the closeness they once shared with Janie. They question why Janie is now so far away and wonder if they have let her down or hurt her in some way. It conveys a sense of guilt and longing, indicating that distance has affected their friendship.

In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that they are now back and able to be with Janie, but ironically, they see each other less than they did when the singer was away. Time is limited during their phone conversations, and they feel that there is so much left to say. They question whether their friendship has faded away amidst the challenges of distance and time.

The closing lines signify that the singer understands that Janie is currently going through a difficult time, and they want to be there for her. This demonstrates the enduring love and care they have for their friend, despite the challenges they have faced. "Janie" captures the complexities of friendship and how it can change as circumstances shift, but the bond between true friends remains a source of comfort and support.

Line by Line Meaning

When we were young
In our childhood

We could play all day long by ourselves
We were able to entertain ourselves for hours

We believed that we could
We had the confidence to believe

Run a store and a school all in my room
We imagined running a store and a school in my room

And we always wished that summer
We constantly longed for summer

Would come real soon
To arrive quickly

Then we grew up we fought and made up
As we grew older, we had conflicts but resolved them

Like all friends do then I moved away
As typical of friendships, circumstances led me to move away

Too far, far away and for so long
To a distant place, and for an extended period

We shared heartbreaks
We confided in each other about our emotional pain

And crushes on the phone
And discussed our romantic interests over the phone