Already at 12 years old blues, rhythm & blues and African-American music had taken a firm grip on Mike Andersen. While everyone around him in Denmark was listening to a mix of Wham, Duran Duran and Madonna, he practiced guitar along with the LPs of Lightning Hopkins, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Otis Rush and many more. Later, as Mike focused on voices and words he ventured into the soul stars and Al Green, Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye were added to his collection of vinyl.
At 20, Mike met the blues guitarist Otis Grand. Otis and his six piece band perfectly framed the music Mike had listened to his whole life, from raw urban blues to sweaty '60s soul. Otis invited the young Mike Andersen to one of his major shows in England where he participated as a guitarist in The Otis Grand All Star Revue at the 'The Great British R & B Festival in Colne, England. When Mike returned home to Denmark he had a firm resolve to form a six piece blues and soul band of his own.
Knocking around the blues and soul scene of Aarhus, Mike soon cranked up his Blues Crew band and quickly caught the attention of older, more established Danish musicians. Soon he formed The Mike Andersen Band whose first album, My Love For The Blues was released in 2002 as one of the last 15 years most striking Danish blues albums. It was imprinted with the relentless uncompromising attitude which has characterized his career since (1997). Another significant studio album, Tomorrow released in 2004 and The Mike Andersen Band EP of 2006 followed along with hundreds of concerts across Europe, including opening for The Fabulous Thunderbirds and no less than three times for the legend B.B. King.
The 5th Annual Independent Music Awards (2005) winner in the blues songs category was Mike and the band's Stuck With Me.
During the last half of the decade, while honing his skills working with a variety of Danish local and international musicians, Mike was busy creating a new CD to show off his band's new sound. Two plus years in the making, when echoes was released in early 2010 Mike was heralded as "an original interpreter of the old qualities" by the music editor of the nation's second largest newspaper, Politiken. GAFFA, a leading publisher of music news in Denmark for almost thirty years wrote that echoes "is so far his best. Perhaps because . . . he dares to mix his interest in and enjoyment of the blues with his interest and pleasure in soul music." Three days later the countries leading pop radio station DR P4 named the new CD their Album of the Week. Then noted music journalist Peter Widmer wrote in the Odense Music Library's news about "Mike Andersen's voice that has evolved ... with great range, and is primarily in the center of echoes, with lyrics about love, jealousy and passion as the main themes. In a bluesinthenorthwest.com review, Grahame Rhodes reviewed thusly: "Echoes comes highly recommended for those who like their music soulful and full of good grooves and top notch songs.
In Trumpet Magazine, a Danish Music Union publication, Mike tells the story of how he was able to connect with the Grammy award winning album producer and mixer Russell Elevado who final mixed echoes.
*You can also see ‘Mike Andersen Band’ on Last.fm here: http://www.last.fm/music/+noredirect/Mike+Andersen+Band
City of Sin
Mike Andersen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The city of sin
Might not be pretty
But let the fun begin
Let's go down
Downtown
Where guys bring all their money
'Round here Joe is Johnny
And you haven't seen a thing
The good girls go bad
If you're into that
Let's go to the city
(Ooh)
The city of sin
To the city of sin
She grew up in Everett
The town's cutest blonde
Tonight she's a redhead
If that's what you want
Demons are fed
From a velour covered bed
Let's go to the city
(Ooh)
Let's go
Let's go to the city
The city of sin
Might not be pretty
But let the fun begin
Let's go to the city
The city of sin
Let's get down to the nitty-gritty
Go all in
Let out the beast
Come join the feast
Let's go to the city
(Ooh)
The city of sin
Let's go to the city
Let's go to the city
Let's go to the city
The city of sin
To the city of sin
The song "City of Sin" by Mike Andersen is a tribute to the notorious city of Las Vegas, often referred to as the city of sin because of its reputation for indulgence and vice. The lyrics paint a picture of the city's gambling, partying, and other illicit activities.
The opening lines of the song encourage listeners to join the singer as he heads to the city of sin to have some fun. The next lines describe the kind of people one might encounter in the city, such as men who hide their wedding rings and women who turn from good to bad. The use of a pseudonym, "Joe is Johnny," highlights the anonymity and secrecy that can be found in the city's nightlife.
The song also describes the transformation that takes place in people when they visit the city. The line, "she grew up in Everett, the town's cutest blonde" implies that a person's identity or appearance can change in the city of sin, as evidenced by the singer's decision to dye her hair red. Finally, the song encourages listeners to let loose and enjoy the feast of excess that is the city of sin.
Overall, Mike Andersen's "City of Sin" is a playful and upbeat ode to Las Vegas, emphasizing the city's indulgences and the transformative experiences that can be found within its limits.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's go to the city
Let's go to a city known for its vices and moral corruption.
The city of sin
A city where people come to indulge in their darkest desires and where immorality thrives.
Might not be pretty
The city may not be aesthetically pleasing but that shouldn't stop us from having a good time there.
But let the fun begin
We're here to have a wild and carefree time in the city of sin regardless of the consequences.
Let's go down
Let's head into the heart of the city of sin.
Downtown
To the central district where all the action happens.
Where guys bring all their money
A place where men are willing to spend exorbitant amounts of cash for pleasures.
Hide their wedding rings
Men who are married come here and pretend to be single in order to engage in illicit activities.
'Round here Joe is Johnny
Some people come here to assume a new identity and leave their old life behind them.
And you haven't seen a thing
People here are skilled at keeping secrets, and what happens in the city of sin stays in the city of sin.
The good girls go bad
Women who are typically reserved or demure may embrace their wild side and engage in behaviors that they wouldn't normally engage in.
If you're into that
If that's your thing or what you're looking for, then this is the place to be.
She grew up in Everett
There is a specific girl from a specific town that the singer is referencing.
The town's cutest blonde
She was the most attractive girl that people from her home town had ever seen.
Tonight she's a redhead
She's chosen to change her appearance to better suit the city of sin and its inhabitants.
If that's what you want
The city of sin offers people the opportunity to live out their wildest fantasies and desires, including physically transforming themselves.
Demons are fed
The city of sin is a place where people can give into their inner demons, and those who indulge in vice, whether knowingly or unknowingly, become frequent customers.
From a velour covered bed
The place where these demons are fed can take many forms, in this case, the lyrics suggest it's from the bed of a prostitute.
Let's get down to the nitty-gritty
It's time to get serious and dive deep into the debauchery and immorality of the city of sin.
Go all in
Fully commit to the indulgences of the city of sin, leaving all inhibitions behind.
Let out the beast
Embrace one's innermost primal urges and unleash them without fear of consequence.
Come join the feast
Invite others to participate in the revelry and enjoy all that the city of sin has to offer.
To the city of sin
Let's head towards hedonism, vice, and immorality that the city of sin offers.
Contributed by Lucy P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jose Santana
Muy bueno chicos!
Kara-Mia Muso
Tight performance guys.. Always love you work Mike.. Love the Tin-Man Suit.. Will have to get Meg one of those ha ha ha ha ha ha.. Great new tune .. Shared on google for you.
Jakob bonde-hansen
Super fedt lyd som ALTID big time hilsen fra Foderstoffen