Singapore Sling is a shoegaze band from Reykjavík, Iceland. The group was f… Read Full Bio ↴Singapore Sling is a shoegaze band from Reykjavík, Iceland. The group was formed in 2000 by singer-songwriter and guitarist Henrik Björnsson, aided by his friend, guitarist Einar Þór Kristjánsson.

Their neo-psychedelia sound has often been compared by the media to acts such as The Velvet Underground, My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Serena Maneesh. Although, in a tongue-in-cheek statement, the band's frontman Henrik Björnsson defines it as "a cross between Simon and Garfunkel".

As of 2016 they have released eight studio albums and a best of compilation. Singapore Sling have supported The Brian Jonestown Massacre on their North American tours and covered "Dirty Water", a 1966 garage rock hit by The Standells in their debut album. They have also covered The Monks' "I Hate You" in the 2006 compilation Silver Monk Time: A Tribute to the Monks.

Singapore Sling was formed in Spring of 2000 in Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, with the reunion of Björnsson and Kristjánsson. Björnsson had some 8-track demos and wanted to create a band. One of these demos surfaced online in the Iceland Airwaves 2001 official website and later became "Overdriver", the opening track of their debut LP.

While Björnsson is the sole official member, as well as the primary musician on the band's recordings, the live and studio lineup has changed from its original incarnation, and as of November 2015, consists of:

* Henrik Björnsson: vocals / guitar / keyboard
* Einar Þór Kristjánsson: lead guitar
* Ester Bíbí Ásgeirsdóttir: bass guitar
* Björn Viktorsson: drums

Beginning in 2008, Björnsson participated in the band Dead Skeletons. He also formed a side project called The Go-Go Darkness as a duo with his wife, Elsa María Blöndal. Björn Viktorsson was previously the drummer of Dean Sean and also worked with Glasgow-based electro/psyche act The Cheesemongers.

FREAKS
Singapore Sling Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Feel me up with pain, believe my heart in brain
Join me in my pain, love me till you're insane
Take a shadow pain, chase it down with rain
I want you and your pain, I want you to go insane

We could be together in misery, we could be together for race

Feel me up with pain, believe my heart in brain

Join me in my pain, love me till you're insane
Take a shadow pain, chase it down with rain
I want you and your pain, I want you to go insane

We could be together in misery, we could be together for race

For race, you and me
You and me, you and me (race), you and me
You and me, you and me (race), you and me
You and me, you and me, you and me

You and me, you and me, you and me
You and me, you and me, race

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Singapore Sling's song "Freaks" are powerful and intense, evoking a sense of longing for pain and the desire to lose oneself in it. The opening lines "Feel me up with pain, believe my heart in brain" suggest a deep emotional connection between the singer and the listener, as if they are pleading to be understood and accepted for their pain. The second line "love me till you're insane" is a telling testament to the intensity of their desire to be loved, even if it means driving the other person to madness.

The chorus repeats the same set of lyrics, creating a sense of urgent longing and desperation. The line "take a shadow pain, chase it down with rain" evokes a sense of seeking solace in the darkness and the need to escape from oneself, while the line "I want you to go insane" reveals the singer's desire to consume the other person with their pain, to the point of madness.

The final line "we could be together in misery, we could be together for race" suggests that the singer is looking for someone to share their pain with, to find solace and connection in the depths of their suffering. The repetition of the phrase "you and me" emphasizes this desire for a deep emotional connection.

Overall, the lyrics of "Freaks" are intense and emotional, exploring the darker aspects of human experience and the desire to connect with others in the face of pain and suffering.

Line by Line Meaning

Feel me up with pain, believe my heart in brain
I want you to feel me with pain that I have experienced and have it engraved in your mind, as you believe what my heart feels.

Join me in my pain, love me till you're insane
Be my partner in this pain that I am carrying, love me to the point of losing your sanity.

Take a shadow pain, chase it down with rain
Face your inner demons and make peace with your pain by accepting it and letting the rain wash it away.

I want you and your pain, I want you to go insane
I want both you and your pain, to the point where you lose your sanity and become obsessed with me and our misery.

We could be together in misery, we could be together for race
We could be united in our agony, or in our desire to overcome others in a contest.

For race, you and me
We will compete together, where it's only you and me against the rest of the world.

You and me, you and me (race), you and me
It's just the two of us fighting for success, no one else matters.

You and me, you and me, you and me
We are a team, and we stick together no matter what.

You and me, you and me, race
It's a race between us, and we will emerge victorious.

Contributed by Lila P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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