Her independently released second album "Monday's Ghost" (2008) stayed at the top of the swiss charts for several weeks and caught the attention of critics abroad. The Guardian described her as "Laura Marling, Beth Orton and Björk in one folk-rocking package".
The Swiss singer spent parts of her youth abroad, living in England and Germany. Her cosmopolitan biography is reflected in her multilingual songwriting. While most songs are in English or German language, each album contains one song in a Swiss German dialect. Her third studio album 1983 (2010) also includes a cover version of Noir Désir's Le Vent Nous Portera in French language.
Hunger has always worked in a collaborative spirit, and her many musical interests have led her to a fascinating geographic and personality mix. While she had recorded her solo début "Sketches On Sea" at home in just a few days, her latest album "The Danger Of Light" evolved over three sessions abroad. In Los Angeles she was joined by Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chilli Peppers, PJ Harvey), Nathaniel Walcott (Bright Eyes) and Steven Nistor (Danger Mouse); in Montréal Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire), singer/songwriter Mark Bérubé, Brad Barr (The Barr Brothers) und David Payant (A Silver Mt. Zion) jammed along. That last session from Hotel2Tango-Studio in Montréal is included on the Deluxe Edition of her latest release.
Rapidly gaining a reputation as an electrifying live performer, Hunger has been sharing stages with some of Switzerlands’s most successful artists, like Erik Truffaz, The Young Gods, Kutti MC or Stephan Eicher and appearing at locations such as Olympia in Paris, Miles Davis Hall at the Montreux Jazz Festival or the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury Festival.
The musical directions of Sophie Hunger are limitless, from traditional folk songwriting bathed in jazzy moods to soul balladry. Her musical universe is very flourished, nourished by an exceptionally fragile yet mature voice as well as an ability to cross genres. For Sketches On Sea, she collaborated with a great number of musicians, from a trombone player to a flamenco guitarist. Sophie’s technical prowesses can lead her anywhere and allow her to do things that nobody else could get away with.
Sophie Hunger also contributed the soundtrack to the documentary "Zimmer 202" and the movie "Der Freund" by Micha Lewinsky.
Sites: SoundCloud, Vimeo and Facebook.
I Opened A Bar
Sophie Hunger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who have no work
And for the ones
Who do at work
The safely moment
What they have earned
Into the hole
I opened a bar for arctic plates
Where they can melt in microwaves
And I opened a bar for veterans
To chat about figurines
To smash them faces
When they're bored
And raise their glass to president
Fall asleep in front their hole
Today, today, hurray, hurray
I opened a bar
I opened a bar for my boyfriend
The one who always held my hand in public places
When me drank
Bring him to one before he spent the night with this new lover
And whispering lyrics of romance
That they care I don't understand
I will start a clever hashtag trend
Oh it must be growth by dying
Today, today, hurray, hurray
I opened a bar
I opened a bar for myself
The purely self wearing events
In case I sending for Innen, Kimu, Runa
Take the facts instead of spending weeks in bed
Attached to intravenous trips
And I'd love it taking drugs
So why start now
And there is my pub
Frank and crime and neutronized
From the street up to the south
And in an independent European
Who has never needed someone
To blow the whole thing of
Hurray, hurray, today, today
I opened a bar
Her bar, a bar, a bar, a bar
Today, today, hurray, hurray...
I opened a bar, a bar
I opened a bar for my mother
To explore when she discovers
That I passed and she may long for
Her place to find the clues
In Sophie Hunger's song "I Opened a Bar," the songwriter appears to be describing a utopian space, where all are welcome and anything goes. In creating this bar, she is responding to the needs of people whose lives have let them down. The bar acts as a sanctuary for these individuals, offering a "safely moment" where they can forget their troubles and find companionship. The song's repeated refrain of "today, today, hurray, hurray" indicates a sense of defiance and escape–a break from reality.
The bar described reflects a range of society's marginalized groups. For example, the audience includes those who can't find work, veterans who need a place to vent their frustrations, and those who might feel marginalized in relationships due to a lack of understanding or opportunity. By providing a safe space where people from all walks of life can come together, the bar seems to be trying to make up for the ways in which the world has failed its inhabitants.
One of the song's most intriguing aspects is its focus on microwaves, intravenous drugs, and other mod cons we might associate with the modern world. The singer is concerned about being too pure and too innocent–too “attached to intravenous trips”–and wants to encounter the seedy underworld for herself. The bar is a space where she can indulge this desire and explore the depths of her own psyche.
Line by Line Meaning
I opened a bar for my friends
Sophie opened a bar for her friends who are unemployed and for her other friends who have work.
Who have no work
Sophie's unemployed friends are her target customers for her new bar.
And for the ones
Sophie's employed friends are also welcomed to her bar.
Who do at work
Sophie's employed friends are also her target audience.
The safely moment
Sophie's bar offers a secure and safe space to unwind.
What they have earned
Sophie's patrons can spend their hard-earned money at her bar.
Into the hole
Sophie's patrons can indulge themselves in a moment of forgetfulness amidst the darkness of life.
Underneath the disco ball
Sophie's patrons will be enjoying their drinks under the mesmerizing disco ball lights.
I opened a bar for arctic plates
Sophie opened a bar where patrons can melt their frozen arctic plates in the microwave.
Where they can melt in microwaves
Sophie's bar offers a dishwasher and a microwave for her patrons.
And I opened a bar for veterans
Sophie opened a bar where military veterans can gather and socialize.
To chat about figurines
Sophie's bar provides a platform for veterans to discuss their hobbies.
To smash them faces
Sophie's bar also provides a place for veterans to vent their anger and frustrations.
When they're bored
Sophie's bar provides entertainment and socialization for bored veterans.
And raise their glass to president
Sophie's bar also provides a place for veterans to toast to their Commander-in-Chief.
Fall asleep in front their hole
Sophie's bar is so welcoming and comfortable that patrons can even fall asleep at their tables.
Today, today, hurray, hurray
Sophie celebrates the opening of her bar today.
I opened a bar for my boyfriend
Sophie opened a bar for her boyfriend who always held her hand in public.
The one who always held my hand in public places
Sophie's boyfriend is her target customer for her new bar.
When me drank
Sophie wants to take her boyfriend to her bar before he has a night out and gets drunk.
Bring him to one before he spent the night with this new lover
Sophie wants to keep her boyfriend away from his new lover by keeping him at her bar.
And whispering lyrics of romance
Sophie hopes that her lyrics of romance will sway her boyfriend to stay with her and not his new lover.
That they care I don't understand
Sophie's boyfriend's new lover's affection for him does not make sense to her.
I will start a clever hashtag trend
Sophie hopes to make her bar popular with a clever hashtag on social media.
Oh it must be growth by dying
Sophie's bar opening is something that will grow and flourish despite the challenges that come her way.
I opened a bar for myself
Sophie opened a bar for her own personal use and enjoyment.
The purely self wearing events
Sophie's bar features events that she will enjoy by herself, without anyone else around.
In case I sending for Innen, Kimu, Runa
Sophie can call Innen, Kimu, and Runa to come to her bar if she wants company.
Take the facts instead of spending weeks in bed
Sophie can distract herself from depressing situations by attending events at her bar.
Attached to intravenous trips
Sophie's bar can replace the need for hospital trips and treatments.
And I'd love it taking drugs
Sophie is not against trying recreational drugs at her own bar.
So why start now
Sophie has never tried them at her bar yet.
And there is my pub
Sophie's bar is her own personal space where she can feel safe and secure.
Frank and crime and neutronized
Sophie's bar is rough and without the typical class that is seen in most bars.
From the street up to the south
Sophie's bar covers a large area, from the streets up to the southern end.
And in an independent European
Sophie's bar is located in an area of Europe that is politically independent.
Who has never needed someone
Sophie is an independent woman who has never needed someone else to hold her hand.
To blow the whole thing of
Sophie opening a bar is a decision she made herself and was not influenced by anyone else.
Her bar, a bar, a bar, a bar
Sophie does not want anyone else to lay claim to her bar, as it belongs to her.
Today, today, hurray, hurray...
Sophie is celebrating the opening of her bar today.
I opened a bar, a bar
Sophie opened a bar and wants to make that clear to everyone.
I opened a bar for my mother
Sophie opened a bar for her mother so that she can relax and enjoy some drinks.
To explore when she discovers
Sophie's mother can investigate and explore her identity when she is at her bar.
That I passed and she may long for
Sophie thinks that her mother may feel lonely and long for her after she is gone.
Her place to find the clues
Sophie's mother can find clues and context as to what her daughter was like by going to her bar.
Writer(s): sophie hunger
Contributed by Sarah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.