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.
Say It All
Sondre Lerche Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Montauk
Try to get
Back on track
No vacation
Don't give up
Just don't look back
If you're looking for an answer, dig in
I cannot win
This could go on for forever on end
There's nowhere to turn
Nowhere to begin this isn't a joke it's merely a sin
There is no way to say it all
Play it again and say it all
I said a little
The rest is a riddle
Our night's too short to say it all
Play it again and say it all
You know the punch line
It's all in the punchline
Pale wind blowing
Cutting right
To the core
You're so patient
When the wreck washed ashore
If you ever need forgiveness, I give
I have done so many incomprehensible things
This could go on for forever on end
There's nowhere to run
Nowhere to escape
Don't tell me you knew until we awake
There is no way to say it all
Play it again and say it all
I said a little
The rest is a riddle
Our night's too short to say it all
Play it again and say it all
Do you know the punchline?
It's all in the punchline
Now and again we can leave it all behind
Now and again we can leave it all behind
There is no way to say it all
Play it again and say it all
I said a little
The rest is a riddle
Our night's too short to play it all
Say it again and play it all
You know the punchline
It's all in the punchline
I said a little
The rest is a riddle
You know the punchline
It's all in the punchline
I said a little the rest is a riddle
You know the punchline, it's all in the punchline
The lyrics of "Say It All" by Sondre Lerche cover a broad spectrum of emotions - from trying to reclaim one's life and getting back on track to the frustration of not being able to express oneself fully or escape from the present situation. The song tells the tale of someone who is at their wit's end and realizes that they have said too much already. They have nowhere to turn and nowhere to start over, and they are stuck in a cycle of endless repetition that is neither funny nor amusing, but instead is sinful.
The lyrics convey a sense of resignation in the face of insurmountable odds, but at the same time, they suggest the possibility of redemption. The singer is fiercely determined not to give up, even though they know they might never find all the answers. They want to leave everything behind and move on, but they also know that it's not possible to do so. They are stuck in a web of incomprehensible things, and there is seemingly no escape. Yet, even in the face of this bleak scenario, the singer suggests that there is always hope, and if they keep trying, they might eventually find a way out.
Line by Line Meaning
Last stop
The end is near
Montauk
The name of a place, but also symbolic of a state of mind and a turning point
Try to get
Make an effort to
Back on track
Recover from a difficult situation
No vacation
There is no time for rest
Don't give up
Keep pushing
Just don't look back
Don't dwell on past mistakes
If you're looking for an answer, dig in
You must search within yourself for answers
I have said too much already
There is something the artist regrets saying
I cannot win
The artist feels defeated
This could go on for forever on end
The situation feels endless
There's nowhere to turn
There are no options left
Nowhere to begin this isn't a joke it's merely a sin
Starting over is not an option and the singer has done something they regret
There is no way to say it all
The singer cannot express everything they want to say
Play it again and say it all
The singer wants another chance to express themselves
I said a little
The artist has only revealed a small portion of what they want to say
The rest is a riddle
The full meaning is not clear
Our night's too short to say it all
Time is not on the singer's side
Do you know the punchline?
The meaning of what is being said
It's all in the punchline
The true meaning is in the subtext
Pale wind blowing
A desolate feeling
Cutting right
Causing pain
To the core
To the deepest part
You're so patient
The other person is understanding and forgiving
When the wreck washed ashore
When things went wrong
If you ever need forgiveness, I give
The singer is apologizing and seeking forgiveness
I have done so many incomprehensible things
The singer has made many mistakes
There's nowhere to run
The artist cannot escape from their past
Nowhere to escape
There is no way to avoid facing the truth
Don't tell me you knew until we awake
The singer wants to avoid confrontation until a later time
Now and again we can leave it all behind
There are moments of escape from reality
Our night's too short to play it all
The artist doesn't have enough time to fully express themselves
Say it again and play it all
The artist wants a second chance to communicate
I said a little the rest is a riddle
There is a deeper meaning not fully understood
You know the punchline
The other person understands the true meaning
It's all in the punchline
The real meaning is in the subtext
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SONDRE LERCHE VAULAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Riski Safitri
Last stop
Montauk
Try to get
Back on track
No vacation
Don't give up
Just don't look back
If you're looking for an answer, dig in
I have said too much already
I cannot win
This could go on for forever on end
Theres nowhere to turn
Nowhere to begin this isn't a joke it's merely a sin
There is no way to say it all
Play it again and say it all
I said a little
The rest is a riddle
Our night's too short to say it all
Play it again and say it all
You know the punch line
It's all in the punchline
Pale wind blowing
Cutting right
To the core
You're so patient
When the wreck washed ashore
If you ever need forgiveness, I give
I have done so many incomprehensible things
This could go on for forever on end
Theres nowhere to run
Nowhere to escape
Don't tell me you knew until we awake
Sally Bowles
finally some pop music I can stand.. playing in my head for a full day
Winona Murphy
I love this song so much! Thank you :)
A Szami Ilman
just listen to this song this morning and to know that it does not really popular in youtune quite shocking for me. this song should deserve more attention
Iqbal Macca
It's so underrated..
Antonino Agustino Damiano Lucatti
¡Cuantos recuerdos. Que época!
NowYouNowI
I continue loving your music
zero sas
my college friend tell me about this song… now im worker and still listen this song
kris10an008
i just love this song <3
Marc Payne
one of my favorite songs
Riski Safitri
Last stop
Montauk
Try to get
Back on track
No vacation
Don't give up
Just don't look back
If you're looking for an answer, dig in
I have said too much already
I cannot win
This could go on for forever on end
Theres nowhere to turn
Nowhere to begin this isn't a joke it's merely a sin
There is no way to say it all
Play it again and say it all
I said a little
The rest is a riddle
Our night's too short to say it all
Play it again and say it all
You know the punch line
It's all in the punchline
Pale wind blowing
Cutting right
To the core
You're so patient
When the wreck washed ashore
If you ever need forgiveness, I give
I have done so many incomprehensible things
This could go on for forever on end
Theres nowhere to run
Nowhere to escape
Don't tell me you knew until we awake