Sparks are an American rock and pop music band formed in Los Angeles in 197… Read Full Bio ↴Sparks are an American rock and pop music band formed in Los Angeles in 1970 by brothers Ron Mael (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals), initially under the name Halfnelson. Best known for their quirky approach to song writing, Sparks' music is often accompanied by cutting and acerbic lyrics, and an idiosyncratic stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's wide-eyed hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's sedentary scowling.

The band's long career has seen them successfully adopt many different musical genres; including glam pop, power pop, electronic dance music and mainstream pop. Despite these many styles, a recognizable "Sparks sound" remains throughout, and they have enjoyed a large cult following since their first releases. Sparks have been highly influential on the development of popular music, in particular on the late 1970s scene, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), they reinvented themselves as an electronic pop duo, and abandoned the traditional rock band line up. In contrast to the esteem in which they are held by such peers as Depeche Mode, New Order, Morrissey and They Might Be Giants, who all cite Sparks as a major influence, their almost constantly changing styles and unique visual presentations have sometimes seen them dismissed as a novelty act.

The 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their self-described "genre-defining opus", and 2006's Hello Young Lovers (their 20th studio album) have brought Sparks renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions."

The 2021 documentary film 'The Sparks Brothers', directed by Edgar Wright, has renewed interest in the band for a new audience.

"I Am Ingmar Bergman"
Sparks Lyrics

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INGMAR BERGMAN:
I am Ingmar Bergman.
You may or may not know my films.
You may or may not know anything about me as a person.

Still, the strange events following the warm and unexpected
reception to my film Smiles Of A Summer Night are something
that no one has known about – until now.

Good, Evil, God, the Devil, Life, Death – these were my usual
concerns. This film, though, was a comedy. A comedy! How far
from a comedy the events to follow would be.

Have you ever felt compelled to do something against your will?
I have. I have.

You see, I have a total disdain for escapist art, and yet why, on
that cold May afternoon in Stockholm in 1956, did I feel the need
to enter that movie theater to see escapist art of the worst sort,
a typical American action film…well, the title is not what is
important. What is important is that I felt compelled to watch
that film, against my will, for 90 long minutes.

Why?

Was it the urge to partake of something mindless?
Was it the urge to indulge in something vacuous?
Was it the urge to do something…unlike Ingmar Bergman.

And, as the film finally ended, I walked to the exit as quickly as I
could and onto the street – but not the street I expected.

“What is this? Where am I?”

LIMO DRIVER:

Mr. Bergman, sir, welcome to Hollywood.
Your limousine awaits. Please, get in. Watch your head.

Overall Meaning

The Sparks song "I Am Ingmar Bergman" sheds light on a previously unknown story in the life of Ingmar Bergman, the legendary Swedish filmmaker. The lyrics are a first-person narrative from Bergman's perspective as he recounts an unusual incident that occurred after the release of his comedy film "Smiles of a Summer Night". Bergman is known for his works that explore deeper themes of good, evil, God, the Devil, Life, Death; however, the film in question is a comedy. Despite this step away from his usual themes, the audience received the film warmly. The lyrics hint at Bergman's disdain for escapist art and his predicament when he felt compelled to watch a typical American action film.

The song is a chronicle of the events that follow, with Bergman finding himself in an unexpected location -- Hollywood. The limo driver who greets him explains the situation to the bewildered Bergman, and the song ends on this note of suspense. The lyrics explore the themes of identity, artistic integrity, escapism, and compulsion, and the listener is left to contemplate the implications of the story.

The song's title is itself a statement of identity, with Bergman declaring himself, and the lyrics continue to delve into the complexities of the self. Sparks, a band that has been operating since the late '60s, has always been known for its eccentric lyrics and musical style, and "I Am Ingmar Bergman" is no exception. The song is a testament to the imagination and creativity of the band.

Line by Line Meaning

I am Ingmar Bergman.
I am a renowned Swedish director named Ingmar Bergman.

You may or may not know my films.
It's possible that you are familiar with my work, but it's also possible that you are not.

You may or may not know anything about me as a person.
You may have some knowledge of my professional accomplishments, but you may have no knowledge of me as a human being.

Still, the strange events following the warm and unexpected reception to my film Smiles Of A Summer Night are something that no one has known about – until now.
There was a series of strange events that occurred after my film Smiles Of A Summer Night was received positively, and no one has known about them until now.

Good, Evil, God, the Devil, Life, Death – these were my usual concerns.
My usual subjects of interest were philosophical concepts such as Good, Evil, God, the Devil, Life, Death.

This film, though, was a comedy. A comedy! How far from a comedy the events to follow would be.
Smiles Of A Summer Night was a comedy, but the events that followed were anything but.

Have you ever felt compelled to do something against your will?
Have you ever felt like you had to do something that you didn't want to do?

I have. I have.
I have experienced this feeling myself.

You see, I have a total disdain for escapist art, and yet why, on that cold May afternoon in Stockholm in 1956, did I feel the need to enter that movie theater to see escapist art of the worst sort, a typical American action film…well, the title is not what is important.
I typically despise art that is meant to help people escape from reality, so why did I feel the urge to see a terrible American action movie in Stockholm in 1956?

What is important is that I felt compelled to watch that film, against my will, for 90 long minutes.
It's significant that I felt that I had to watch it even though I didn't want to, and it lasted for 90 minutes.

Was it the urge to partake of something mindless?
Was I drawn to something vacuous to distract myself?

Was it the urge to indulge in something vacuous?
Did I have the desire to indulge in something meaningless?

Was it the urge to do something…unlike Ingmar Bergman.
Did I have the desire to behave unlike the typical Ingmar Bergman?

And, as the film finally ended, I walked to the exit as quickly as I could and onto the street – but not the street I expected.
Once the film was over, I left the theater quickly and onto a street that was unfamiliar to me.

"What is this? Where am I?"
"What is going on? Where am I?"

LIMO DRIVER: Mr. Bergman, sir, welcome to Hollywood. Your limousine awaits. Please, get in. Watch your head.
A limousine driver greeted me and informed me that I was in Hollywood, and my ride was ready.

Contributed by Jayden K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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