Micheal Trempenau was born in Denmark, and grew up in Vesterbro with his single mother and two brothers, Dennis and Kim. Mike started his musical career singing in a youth group club in Copenhagen called Vesterbro Ungdomsgård, and appears on their first album: Vi lever på Vesterbro (1974). Later he was the lead singer of the Danish pop band Mabel, who recorded four albums and was popular in Denmark and Spain, and Mike quickly became of "teen idol" status. In 1978 Mabel won the Danish Melody Contest with the song Boom Boom and represented Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest that year. Mabel moved to New York City in the late 1970s to pursue a harder rock career. even changing to a more appropriate band name ("Studs"), but soon broke up. After the demise of Mabel, Tramp met Vito Bratta, guitarist for the band Dreamer, and they formed White Lion.
After White Lion broke up in 1992 Mike formed the rock band "Freak of Nature", which released three albums from 1992 to 1994.
In 1997 Tramp started a respected career as a solo artist.
The style of his music these days is pure rock, reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty but with a bit of a harder edge to it. Lyrically he often writes about his life and therefore his songs often span a lot of real, seemingly personal emotions.
There was a White Lion Comeback Album in 2008 with an accompanying tour featuring Mike on vocals and a new, younger White Lion line-up.
On October 5, 2009 he released his seventh solo album 'Mike Tramp and The Rock 'N' Roll Circuz'.
Mike Tramp and The Rock-N-Roll Circuz are currently busy touring to promote their latest album, "Stand Your Ground".
Living A Lie
Mike Tramp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From what she thought was just a dream
Looked around and saw it all was real
Packed her bags and ran away
Nothing here to make her stay
Free again she set out on her own
She never knew her life could be
If only she had realized
That there were so much more than
Living a lie, living a lie
Cause you're missing out
When you are living a lie
Flowers in the summer rain
How good it feels to smile again
Love is real when you are not afraid
Sally looked into his eyes
And saw a glimpse of paradise
Could it be what love is meant to be
She's not afraid not anymore
To seek what she desire
She dare to live the life she dreams
She wants to feel alive. not
Suddenly you see it clear
It ain't that far but oh so near
You taste the air and feel the sun
And now you know it won't be long.
Before
Sally woke up suddenly from what she thought was just a dream, implying that she had been living in a delusion, pretending that her life was a certain way when it was not. The character's revelation is reflected in the decision to run away and pursue a life that is authentic to her. The lyrics "nothing here to make her stay, free again she set out on her own" imply that the character was constrained and inauthentic in the life she left behind but is now on a path towards personal freedom.
As the song progresses, Sally's transformation from living a lie to living an authentic life is further highlighted in the lines "she never knew her life could be all the things she dreamed of, if only she had realized that there were so much more than living a lie". The song acknowledges that there is a difference between the life one lives and the life one dreams of, and encourages one to seek the latter. The lyrics "living a lie, cause you're missing out, when you are living a lie" emphasizes the theme of the song, which is the importance of being an authentic individual and not living a life of pretense.
The song ends on a hopeful note, indicating that the path to an authentic life lies in being in touch with one's desires and taking action to fulfill those desires. The lines "She's not afraid, not anymore, to seek what she desires, she dares to live the life she dreams, she wants to feel alive" suggest that Sally is now pursuing her authentic life without fear of societal norms and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Sally woke up suddenly
Sally realized the truth abruptly
From what she thought was just a dream
She thought her life was a dream, but it was real
Looked around and saw it all was real
She opened her eyes and saw reality for what it truly was
Packed her bags and ran away
She gathered her belongings and left without looking back
Nothing here to make her stay
She didn't have a reason to stay behind
Free again she set out on her own
She felt liberated, ready to start anew
She never knew her life could be
She was unaware of the possibilities her life held
All the things she dreamed of
All of her aspirations and hopes
If only she had realized
If she only understood earlier
That there were so much more than
She limited herself to less than what she could have had
Living a lie, living a lie
Living an untrue life, living a falsehood
Cause you're missing out
You're absent from the greater experiences in life
When you are living a lie
When you're pretending to be something that you're not
Flowers in the summer rain
Flowers despite the obstacles that come their way
How good it feels to smile again
The joy in feeling happiness return
Love is real when you are not afraid
Romantic love can exist when you don't hesitate to pursue it
Sally looked into his eyes
She gazed into his eyes with sincerity
And saw a glimpse of paradise
She saw an idyllic moment
Could it be what love is meant to be
Perhaps, this is what love is all about
She's not afraid not anymore
She's unafraid and confident
To seek what she desire
To chase after what she wants
She dare to live the life she dreams
She bravely lives the life she envisions
She wants to feel alive. not
She desires to feel alive and present, not stagnant
Suddenly you see it clear
You notice everything clearly, suddenly
It ain't that far but oh so near
The goal is not too far, it's close enough to grasp
You taste the air and feel the sun
You appreciate and immerse yourself in the natural elements
And now you know it won't be long.
You realize success is within reach and it won't take too much longer
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MIKE TRAMP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind