In 1991, the year she released her first album Memories of a Colour, Nordenstam played at the Swedish parliament as part of the Year of Jazz. Her early work, including her second album, And She Closed Her Eyes, released in 1994, was significantly jazz-influenced, with only subtle elements of alternative rock. With 1997's Dynamite she started down a darker, more experimental path; most of the album was filled with processed, distorted electric guitars and unusual beats, but careful listening revealed her unique song-writing abilities.
An album of covers, People Are Strange, followed before she returned in 2001 with This Is Stina Nordenstam, an album with shorter songs and a more pop-like feel; ex-Suede vocalist Brett Anderson featured on two tracks. In 2003 Nordenstam appeared in a duet with Jonas Bjerre from Mew on Mew's third album Frengers, with a song called "Her Voice Is beyond Her Years". Between 2003 and 2004 she made the Swedish radio-theatre series called The Fears of the Ice, about one of the first polar expeditions.
Her 2004 album, The World Is Saved, continues the path set on This Is..., but presents a more realised sound and acknowledges her earlier jazz influences more.
In addition to being a musician, Nordenstam also works in other fields, such as photography and music-video directing.
Slightly reclusive, she gives very few interviews, rarely performs live and even alters her appearance using wigs and make-up for album covers and magazines. During the promotion for The World Is Saved, however, she gave more interviews than usual, and even talked about the possibility of future live performances.
In 2006, Nordenstam appeared on Snow Borne Sorrow, an album by the band Nine Horses, singing duets with the band's vocalist, David Sylvian.
Mary Bell
Stina Nordenstam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let the darkness come
Shadows in your room unfold the night
Time to go to sleep now
For every man and child
Tonight you're still protected by the blackness
Her sister almost five
You'll tell us all tomorrow, mary bell
About how smoothly things went
And how they didn't fight
You're going back there, mary bell
And tell us how you found out
What no child should know
Tell us about the killing, mary bell
The night is dark above you
The universe is quiet
Tonight you're still protected by the blackness
The lyrics to Stina Nordenstam's song Mary Bell tell a disturbing story about the infamous British child killer, Mary Bell. The opening lines convey a sense of impending doom as the darkness of evening falls and shadows creep into a room. The stanza is a foreboding warning that something terrible is about to happen. The chorus repeats the phrase, "Tonight you're still protected by the blackness," creating a haunting and unsettling vibe.
The verses are from the perspective of someone who wants to know the truth about the events that transpired. Mary Bell was convicted of the 1968 murders of two young boys, Martin Brown and Brian Howe. The lyrics ask Mary to reveal the details of the killings, including how she found out things no child should know. The repetition of Mary's name throughout the song hints at a sense of obsession, as if the singer cannot get her out of their mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Let the evening in now
It's time for the evening and for darkness to come.
Let the darkness come
It's time for darkness to come.
Shadows in your room unfold the night
The shadows in your room are creating the night.
Time to go to sleep now
It's time to go to sleep now.
For every man and child
This is for everyone.
Tonight you're still protected by the blackness
Tonight the darkness will protect you.
One was nearly seven
One of the victims was almost seven years old.
Her sister almost five
The other victim was almost five years old and likely the sister of the first victim.
You'll tell us all tomorrow, mary bell
The artist asks Mary Bell to tell them about what happened tomorrow.
About how smoothly things went
Mary Bell is asked to explain how things went.
And how they didn't fight
The singer is asking if the victims tried to fight back.
You're going back there, mary bell
Mary Bell is going to have to go back to relive what happened.
And tell us how you found out
Mary Bell has to tell the singer how they found out what happened.
What no child should know
Mary Bell is going to have to reveal something that is not appropriate for a child to know.
Tell us about the killing, mary bell
The singer wants Mary Bell to tell them about the killing that occurred.
The night is dark above you
The artist mentions how dark it is outside.
The universe is quiet
The universe is silent right now.
Tonight you're still protected by the blackness
Again, the night will protect Mary Bell.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind