Sweetbox is a Los Angeles based pop music project formed in Germany in 1995… Read Full Bio ↴Sweetbox is a Los Angeles based pop music project formed in Germany in 1995 by executive producer Heiko Schmidt and music producer Roberto "Geo" Rosan. Throughout the years Sweetbox has had several leading women including Kimberly Kearney, Dacia Bridges, Tina Harris, Jade Villalon, Jamie Pineda and most recently and currently, Miho Fukuhara and LogiQ Pryce.

Although the project released four singles in the mid '90s, with initial singers Kimberley Kearney and Dacia Bridges, worldwide success came with third vocalist, Tina Harris. Everything's Gonna Be Alright was released in 1997, which topped charts around the world and started a musical theme, sampling classical music, which the project would later become known for.

Tina Harris left after two years, with Jade Villalon replacing her as the fourth vocalist with five original albums, all reaching Gold or Platinum in Korea. Villalon, along with "Geo" left the project after seven years to go on and do other projects.

Vocalist Jamie Pineda took the role as new vocalist shortly after in late 2007 and then releasing her first studio album The Next Generation in 2009, which was produced by Derek Bramble. Pineda released one more album, Diamond Veil in 2011 and it was released in Japan and Korea, as the 8th studio album from Sweetbox.

In 2013, famed Japanese singer Miho Fukuhara became the new frontwoman and for the first time in the projects history, male vocalist/rapper LogiQ Pryce would co-front the project with her. The studio album, titled #Zeitgeist21 is due for release in July 2013.

Piano In The Dark
Sweetbox Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Verse 1:

Daddy always said
These are the 88 keys to pain
And daddy always said
Rinse down the hurt before it stains
But daddy never said that after this not much remains
If only he told her to play her life instead of shame

Chorus:

When the lights go down
And the world's asleep
She plays piano in the dark
Piano in the dark
She's haunted by a whiskey melody
When she plays piano in the dark
Piano in the dark

Verse 2:

No one understands
These are her 88 keys to pain (oooh...)
And no one ever sees her
Rinse down the hurt before it stains (mmm hmmm...)
But now she's finally realized
Not much of her remains (oh oh oh oh)
If only she knew how to play her life like she plays her shame (oh...)

*repeat chorus*

Daddy always said these are the 88 keys to pain...

Oooh...yes...
Oh huh...
88 (88 keys to pain)
88 (88 keys to shame)
88 (Oh...)
Oh...(that's all she has)

*repeat chorus*

*repeat chorus*

She plays in the dark...

Overall Meaning

The song "Piano in the Dark" by Sweetbox is about a woman who uses music to cope with her pain and emotions. The first verse has her recalling her father telling her that the piano has 88 keys and that they are a source of pain. Her father also told her to wash away the hurt before it stains, but he never told her that there would be little left after that. If only he had instructed her to play her life instead of feeling shame, she might have learned how to live without pain. In the chorus, we get to know more about the woman's life. When night falls and the world is sleeping, she plays the piano in the dark. She's haunted by a melody that reminds her of whiskey. Pain and troubles surround her as she plays the piano in the dark.

The second verse has the woman lamenting her situation, as no one understands that her piano is an outlet for her pains. She has learned to wash her pain away before it stains, but now she understands that there's little of her left in the aftermath. If she had been taught to use music as a source of joy rather than shame, she could have played the piano in the light of day too. Then the chorus repeats, emphasizing the woman's nightly rituals of playing the piano in the dark.

Overall, "Piano in the Dark" is a poignant song about the consequences of living with pain and the universal need to find a way to cope. It highlights the importance of having loving and supportive parents, as well as a balanced approach to life.

Line by Line Meaning

Daddy always said
Father figure warned her constantly

These are the 88 keys to pain
88 keys of the piano represent her source of pain and sadness

And daddy always said
Father figure reinforced his message

Rinse down the hurt before it stains
Advising her to let go of painful memories and move on

But daddy never said that after this not much remains
She realized that by letting go of her pain, she will lose a part of herself

If only he told her to play her life instead of shame
She wishes he told her to use her experiences to create good music and let go of the shame

When the lights go down
At night or in the darkest moments of life

And the world's asleep
When nobody's around

She plays piano in the dark
She uses music to cope with her pain and loneliness

Piano in the dark
The piano is her solace and a means to express herself

She's haunted by a whiskey melody
The melody she plays reminds her of the pain caused by addiction and bad choices