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.
Don't Be Shallow
Sondre Lerche Lyrics
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I inhale the smell of spring and greens
And bucket loads of bees
Migraine's been all of over me
The softest meadow would've cracked my head
I'm easily mislead
And you're standing in my way
My words to you are fake
Now you are my mistake
And I am yours
Don't be shallow
Don't be cheap
She prays for you
To grow up
Patiently
Don't be selfish
Nor un-managed
You're all I want
And nothing more
But that's not good enough
No no that's not good enough
Trouble at the hardware store
A funky foreign bodies interfere
We like you don't come near
But all that seems a waste of time
When you are said to take the final test
In the solemn quest
She'll tell you to stand and watch
The violent fields of praise so much
Their ears are falling from the sky
Where most of them now hide
And I am yours
Don't be shallow
Don't be cheap
She prays for you to grow up
Patiently
Don't be selfish
Nor unmanaged
You're all I want and nothing more
But that's not good enough
No no that's not good enough
She'll tell you to stand and watch
The violent fields of praise so much
Their ears are falling from the sky
Where most of them now hide
And I am yours
Don't be shallow
Don't be cheap
She prays for you to grow up
Patiently
Don't be selfish
Nor unmanaged
You're all I want and nothing more
But that's not good enough
No no that's not good enough
The lyrics of Sondre Lerche's "Don't Be Shallow" depict a person trying to push past the aches and pains of a migraine headache while also feeling easily misled. The singer dreams of spring and greens but is stopped in their tracks by an obstacle, a person who is standing in their way. The person implores the other to give themselves a pair of hands today, recognizing that their own words are fake and accepting that the other is now their mistake. They emphasize that they belong to each other.
The second half of the song becomes more abstract, with references to trouble at the hardware store and foreign bodies interfering. The singer talks of the final test and fields of praise, with ears falling from the sky and hiding. The refrain repeats, urging the other not to be shallow, cheap, selfish, or unmanaged, because they are all the singer wants and nothing more, but that's not good enough.
At face value, "Don't Be Shallow" seems like a plea for someone to step up and be a better partner. But there's an undertone of something much darker: the acceptance of a mistake, the singer's own vulnerability, and the sinister-sounding "violent fields of praise." The song seems to be about a situation where the person they want isn't stepping up to the plate, and the singer is stuck trying to make do with someone who isn't quite right for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Forcing my way out of sleep
Struggling to wake up
I inhale the smell of spring and greens
Taking in the sights and smells of nature
And bucket loads of bees
Being overwhelmed by the intensity of nature
Migraine's been all of over me
Suffering from a headache
The softest meadow would've cracked my head
Feeling overly sensitive to sensory stimuli
I'm easily mislead
Being susceptible to manipulation
And you're standing in my way
Encountering an obstacle
So give yourself a pair of hands today
Taking control of the situation
My words to you are fake
Being insincere
Now you are my mistake
Accepting responsibility for a wrong decision
And I am yours
Making a commitment to someone
Don't be shallow
Don't be superficial
Don't be cheap
Don't be stingy or ungenerous
She prays for you to grow up
Hoping for emotional maturity
Patiently
With calm and endurance
Don't be selfish
Don't be focused only on oneself
Nor unmanaged
Not lacking discipline or control
You're all I want
Expressing a desire for one specific thing
And nothing more
Not needing anything else
But that's not good enough
Feeling like there is something missing
No no that's not good enough
Reinforcing the feeling that something is lacking
Trouble at the hardware store
Encountering difficulties while shopping
A funky foreign bodies interfere
Being disrupted by unpleasant sensations
We like you don't come near
Sending a warning to stay away
But all that seems a waste of time
Feeling like certain actions or efforts are pointless
When you are said to take the final test
Facing a definitive challenge
In the solemn quest
In the serious pursuit of something
She'll tell you to stand and watch
Directing to observe a situation
The violent fields of praise so much
Observing the intense reactions of others
Their ears are falling from the sky
Experiencing a surreal or bizarre situation
Where most of them now hide
Finding safety in avoiding the situation
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: SONDRE LERCHE VAULAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind