The five-piece met as teenagers in Jönköping, Sweden, a town whose only distinguishing feature is its 52 churches. In October 1992, bonded by their mutual love of hard rock and folk music (they listed Nick Drake and Iron Maiden as their two biggest influences by 1994), guitarist Peter Svensson and bassist Magnus Sveningsson conceived The Cardigans. As their hometown was hardly a Mecca of musical enterprise, the group packed up and moved to the somewhat more central fishing port of Malmö, Sweden's third largest city, to seek their fortune. With Peter writing most of the music and the band as a whole composing the lyrics, the quintet set out to find a deal.
After an early recording of "Rise & Shine" appeared on a local independent label in 1994, The Cardigans were swiftly signed to Stockholm Records. The same year the band made their debut for the label with Emmerdale and later won the accolade of "Best Album of 1994" from Slitz, at the time Sweden's leading music magazine. The rise of The Cardigans has since been gradual, allowing them the time to develop naturally as their sales and positive exposure grew with each release. Their second long-player, Life, which followed in 1995, featured the hit singles "Carnival" and the re-recorded "Rise & Shine", and witnessed the band's first international chart success. Prior to the First Band on the Moon album in September 1996, The Cardigans released "Lovefool". Although the first response to the single was very positive and landed them in the Top 40, it achieved nowhere near the impact that awaited it the following Spring.
It was in 1997 that The Cardigans were first catapulted towards international superstardom. "Lovefool"'s inclusion on the blockbuster Romeo and Juliet film soundtrack that Spring pushed them past the boiling point. The single not only reached No. 1 on both the United Kingdom and United States airplay charts but also debuted at No. 2 on the United Kingdom national chart, where it remained top five for five weeks. All in all, the album reached more than 2.5 million sales worldwide, achieving Platinum status in the United States and Japan, but only achieving Gold in the United Kingdom. The promotional activities supporting the worldwide success of "Lovefool" and First Band On The Moon were never ending. The band not only performed a year long world tour complete with endless radio sessions and press and television interviews, but even ended up making guest appearances on Beverly Hills 90210 and the David Letterman Show.
It was because of the sheer exhaustion resulting from such a schedule, that The Cardigans since took some well deserved time off at home in Malmö to recuperate their artistic juices and write new material. During their time off, however, the band was by no means dormant. In the beginning of 1999 they contributed a new track, "War", to the A Life Less Ordinary soundtrack, a live recording of "Been It" to the Lilith Fair compilation and "Deuce", featured on The X-Files: The Album, an X-Files soundtrack album. Their break also included experimentation with various solo projects.
In June 1998, the group, who are very loyal to their roots, once again joined long-time producer Tore Johansson at his studio, Country Hell, located beside the picturesque Svaneholm Castle in Malmö and recorded the album, Gran Turismo.
The first single "My Favourite Game", was a major hit in many territories. The video for "My Favourite Game" was directed by Jonas Åkerlund. The song was also included in the soundtrack of the hit Playstation racing game, Gran Turismo 2, were it was the intro theme. The second single "Erase/Rewind" was released in January 1999, and this single also turned out to be a major hit around the world.
Gran Turismo reached more than 2.5 million sales worldwide.
The album Long Gone Before Daylight was released in February 2003 and from the album the singles "For What It's Worth" and "You're The Storm" were taken. The album received great reviews and the band spent most of 2003 touring Europe and North America.
In Fall 2005, the band released, Super Extra Gravity.
Official site: http://www.cardigans.com
A Good Horse
The Cardigans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I'm trying out another heart
I've been winding â??bout a fresh start
I've found myself a good horse
Eyes burning on the quicksand
And I run it through the hollow land
I've fed it with a shaky hand
These are the promises I can keep
These are the promises I can keep
To live like I must
And ride with the dust in my face
In grace
I've found myself a good horse
Yes I've found myself a strong horse
But things remain not different then before
These are the promises I can keep
Yes these are the promises I can keep
To live like I must
And ride with the dust in my face
These are the promises I can keep
These are the promises I can keep
To live like I must
And ride with the dust in my face
In grace
In The Cardigans' song A Good Horse, the lyrics describe the singer's desire for change and a fresh start. They have found a new love interest and compare this person to a "good horse" that they can rely on. The horse is a symbol of strength, stability and loyalty. The lyrics "It takes no match to give me a spark" imply that the singer is easily excited by new things and possibly prone to boredom. However, this time they are making a commitment and are determined to keep their promises. They recognize that change is not easy and that there will be challenges, but feel confident that they have found the support they need.
As the song progresses, the imagery of movement and speed evokes a sense of freedom and exhilaration. The singer feels as if they are running through a "hollow land" and feeding the horse with a "shaky hand". This suggests that they are not yet entirely comfortable with their new situation, but are willing to take risks and push themselves out of their comfort zone. The repeated refrain "These are the promises I can keep" reinforces their determination and commitment to their new life.
However, the final lines of the song introduce a note of ambiguity and uncertainty. The lyrics "But things remain not different then before" suggest that despite the promise of a new beginning, the singer's life may not have fundamentally changed. It reflects the perpetual human struggle of seeking change while having to keep up with the mundane realities of life.
Line by Line Meaning
It takes no match to give me a spark
I am easily ignited and affected by things around me.
Now I'm trying out another heart
I am giving love another chance with a new person.
I've been winding â??bout a fresh start
I have been thinking a lot about starting fresh and making changes.
I've found myself a good horse
I have found something strong and reliable to help me on my journey.
Eyes burning on the quicksand
Despite feeling overwhelmed and stuck, I stay determined and focused.
And I run it through the hollow land
I am pushing through difficult, empty spaces with my reliable companion.
I've fed it with a shaky hand
I am caring for my companion, even when I am uncertain of myself.
I found myself a strong horse
I have found something powerful to help me overcome challenges.
These are the promises I can keep
I am making commitments to myself that I know I can fulfill.
To live like I must
I am determined to live my life in a certain way, even in the face of challenges.
And ride with the dust in my face
I am willing to endure hardship and obstacles as I journey forward.
In grace
I am moving forward with composure and elegance.
But things remain not different then before
Despite changes and progress, some things may remain the same.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NINA PERSSON, PETER ANDERS SVENSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Pumkinghead
on Erase Rewind
.