Brundtland and Berge were schoolmates in their hometown Tromsø, experimenting with electronic instruments in the early 90s and being a part of their city's techno scene. As they grew up in northern Norway, they listened to local artists like Bel Canto and Biosphere. The band has also expressed their interest in the music of Kraftwerk, Brian Eno, Giorgio Moroder, Art of Noise, Vangelis, Erik Satie, and Francis Lai. They were members of various electro acts in their youth, such as Alanïa, Drum Island and Aedena Cycle. After recording as part of Aedena Cycle, Berge and Brundtland left the group to form their own band, Röyksopp.
In 8 October 2001, Röyksopp released their debut album Melody A.M. on Wall of Sound label. This critically acclaimed downtempo album reached #1 in Norway charts, #9 in UK Albums Chart, #18 in US Top Electronic Albums. Melody A.M. spawned five singles: "So Easy" (released in 1999, re-released in 2002), "Eple" (released in July 2001, re-released in 24 February 2003; #16 UK), "Poor Leno", featuring Erlend Øye (released in 3 December 2001, re-released on 18 November 2002; #38 UK), "Remind Me", featuring Erlend Øye (5 August 2002; #21 UK), and "Sparks", featuring Anneli Drecker (2003; #41 UK).
The band became famous for their original music videos (the infographic-styled video by French company H5 for the track "Remind Me", won the 2002 MTV Europe Music Award for best music video). The single "Eple" (meaning "apple") was used by Apple Inc. as the music for the startup video for Mac OS X 10.3.
In 4 July 2005, the band issued their sophomore album The Understanding on Wall of Sound. The album was preceded by the hit single "Only This Moment", featuring Kate Havnevik (27 June 2005; #33 UK). Another four singles followed: "49 Percent" (26 September 2005; #55 UK), "Curves" (non-album single; 3 October 2005), "What Else Is There?", featuring Karin Dreijer of The Knife (5 December 2005; #4 Norway, #32 UK) and "Beautiful Day Without You" (26 June 2006).
Röyksopp's Night Out EP was released in 27 February 2006 and it contains live recordings from a concert in Norway, Rockefeller (Oslo) in November 2005. The album contains a new dance version of their single "Sparks" and a reinterpretation of the song "Go With the Flow”, originally by Queens of the Stone Age. In 5 March 2007, the group issued Back to Mine: Röyksopp, a compilation album from the Back to Mine series, compiled and mixed by the band.
On 23 March 2009, Röyksopp released their third album Junior on Wall of Sound. Röyksopp have invited several guest artists, like Robyn, Anneli Drecker, Karin Dreijer, Lykke Li, to perform on various songs from Junior. The first single "Happy Up Here" was released on 19 January 2009 (digital)/16 March 2009 (vinyl) and peaked on #3 in Norway and on #44 in UK. Another two singles supported the album' sales: "The Girl And The Robot", featuring Robyn (15 June 2009; #2 Norway) and "This Must Be It", featuring Karin Dreijer (2 November 2009).
Since 2010, the band started posting on their official site new exclusive songs available for free download (usually a song every month), known as Röyksopp.com Track Of The Month.
In 13 September 2010, Röyksopp released the fourth album Senior, the atmospheric counterpart of Junior. The first single from the album, "The Drug", was released on 9 August 2010.
Official site: http://www.royksopp.com
Born Under Punches
Röyksopp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a look at these hands.
The hand speaks. The hand of a government man.
Well I'm a tumbler. Born under punches.
I'm so thin.
All I want is to breathe. I'm too thin.
Won't you breath with me?
And keep one step ahead, of yourself.
Don't you miss it, don't you miss it.
Some 'a you people just about missed it! Last time to make plans!
Well I'm a tumbler...
I'm a Government Man.
Never seen anything like that before.
Falling bodies tumble 'cross the floor. Well I'm a tumbler!
When you get to where you wanna be. Thank you! Thank you!
When you get to where you wanna be. Don't even mention it!
Take a look at these hands. They're passing in-between us.
Take a look at these hands.
Take a look at these hands. You don't have to mention it.
No thanks. I'm a Government Man.
And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...
And the heat goes on...Where the hand has been...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...
And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...
...Where the hand has been...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...
I'm not a drowning man!
And I'm not a burning building! (I'm a tumbler!)
Drowning cannot hurt a man!
Fire cannot hurt a man. (Not the Government Man.)
All I want is to breathe. Thank you. Thank you.
Won't you breath with me?
Find a little space...So we move in-between. I'm so thin.
And keep one step ahead of yourself. I'm catching up with myself.
All I want is to breathe.
Won't you breath with me. Hands of a Government Man.
Find a little space so we move in-between.
And keep one step ahead of yourself. Don't you miss it! Don't you miss it!
And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...Where the hand has been...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...
Where the hand has been...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...
And the heat goes on...
The lyrics of Röyksopp's "Born Under Punches" seem to be a commentary on the nature of power and government influence. The repetition of "take a look at these hands" suggests a focus on the hands of those in power, perhaps indicating that their actions and decisions have a greater impact on society as a whole. The line "the hand speaks, the hand of a government man" further reinforces the idea of the power held by those in government positions.
The chorus of "All I want is to breathe" appears to counteract the oppressive government imagery, suggesting that in the face of political turmoil, what individuals truly desire is simply to exist, to have space to breathe and move in-between. The phrase "don't you miss it, don't you miss it" feels like a warning not to take freedom for granted, and to be aware of the dangers of government overreach.
The line "I'm so thin" could be interpreted both figuratively and literally, perhaps as a physical manifestation of the larger societal tension and anxiety that the song appears to describe. Overall, "Born Under Punches" seems to be a powerful meditation on the desire for freedom and autonomy, and the strains placed on these values by those seeking power and control.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a look at these hands.
Notice the power of these hands that belong to a man of authority.
The hand speaks. The hand of a government man.
The hand represents the power of a government official who can exert influence through their authority.
Well I'm a tumbler. Born under punches.
I am resilient and flexible in adapting to difficult circumstances, having been born into a challenging situation.
I'm so thin. All I want is to breathe. I'm too thin. Won't you breath with me?
I am physically weak and struggling for survival, pleading for help and support from others around me.
Find a little space, so we move in-between. In-between it. And keep one step ahead, of yourself.
We must find a way to navigate between opposing forces and maintain our balance, while also continuously improving ourselves and our situation.
Don't you miss it, don't you miss it. Some 'a you people just about missed it! Last time to make plans!
This is a critical moment that requires urgency and attention, as opportunities and options may soon disappear.
Never seen anything like that before. Falling bodies tumble 'cross the floor.
The scene is chaotic and terrifying, with people suffering and dying in unexpected ways.
When you get to where you wanna be. Thank you! Thank you! Don't even mention it!
Achieving your goals and dreams should be appreciated and celebrated, even if it took a lot of work and sacrifice to get there.
Take a look at these hands. They're passing in-between us. Take a look at these hands.
These hands of power can either help bring us together or keep us apart, depending on their actions and intentions.
No thanks. I'm a Government Man.
I am content with my position of authority, even if it means others may suffer or struggle.
And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...And the heat goes on...Where the hand has been...And the heat goes on...
The pressure and tension continue to build, as the actions and decisions of those in power have far-reaching consequences.
I'm not a drowning man! And I'm not a burning building! (I'm a tumbler!) Drowning cannot hurt a man! Fire cannot hurt a man. (Not the Government Man.)
I am resilient and adaptable, able to survive even the most extreme situations. I am also shielded from the consequences of my own actions and policies, unlike the vulnerable people around me.
I'm catching up with myself.
I am struggling to keep up with the pace of change and self-improvement, but I am determined to keep moving forward.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID BYRNE, CHRIS FRANTZ, TINA WEYMOUTH, JERRY HARRISON, BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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