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.
The Tourist
Sophie Hunger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't see me
But I see whatever
You are moving
Can't you put up a ladder
Can't you free me?
I'm on top of the cedar
Aaaaaaah
Born on top of whatever
You can't see me
But I feel the shiver
When you are moving
Can't you put up a ladder
Can't you meet me?
I'm not holding a treasure
I'm waving, screaming
Aaaaaaah
Can I wear your gloves when my hands are breaking off?
Can I wear your gloves and then come down?
Can I wear your gloves when my hands are breaking off?
Can I wear your gloves and then calm down?
Go!
Born on top of a cedar
I'm watching my breathing
It's been almost forever
Since I've been feeling
I can't touch you however
I can't lean out
Stuck on top of this cedar
That I have brought up
Aaaaaaah
The lyrics of Sophie Hunger's song, The Tourist, are a poetic reflection on feeling distant and alone. The opening line, "Born on top of a cedar, you can't see me, but I see whatever you are moving," immediately creates a sense of isolation and invisibility. The cedar tree symbolizes the singer's separation from others, as they are elevated out of reach from those on the ground below. The use of the verb "moving" implies that life is continuing without the singer, highlighting their sense of disconnection.
The repeated refrain of "Can I wear your gloves when my hands are breaking off? Can I wear your gloves and then come down?" is a desperate plea for connection and support. The gloves represent a means of protection, both physical and emotional. The singer is asking for someone to alleviate their pain and rescue them from their isolation. The repetition of these lines emphasizes the singer's desperation and their yearning for connection.
The final lines of the song, "I can't touch you however, I can't lean out, stuck on top of this cedar that I have brought up" suggest that the singer has created their own isolation. Whether intentionally or not, they are caught in their own self-imposed loneliness. The imagery of the cedar tree throughout the song represents the singer's own mind, where they are stuck and unable to break free from their thoughts and emotions.
Overall, The Tourist is a poignant commentary on the human need for connection and the pain of feeling isolated. The song emphasizes the importance of reaching out to others and seeking help to escape from one's own mental constraints.
Line by Line Meaning
Born on top of a cedar
I was born on top of a cedar tree.
You can't see me
I am hidden from view because I am on top of the cedar tree.
But I see whatever
You are moving
Even though I am hidden from view, I can see everything that you are doing.
Can't you put up a ladder
Can't you free me?
Can you please help me get down from the cedar tree by putting up a ladder?
I'm on top of the cedar
Waving, screaming
I am on top of the cedar tree, waving and screaming for help.
Born on top of whatever
You can't see me
I was born in a place where I'm not visible to you.
But I feel the shiver
When you are moving
I can feel vibrations when you move, even though you can't see me.
Can't you put up a ladder
Can't you meet me?
Please put up a ladder so that we can meet and I can come down.
I'm not holding a treasure
I'm waving, screaming
I don't have anything valuable, I'm just waving and screaming for help.
Can I wear your gloves when my hands are breaking off?
Can I wear your gloves and then come down?
Can I wear your gloves when my hands are breaking off?
Can I wear your gloves and then calm down?
Can you lend me your gloves so that I can come down safely?
Born on top of a cedar
I'm watching my breathing
I am still stuck on top of the cedar tree and I am trying to remain calm.
It's been almost forever
Since I've been feeling
It feels like an eternity since I've felt anything other than fear and desperation.
I can't touch you however
I can't lean out
I can't reach out to you or lean over because I'm too high up on the tree.
Stuck on top of this cedar
That I have brought up
I am stuck on top of the cedar tree that I brought up, and I can't get down on my own.
Aaaaaaah
My screams for help and desperation.
Contributed by Jordan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.