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.
To Be Surprised
Sondre Lerche Lyrics
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Do you ever stop to think along the way?
But, baby, be prepared to be surprised
Better be prepared to be surprised
Baby, be prepared to be surprised
It's all I know
I'm not gonna state
But baby, be prepared to be surprised
Better be prepared to be surprised
Baby, be prepared to be surprised
It's all I know
The weight of the world
And the hurt and the dirt
Can make you disturbed
But I heard, but I heard
When I wrap my arms around you
Every mistake we made crumbles
When I wrap my arms around you
Everything echoes a new song
I'm not gonna whine
To scream, "I'm so tired" through a mic
Baby, be prepared to be surprised
Better be prepared to be surprised
Baby be prepared to be surprised
It's all I know
The weight of the world
And the hurt and the dirt
Can make you disturbed
But I heard, but I heard
When I wrap my arms around you
Every mistake we make crumbles
When I wrap my arms around you
Everything echoes a new song
I'm not gonna lie
Saying everyone will be all right
And fine until we die
What else can you do but hope and pray
And say that we'll get by
Be prepared to be surprised
Better be prepared to be surprised
Baby, be prepared to be surprised
Better be prepared to be surprised
It's all I know
The lyrics of Sondre Lerche's song "To Be Surprised" are centered around a simple message of hope and optimism, in spite of the challenges and hardships that we all face in life. The singer encourages his listener to be prepared for unexpected surprises in life, and to keep an open mind and a positive outlook. He points out that though the weight of the world and the hurt and dirt can make us feel disturbed, he has found that wrapping his arms around someone he cares about can make even the biggest mistakes seem small, and can bring about a new sense of hope and renewal.
Sondre Lerche's use of the phrase "be prepared to be surprised" is particularly significant, as it indicates that the surprises in life are not always negative, but can be positive as well. The singer drives home this message of hope through repetition, with the chorus of the song consisting of the phrase "be prepared to be surprised" repeated several times. He adds that though he is no expert, he knows that being open to the unexpected is all he knows to do.
The song concludes on an optimistic note, with the singer acknowledging that though there is no guarantee that everything will be alright, the best thing we can do is to hope and pray, and to get by as best we can. The message of the song is simple yet powerful: that in the face of adversity, hope, optimism, and an open mind can help us to overcome even the most difficult challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not gonna say
I won't express the obvious and clichéd question
Do you ever stop to think along the way?
Have you ever thought about your life and where you're headed?
But, baby, be prepared to be surprised
However, be ready for the unexpected
Better be prepared to be surprised
It’s important to be ready for the unforeseen
Baby, be prepared to be surprised
My only advice is to be prepared for the unexpected
It's all I know
This is the only thing I can tell you
The weight of the world
The overwhelming burden of living
And the hurt and the dirt
The pain and unpleasantness of life
Can make you disturbed
Can disrupt and unsettle you
But I heard, but I heard
However, I’ve been told that
When I wrap my arms around you
When I hold you close and comfort you
Every mistake we made crumbles
Every mistake we've ever made seems insignificant and insignificant compared to my love for you
Everything echoes a new song
Everything appears fresh and new, and joyous
I'm not gonna whine
I'm not going to complain
To scream, 'I'm so tired' through a mic
To shout through a microphone about how exhausted I am
Baby, be prepared to be surprised
Nevertheless, be prepared for the unexpected
Better be prepared to be surprised
It’s important to be ready for the unforeseen
Baby be prepared to be surprised
My only advice is to be prepared for the unexpected
It's all I know
This is the only thing I can tell you
I'm not gonna lie
I won’t be dishonest
Saying everyone will be all right
Promising that everything will turn out okay
And fine until we die
In good condition until we pass on
What else can you do but hope and pray
What else can we do but anticipate a better future and pray
And say that we'll get by
And declare that we will survive
Be prepared to be surprised
It’s important to be ready for the unforeseen
Better be prepared to be surprised
Be ready for the unexpected
Baby, be prepared to be surprised
My only advice is to be prepared for the unexpected
Better be prepared to be surprised
Be ready for the unforeseen
It's all I know
This is the only thing I can tell you
Lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: SONDRE LERCHE, SONDRE LERCHE VAULAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind