Born in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway, the young Lerche was heavily influenced by the 80's music emanating from his older siblings' rooms. Compelled by a defining fascination for bands such as a-ha, The Beach Boys, and Prefab Sprout, Lerche began formal guitar instruction at age eight. Not satisfied with the lessons at school, Lerche experimented with original tunes on his own accord, eventually penning his first song, "Locust Girl" at the age of fourteen. While still underage, Lerche held acoustic performances at the club where his sister worked; Lerche was eventually discovered by Norwegian producer Hans-Petter "HP" Gundersen.
While under Gundersen's mentorship, Lerche was exposed to diverse music genres, including psychedelia, 60's pop, and mainstream Brazilian music, broadening his appreciation for eclectic music styles. Around this time Lerche was also introduced to Oslo-based manager Tatiana Penzo, resulting in a recording contract with Virgin Norway. With steadily growing popularity in his home country, he recorded his debut album in 2000. The album's release was postponed until Lerche fulfilled several academic requirements; in the interim, he was named Best New Act at Spellemannprisen (the Norwegian equivalent of the Grammys) and performed locally as a support act for major acts such as Beth Orton.
Officially released in Norway during September of 2001, Lerche's debut album Faces Down was a chart success in Norway. 2002 saw the album's international release, garnering praise from international publications and critics; Rolling Stone placed it in their top 50 albums of 2002. He embarked on subsequent tours in Europe and the United States. Lerche toured with various acts, including a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share the stage with his long-time idols, a-ha. A studio/live compilation EP, Don't Be Shallow, was released in 2003. During the same year, he would have the opportunity to tour with another of his musical idols, Elvis Costello, with whom he would tour once more in 2005.
Lerche's second studio album, Two Way Monologue, was released in 2004. The album displayed Lerche's penchant for experimentation with eclectic styles to an even greater extent than his earlier works, its content ranging from upbeat pop songs to mellow, melancholic tunes. In 2006, Lerche released his third studio album, Duper Sessions. A classical jazz album featuring original songs, as well as a cover of the jazz standard "Night and Day", it was recorded by Lerche and the Faces Down, augmented by pianist Erik Halvorsen, at Duper Studios in Bergen, hence its name.
In 2007, Phantom Punch, a rock album with a distinctly more aggressive sound than his earlier works, was released. Lerche and the Faces Down recorded and mixed the album in Los Angeles in April and May 2006, with producer Tony Hoffer. The same year, he composed the musical score for the film Dan in Real Life. Lerche and the Faces Down also made an appearance in the film itself, performing the song "Modern Nature" as a duet with actress Marci Occhino (the actual vocals were performed by Lillian Samdal). Another song of Lerche's, "Dear Laughing Doubters", was featured in the film Dinner for Schmucks; both films starred actor Steve Carell.
In 2009, Sondre Lerche released Heartbeat Radio. 2011 saw the release of his self-titled sixth studio album, Sondre Lerche.
Airport Taxi Reception
Sondre Lerche Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's reason enough it doesn't show
Surely I could ask about things you have done
Who am I to question you? Oh, no
All I wanna hear is everything, alright
Cause I left my mind in the airport
My thoughts in a taxi
My heart in reception
I called you because we've grown apart
This may seems absurd but I'm in the dark
And somewhere at the end of all the air out there
Is the one original? Oh, well
Now this compensate masonic substitute
'Cause I left my mind in the airport,
My thoughts in a taxi,
My heart in reception,
The last thing I saw was you
I will always call it's all that I can do
'Cause I left my mind in the airport, my thoughts in a taxi, my heart in reception, the last thing I saw was you
The song Airport Taxi Reception by Sondre Lerche and The Faces Down Quartet is an emotive track that explores themes of love, loss, and confusion. The lyrics center around the singer's phone call to their significant other, who they have grown apart from. They call out of love and a desire to understand, yet they are hesitant to question the other person's actions. The singer is lost and confused, leaving their mind at the airport, their thoughts in a taxi, and their heart in reception, alluding to the idea that they feel disconnected from themselves and the world around them. The last line insisting on always calling is their way of holding onto that connection, the last thing they had with the person they love.
The repetition of the chorus, "Cause I left my mind in the airport, my thoughts in a taxi, my heart in reception, the last thing I saw was you," creates a haunting refrain that captures the essence of the song's emotional intensity. The lyrics are open to interpretation, and one could argue that the singer's journey towards reconnecting with their significant other is ongoing and uncertain. Perhaps the person they are seeking could be the "one original" mentioned in the second verse, or maybe the singer is looking for a masonic substitute for the love they have lost.
Line by Line Meaning
I called you because I love you so
I reached out to you because I have strong affection for you
It's reason enough it doesn't show
My love is a valid enough reason, but it may not be apparent
Surely I could ask about things you have done
I could inquire about your actions and experiences
Who am I to question you? Oh, no
However, I do not want to come across as interrogative or intrusive
All I wanna hear is everything, alright
All I really want is to listen to everything about you and for things to be okay
Cause I left my mind in the airport
I feel scattered and discombobulated like I left a piece of myself at the airport
My thoughts in a taxi
My thoughts are disjointed and lost like they are in a taxi
My heart in reception
My emotions are stuck in place like they are at a reception desk
The last thing I saw was you
My last memory is of you
I called you because we've grown apart
I contacted you because I feel like we've drifted away from each other
This may seems absurd but I'm in the dark
It may seem silly, but I feel lost and confused
And somewhere at the end of all the air out there
Somewhere far away beyond the sky and clouds
Is the one original? Oh, well
Is there someone perfect for me? It's uncertain
Now this compensate masonic substitute
This is now a compensation for something else
I will always call it's all that I can do
I will always try to contact you, it's the only thing I can do
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SONDRE LERCHE VAULAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lynn894 Lynette
Such a good song!
Kyrie Quijano
I love it!
trickster’s lover
such an underrated song
Diogo José
Ela canta airport táxi reception
Ele retribui com coração bandido kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk. Quanta ingenuidade
Dorian Navarro
Master
Olu Ade
@MsCherriBlu i know, right :) haha we're the only 2 here.
Oliver Lloyd
This is just sad, kinda bad... :(
phoniric
It is sad but not bad for who likes melancholic songs