A pastiche of post-rock, chamber-pop and contemporary classical composition, the self-titled debut album is strongly influenced by Ludwig-Leone's background in classical music, which includes a job assisting composer/arranger Nico Muhly.
After finishing his musical studies at Yale, Ludwig-Leone wrote the album in six weeks while holed up in a studio on the mountainous border between Alberta and British Columbia. He focused on lifeʼs top-shelf issues – youth, nostalgia, anxiety, unrequited love – and tied these vast themes to different characters through vocal contributions from longtime friend Allen Tate, as well as Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius.
The first track released from the album, Sonsick, tackles many of these larger themes head-on. ”It’s like a panic attack disguised as a birthday party,” Ludwig-Leone says. ”I realized that the most intense moments are the ones in which conflicting emotional worlds exist inside you, equally, at once.”
San Fermin is not an album of singles but rather a sweeping, full-bodied listen with multiple distinct peaks and ambitious thematic connections. Ludwig-Leone composed all of the album’s arrangements and lyrics in full prior to collaborating and recording, noting that “writing for a large group of unknown musicians infused the writing process with a kind of operatic scope.
Since then, the band has coalesced into a core of eight members in addition to Ludwig-Leone: Allen Tate and Rae Cassidy, lead vocals; Eliza Bagg and Rebekah Durham, vocals/violin; John Brandon, trumpet; Stephen Chen, saxophone; Tyler McDiarmid, guitar; and Mike Hanf, drums.
Casanova
San Fermin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you know my face?
I'm sorry Love but I can't let you in
Love don't own this place
And I can't fall asleep in your arms
No I can't fall asleep in your arms
So tell me a story and I'll put myself to sleep
Spider got me when I was your age
A Casanova
Funny, people start sounding the same
When you're older
No I can't fall asleep in your arms
No I can't fall asleep in your arms
So tell me a story and I'll put myself to sleep
Take a seat, Love and bring me to Paris
Read me The Purple Land
I'll be Abel and chase you to Lima
Holding my hat in hand
Call you Paquita and sing you to sleep, Love
In the Purple Land
I'll be Abel if you are Rima
Or I'll be your lamb
And I'll prepare a place for you
And I'll prepare a place for you
And I'll prepare a place for you
And I'll prepare a place for you
And I'll prepare a place for you
And I'll prepare a place for you
And I'll prepare a place for you
And I'll prepare a place for you
I'll prepare, I'll prepare, I'll prepare a place
I'll prepare, I'll prepare, I'll prepare a place
I'll prepare, I'll prepare, I'll prepare a place
The song "Casanova" by San Fermin is a melancholic and reflective piece that explores themes of love, loss, and nostalgia. The lyrics are written in the form of a conversation with love itself and the singer expresses a sense of longing for a kind of love that seems elusive and unattainable. The first stanza reveals the singer's reluctance to allow love into their life, suggesting that love doesn't truly belong to them. The second stanza speaks to the idea of ageing and how, over time, people begin to blend together in their experiences and memories. The refrain of "No, I can't fall asleep in your arms" reinforces the idea of an unachievable love and a sense of emotional distance between the singer and their desires. The final stanza offers a sense of hope and determination as the singer prepares a place for this unidentified love, suggesting that perhaps the possibility of love still exists.
The song's title alludes to the legendary lover Giacomo Casanova, known for his many romantic exploits and seductive charm. The reference to Spider could be a nod to Casanova's lesser-known work as a spy. The lyrics also reference the book "The Purple Land" by W. H. Hudson, a romantic novel set in South America, which could be a nod to the theme of unattainable love explored in the song. The mention of Abel and Rima could refer to two characters from the novel, "Green Mansions," about a man who falls in love with a bird-woman. The repetition of "And I'll prepare a place for you" at the end of the song offers a sense of completion and resolution, as if the singer is finally ready to open their heart and allow love into their life.
Overall, "Casanova" is a poignant and introspective song that explores the complexities of love and longing. The imagery and references used in the lyrics add depth to the meaning of the song, inviting the listener to connect with their own experiences of love, loss, and the passage of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Who are you, Love, and where have you been?
Love, do I know you? Have we met before?
Do you know my face?
Have you been looking for me?
I'm sorry Love but I can't let you in
Sorry Love, I cannot let you enter my heart.
Love don't own this place
My heart is not owned by Love.
And I can't fall asleep in your arms
I cannot feel comfortable enough to sleep in your arms.
Spider got me when I was your age
When I was young, I was caught in a love trap just like you.
A Casanova
I was a flirt, like Casanova.
Funny, people start sounding the same
As you grow older, you realize that everyone starts to sound the same in matters of love and heartbreak.
When you're older
As I am now, older and wiser.
So tell me a story and I'll put myself to sleep
If you can't make me fall in love, at least tell me a story to make me sleep.
Take a seat, Love and bring me to Paris
Let's go to Paris together, Love.
Read me The Purple Land
I want you to read 'The Purple Land' to me.
I'll be Abel and chase you to Lima
I'll play Abel from the book, and chase you to Lima.
Holding my hat in hand
I'll be polite and hold my hat in hand as I chase after you.
Call you Paquita and sing you to sleep, Love
I'll call you 'Paquita' and sing you a lullaby to help you sleep, Love.
In the purple land
As we are in France, the land of purple lavender flowers.
I'll be Abel if you are Rima or I'll be your lamb
I'll still chase after you whether or not you are the person from the book, Rima, or I'll be your humble lamb and submit to you.
And I'll prepare a place for you
I'll create a special space for you in my heart.
I'll prepare, I'll prepare, I'll prepare a place
I'll tirelessly prepare a place for you until you come into my life.
Writer(s): Ellis Ludwig-Leone
Contributed by Alexis J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.