1. The Margarets are … Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple bands called The Margarets:
1. The Margarets are a Norwegian pop band consisting of Alex Rinde (lead vocal), Ante Giskeødegård (vocal & rythm guitar), Rune Berg (electric guitar & vocal), Lars Berg (bass), Klaus Robert Blomvik (drums) and Ronnie M.A.G. Larsen for the percutions. The group was formed on the island of Giske, west coast of Norway, in 1991.
"We drive over the bridge in the dusk. I ask Alex when Giske became connected to the mainland. He answers that the bridge opened the same fall that The Smiths released "Strangeways, Here We Come".
That's how it goes. Everything can be traced back to an album, a song, a refrain. All shining moments have their soundtracks.
It's a December day and the colors refuse to plant themselves in the landscape, and the light hesitates to come forward. From the airplane window Giske looks like a ball someone has kicked into the ocean. It seems like the island is floating aimlessly in the wind. I stare down at Giske and think how so many songs are about streets, avenues, and towns.
I can imagine Muddy Waters recording Hootchie Cootchie Man in Chicago. I see Elvis getting on the Mystery Train in Memphis. And more: Martha & the Vandellas dancing in the streets of Detroit, the Fab Four crossing Abbey Road. Even more: Van Morrison returning to Hyndford Street in Belfast, Paddy McAloon tipping his hat in greeting to Manhattan.
The roads on Giske must have shrunk in the rain. There's not enough space for more than one car at a time. People politely drive over on the side of the road and wave as they pass by. Everybody knows everybody here. The world is small and flat. This is not The Motor City. This is not Beat Street. This is not Rock City.
But the bridge is the rope that keeps Giske from floating away. And with the bridge came Margaret buzzing along in the mail truck. The post woman who made the world a bigger place. She who placed Manchester, Glasgow, London, and Liverpool in the mailboxes. Packages of records that got four boys to lose themselves and to find a name: The Margarets.
The headlights search in the evening light for the fisherman's cabin down by the furniture factory. It was here that these songs came to life. It was here they came out kicking in between sunbathing, crabbing, and eating potato balls. Since then, the songs have grown up in Halden, Malmö, and New York City.
I think that it makes sense. It works like that when a post woman opens up the world for you. If your heart finds the right beat. If the songs mean so much that you just have to sing or pick up an electric guitar. Then your island detaches, and moves out west to 6th Avenue.
London can yell. Manchester has a lot to answer for. Atlantic City lights up and calls you in. Nashville has a cheating heart. Giske is a melodrama if you just open your car door: Thunderclouds, blinding rainstorms, a closed airport, a great big sky, and mailboxes with lead weights so packages of records won't blow away.
We drive around the island late in the evening. Seeing the lights from Aalesund. Seeing the light from the Alnes lighthouse, and the flash from the top of the radio tower that Ante brags about climbing all the way up. The houses in Giske have huddled together, as if to keep warm in the rain.
I think that the rain also has a light in itself. The dark has a light in itself. The house calls with yellow windows and all that's to be found inside: Family pictures, coffee drinking, laughter, chatter, postcards, pop songs. All of the simple things that make it the heart. To find this house. To drive down to the wharf. To hear these songs. It's a sort of homecoming. It is an amazing feeling of knowing you're welcome. To zoom over the bridge and drive right home."
2. The Margarets are a Swedish indie pop band.
Slowly
The Margarets Lyrics
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Day by day I see children in the playground
Do their parents know what's going on out there?
Day by day what kinda games do they play
Don't you wonder why that little one never smiles?
Day by day the school is cruel, the weekend's lonely
Day by day it's hard to talk about these things
Especially when you got no one
We accept every crime we cannot see
If it can't be proven surely
Everything's alright
Do they know exactly what murder is?
Do they know exactly what it is?
Do they know no no no no no
Do they know exactly what muder is?
The years go on by, you die a little day by day
No one taught you how to love yourself
The years go on by, slowly and unnoticed
The killings will go on and on
We accept every crime we cannot see
If it can't be proven surely
Everything's alright, alright
Do they know exactly what murder is?
Do they know exactly what it is?
Do they know no no no no no
Do they know exactly what muder is?
The Margarets's song "Slowly" is a powerful commentary on the state of society, specifically the lack of recognition and response to violence and wrongdoing. The opening line of the song immediately draws attention to the theme of murder and what it means. The following verses describe the daily struggles of a child in school, the loneliness and isolation they experience on the weekends, and the inability to talk about their feelings because they feel they have no one to turn to. The song then takes on a larger perspective, touching on the way society accepts crime that cannot be seen or proven. The chorus asks the poignant question, "Do they know exactly what murder is?" which calls attention to the fact that violence is often ignored, downplayed or swept under the rug.
The lyrics of "Slowly" are a call to action for society to recognize and address violence that may be hiding in plain sight. The repeated phrase "Do they know exactly what murder is?" suggests that many people, including parents, teachers, and community members, may not fully understand the effects of violence on individuals and society at large. The line "We accept every crime we cannot see" is a chilling reminder that crimes that go unnoticed or unreported are still crimes, and can lead to devastating consequences for victims and society as a whole.
Overall, "Slowly" is a thought-provoking and sobering reminder of the importance of addressing violence and wrongdoing, to create a safer and more compassionate world for everyone.
Line by Line Meaning
Do we know exactly what murder is?
Are we truly aware of what constitutes murder and its impact?
Day by day I see children in the playground
Each day, I witness kids playing outside
Do their parents know what's going on out there?
Do the parents truly comprehend what is happening outside?
Day by day what kinda games do they play
Every day, what type of games are the kids playing?
Don't you wonder why that little one never smiles?
Have you ever thought about why one of the children does not smile?
Day by day the school is cruel, the weekend's lonely
Every day, school can be tough, and weekends can be desolate
Nights awake he prays for better times
At night, that child pleas for a brighter future
Day by day it's hard to talk about these things
It can be a challenge to discuss these issues daily
Especially when you got no one
especially when you have no one to confide in
We accept every crime we cannot see
We tend to overlook any wrongdoing we do not observe
If it can't be proven surely
If it's unverifiable, we believe it never happened
Everything's alright
We believe everything is good
Do they know exactly what murder is?
Are people truly aware of the meaning and impact of murder?
The years go on by, you die a little day by day
Over time, you deteriorate slowly every day
No one taught you how to love yourself
You were never taught how to love yourself truly
The years go on by, slowly and unnoticed
Time flows by slowly and unperceived
The killings will go on and on
The number of murders will continue to increase
Do they know no no no no no
Do people truly know?
Do they know exactly what muder is?
Are people knowledgeable about the definition and impact of murder?
Contributed by Camden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.