With her opera singer for a mother, theater organist father and Björk’s Homogenic on constant rotation, Oh Land was enraptured by the combination of experimental and classical arts. “My goal is to sound like I’m from 2050, but still feel really classic, like the music is an old friend,” said Oh Land. She spent her days pirouetting as a ballet dancer at the Danish Royal Ballet Academy when an injury forced her to reinvent herself and discover her true talent and passion as a musician. Oh Land was discovered by Kasper Bjørke who soon released her first album, Fauna, which garnered critical acclaim in her homeland of Denmark. Her soundscapes are lavish, crunchy, symphonic, brute and captivated with rhythms that fly apart. She translates the sounds live via her contraption - a homemade one-woman-band music box topped with balloon video projections (seeing is believing). Her music is for movement and new songs such as the thumping Sun of a Gun and euphoric White Nights have proven to make even the most portentous get up and dance. Having been discovered by Epic Records at 2009’s SXSW, she is currently putting the finishing touches on her US debut album and an EP to be released this fall.
www.ohlandmusic.com
Heavy Eyes
Oh Land Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all those plastic-minded beats
Are a madcap explosion and a psychedelic celebration of
An animated youth
It′s the senior age
Dancing on the teen stage
It's the field of dreams
Runnin′ in the bloodstreams
'Cause I kept it steady
But you kicked me hard and I had to change my ways;
Sneaking up on me like a cheetah;
Disillusioned girl
Keep your eyes straight through me
Heavy eyes
Mmm...
So capturing the essence of a whole lot of fun
In a bottle and a beat, feeling perfectly wrong
Got extensions in the stop
Fallin' madly in love with the pop
Maybe we got it all right
There′s a scent in the air...
Got some true romance right here
There′s a filthy beam
Going from the mainstream
And I only dream of you
'Cause I kept it steady
But you kicked me hard and I had to change my ways
Sneaking up on me like a cheetah;
Disillusioned girl
Keep your eyes straight through me
Heavy eyes
Straight through me
Heavy eyes
The song "Heavy Eyes" by Oh Land, is an ode to youth, love and going against the norm, while simultaneously being comfortable with who you are. The lyrics are very poetic, and are full of metaphors and imagery. The opening lines, "In this recognizable smell of cigarettes and perfume, and all those plastic-minded beats," paints a vivid picture of the setting in which the song is taking place. There are many people dancing, having fun, and letting loose. The beats are "plastic-minded," which suggests that they are repetitive, and not genuine or meaningful.
The chorus, "Disillusioned girl, keep your eyes straight through me. Heavy eyes," encourages the listener to look beyond appearances, and see others for who they truly are. The heavy eyes could be interpreted as a metaphor for being weighed down by societal expectations, and the pressure to conform. The song suggests that it's important to break free from these constraints, and to be true to oneself.
The second verse, "So capturing the essence of a whole lot of fun, in a bottle and a beat, feeling perfectly wrong," emphasizes the idea that it's okay to break the rules, and not do what's expected. The song celebrates the spirit of youth and rebellion, and encourages listeners to embrace their individuality.
Overall, "Heavy Eyes" is an energetic and upbeat track that encourages listeners to let loose, have fun, and be themselves. It's a song that celebrates the energy and vitality of youth, and the importance of staying true to oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
In this recognizable smell of cigarettes and perfume
The sensory combination of cigarette smoke and fragrance is familiar and distinct
And all those plastic-minded beats
The music is shallow and uninspired
Are a madcap explosion and a psychedelic celebration of
The beats have a wild, trippy energy
An animated youth
This music is associated with young, energetic people
It's the senior age
This is a reference to getting older and leaving youth behind
Dancing on the teen stage
Despite aging, one still feels youthful and can enjoy the same things they did when they were younger
It's the field of dreams
This is a metaphor for chasing an idealized version of life
Runnin′ in the bloodstreams
This idealized version of life is deeply ingrained and motivates one's actions
And I only dream of you...
The artist has romantic feelings for someone they are fixated on
'Cause I kept it steady
The artist had a stable life before something disrupted it
But you kicked me hard and I had to change my ways;
The person they are fixated on caused a major shift in the singer's life
Sneaking up on me like a cheetah;
The person took the artist by surprise
Disillusioned girl
The singer is addressing the person they are fixated on
Keep your eyes straight through me
See the singer for who they are and not just their surface level traits
Heavy eyes
Feeling a weightiness or fatigue, possibly from the tumultuous feelings associated with their fixation
So capturing the essence of a whole lot of fun
Describing how the music is able to embody the experience of having a great time
In a bottle and a beat, feeling perfectly wrong
The music is fun but doesn't necessarily conform to societal norms or expectations
Got extensions in the stop
Adding extra to an already lively musical section
Fallin' madly in love with the pop
Becoming deeply enamored with popular music
Maybe we got it all right
Possibly feeling like their unconventional approach is ultimately successful
There′s a scent in the air...
A change or shift in the atmosphere
Got some true romance right here
Believing there is a genuine connection with the person they are fixated on
There′s a filthy beam
A reference to a corrupting influence or quality to the music or the fixation on this person
Going from the mainstream
This influence is pervasive in popular culture
And I only dream of you
Reiterating the singer's fixation
'Cause I kept it steady
The singer had a stable life before something disrupted it
But you kicked me hard and I had to change my ways
The person they are fixated on caused a major shift in the singer's life
Sneaking up on me like a cheetah;
The person took the artist by surprise
Disillusioned girl
The artist is addressing the person they are fixated on
Keep your eyes straight through me
See the singer for who they are and not just their surface level traits
Heavy eyes
Feeling a weightiness or fatigue, possibly from the tumultuous feelings associated with their fixation
Straight through me
The fixation is all-encompassing and consuming
Heavy eyes
Feeling a weightiness or fatigue, possibly from the tumultuous feelings associated with their fixation
Writer(s): Nanna Fabricius
Contributed by Julian P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kevin Corcoran Jr
Oh Land is one of those artists that just gets you hooked. Her live show, her sound, her style... everything is so unique! Just found out she's streaming her new album on Hype Machine... LOVING IT!!!!
Isabella Fernandez
I think this is one of the most brilliantly done videos to go with a brilliantly done song. This is just amazing. I really wonder why these kinds of videos and music loose to autotune and strippers.
mugecatal
I love her voice, style, video clips, everything about her.
TheSharpenedPencil
i love the way she moves so graceful and skilled. you can tell she's had dance training :) her voice is so fantastic too! super creepy <3
Daniela Morales Medina
This is so original and unique, i fucking love Oh Land D:
Sunny R
you can say that again! :)
cinna
My friend did a dance solo, I think it was jazz, to this. Gave me chills, the dance fit so well with a song that was already chilling.
Serena Wilson
Oh land is such a great artist. Totally new and different sound. Keep up the good work girl :) we wanna see more of you! Look forward to the next album, you are at the top of my list.
tyrannosaurusbob
this band is totally amazing. i cant believe im just hearing about them
angeleyez0092
Im in love with her after listen to only 3 songs!!! I love every single one of her songs!