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.
Once In A While
Sondre Lerche Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So many stones to turn and stare at
I'm sure you're sorry but it's not enough to balance off
I can recall a happy song
But such a lot has turned out wrong
I'm only starting to appreciate how dark it got
Once in a while
Once in a while everything was perfect
Till you dragged the cat in
Once in a while
Until you ask me to
I don't know what I'll do
I don't wanna drive you away
I don't wanna beg you to stay
But I can't forgive you till you ask me one day
I threatened I would pack my bags
How could you ever let that happen?
I'm sure you're sorry but you never showed regret
I can't provide the compliments
To ease your mind at my expense
I know you love me but I'd rather've found you cared back then
Once in a while
Once in a while
Once in a while everything was perfect
Till you dragged the cat in
Once in a while
The lyrics in Sondre Lerche and The Faces Down Quartet's song Once in A While reflects the emotions and experiences of someone who has been through a difficult time in a relationship. The song speaks of the pain that comes with realizing that things in a relationship are not as they seem, and that the person you thought cared about you may not have been as invested as you were. The singer recounts the moments when everything in the relationship seemed perfect, "Once in a while everything was perfect," but now things have changed, and even the happy memories are tinged with sadness.
The lyrics also speak of the difficulty of moving on from a situation where you have been hurt. The singer does not want to drive the other person away, yet they are unable to forgive them until they take responsibility for their actions. "But I can't forgive you till you ask me one day." The song's chorus is a juxtaposition of the perfect moments that the singer longs for versus the inevitable turmoil that comes with any relationship. The line, "once in a while everything was perfect, till you dragged the cat in," cleverly illustrates that no matter how perfect things may seem, there will always be moments of conflict that mar the picture-perfect facade.
Overall, the song Once in a While is a powerful commentary on the intricacies of human relationships. It demonstrates that even in the best of times, there will always be moments of conflict and that despite our best efforts, moving on from a hurtful situation can be incredibly challenging.
Line by Line Meaning
There are so many things out there
The world is vast and full of things to explore and discover.
So many stones to turn and stare at
There are countless opportunities to uncover and observe in life.
I'm sure you're sorry but it's not enough to balance off
Although you may apologize, your remorse alone cannot make up for the harm caused.
I can recall a happy song
I remember a time when things were joyful and carefree.
But such a lot has turned out wrong
Unfortunately, many things have gone awry since then.
I'm only starting to appreciate how dark it got
It's taken me some time to truly understand how difficult and troubling things became.
Once in a while
Occasionally, infrequently.
Once in a while everything was perfect
Sometimes, things seemed to be just right.
Till you dragged the cat in
Until you introduced a new element that disrupted the peace.
Until you ask me to
I won't know what to do until you make a request of me.
I don't know what I'll do
I'm uncertain how I will react in the situation.
I don't wanna drive you away
I don't want to push you further from me.
I don't wanna beg you to stay
I don't want to plead with you to continue our relationship.
But I can't forgive you till you ask me one day
I am unable to let go of this hurt until you show remorse and ask for my forgiveness.
I threatened I would pack my bags
I made a warning that I would leave the situation.
How could you ever let that happen?
Why did you allow things to reach such a point?
I'm sure you're sorry but you never showed regret
Although you claim remorse, you have not expressed it in a way that is convincing or meaningful to me.
I can't provide the compliments
I am unable to offer praise or positive affirmations.
To ease your mind at my expense
I will not sacrifice my own wellbeing just to make you feel better.
I know you love me but I'd rather've found you cared back then
Although you may say you love me now, I would have preferred to see evidence of that care earlier on in our relationship.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: SONDRE LERCHE VAULAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
amanda gellica
There are so many things out there
So many stones to turn and stare at
I'm sure you're sorry but it's not enough to balance off
I can recall a happy song
But such a lot has turned out wrong
I'm only starting to appreciate how dark it got
Once in a while
Once in a while
Once in a while everything was perfect
Till you dragged the cat in
Once in a while
Until you ask me to
I don't know what I'll do
I don't wanna drive you away
I don't wanna beg you to stay
But I can't forgive you till you ask me one day
I threatened I would pack my bags
How could you ever let that happen?
I'm sure you're sorry but you never showed regret
I can't provide the compliments
To ease your mind at my expense
I know you love me but I'd rather've found you cared back then
Once in a while
Once in a while
Once in a while everything was perfect
Till you dragged the cat in
Once in a while
Ammiela Solar
Este artista me llegó sin buscarlo y llevo dos horas escuchandolo, no tiene desperdicio, es genial!
José Luis MJ
A W E S O M E
Valeria González
*Llega por Poker y se queda*
Ronald Poon
yes.
Daro Calderón
Hola Póker.
mawdaeffinG
Heard this song in a cafe in Korea..one of the most annoying songs ever.