Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson, professionally known as Lykke Li, is a Swedish… Read Full Bio ↴Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson, professionally known as Lykke Li, is a Swedish singer, songwriter and model. Her music often blends elements of indie pop, dream pop and electronic. Her debut studio album, Youth Novels, was released in 2008, and has been followed by Wounded Rhymes (2011), I Never Learn (2014), So Sad So Sexy (2018) and Eyeye (2022).

She was born in Ystad, Skåne; her mother, Kärsti Stiege, was a photographer, and her father, Johan Zachrisson, is a member of the Swedish punk-reggae band Dag Vag. Her younger brother, Zacharias Zachrisson, is also a musician. The family moved to Stockholm when Zachrisson was a toddler and when she was six moved to a mountaintop in Portugal where they lived for five years. The family also spent time in Lisbon and Morocco, and winters in Nepal and India. She moved to Brooklyn, New York City, for three months when she was 19. She returned when she was 21 to record her album.

Melodies & Desires
Lykke Li Lyrics

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Follow these instructions
Do exactly as I do
Lean your shoulders forward
Let your hands slide over to my side
Move your body closer
Let your heart meet mine

Love is the harmony

Desire is the key
Love is the melody
Now sing it with me

Come a little closer
Take a look at me
This light is so obvious
I want you to see

Come a little closer
Look me in the eye
Then repeat with me
One more time

Love is the harmony
Desire is the key
Love is a symphony
Now play it with me

Love is the harmony
Desire is the key
Love is a symphony
Now play it with me

You'll be the rhythm and I'll be the beat
You'll be the rhythm and I'll be the beat
Then I'll be the rhythm and you'll be the beat
And love, the shoreline, where you and I meet

You'll be the rhythm and I'll be the beat
You'll be the rhythm and I'll be the beat
Then I'll be the rhythm and you'll be the beat
And love, the shoreline, where you and I meet

Love is the harmony
Desire is the key

Love is a symphony
Come, sing some with me

Overall Meaning

In "Melodies & Desires," Lykke Li invites her lover to follow her instructions and move closer to her so that they can become one in music and love. She sings about the harmony of love and how desire is the key to their connection. The lyrics encourage intimacy and make reference to light and the power of sight as she implores the lover to take a closer look and to see the obvious light of their love. The chorus repeats the message of love being a symphony and invites the lover to join in and play along.

The imagery that Lykke Li uses in this song is beautiful and poetic. She sings about love being a harmony and symphony, which is a perfect metaphor for how two people can beautifully complement one another in a relationship. The reference to light is also interesting - light is often used in a romantic sense to mean awareness and enlightenment. It seems that Lykke wants her lover to see and appreciate their shared love in its entirety.

Interestingly, the title of the song was inspired by the title of a photography book by Alec Soth. It is said that Lykke Li was inspired by some of the images in the book while she was writing the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Follow these instructions
I want you to do exactly as I'm doing

Do exactly as I do
I want you to mimic my movements

Lean your shoulders forward
I want you to come closer to me

Let your hands slide over to my side
Place your hands on my side

Move your body closer
Come closer to me

Let your heart meet mine
I want to feel your love and connection

Love is the harmony
Love brings us together in perfect synchronization

Desire is the key
Strong desire is the driving force behind our love

Love is the melody
Love sets the tone for our relationship

Now sing it with me
Let's share the love and sing together

Come a little closer
Move closer so you can see me better