They received critical and popular acclaim internationally. They first came to notice in the UK when BBC radio DJ John Peel played "Birthday", later voted by his listeners as no.1 in the 1987 Festive Fifty, and no. 23 in the Millennium (All Time Chart). The band's music was characterized by psychedelic sound, whimsical yet heartfelt lyrics, and the imploring, girlish voice of Björk Guðmundsdóttir, who later went on to great success as a solo artist. The band's name was assumed by its fans to be an LSD usage reference; the drug had regained widespread popularity while the band was releasing music.
The Sugarcubes released their first album, Life’s Too Good, in April 1988. Inspired by the success of the album in Europe, their second album followed shortly after in October 1989. Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! took it’s name from the Kenneth Grahame novel Wind in the Willows. It was also released in an Icelandic version titled Illur Arfur. The second album wasn’t as well received by critics as their debut.
The third and final studio album by the band, Stick Around For Joy, was released in 1992, and featured the successful single Hit which reached No: 17 in the UK charts.
While not as successful as Björk's solo career would be, the band is still very highly regarded and was the most influential Icelandic group until the rise of Sigur Rós.
The Sugarcubes dissolved in 1992 as different members of the band had realised they all had different ambitions; instead of risking their friendship, the band went on an indefinite hiatus. They remain friends to this day and are all still involved in the management of Smekkleysa/Bad Taste (not to be confused with the Swedish label of the same name).
On November 17 2006, the band had a one-off reunion concert at Laugardalshöll sport arena in Reykjavík, Iceland, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut single with all profits going to the non-profit Smekkleysa SM to promote Icelandic music. They were supported by fellow Icelandic groups múm and Rass. Despite this reunion, the group has expressed that it has no intention to play future shows or record new material.
Bandmembers:
* Björk Guðmundsdóttir (vocals, keyboards)
* Einar Örn Benediktsson (vocals, trumpet)
* Sigtryggur Baldursson (drums)
* Þór Eldon (guitar)
* Bragi Ólafsson (bass)
* Margrét (Magga) Örnólfsdóttir (keyboards) - 1989+.
* Einar Melax (keyboards) - 1987-89
Lucky Night
The Sugarcubes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've tried a lot and most things excite me.
But what tops it all is doing two things at a time.
Einar
Life and death, glass and water
Rock and roll, wash and dirty
Christ and jesus, time and hours
Björk
To drive a car and listen to music.
To read a book and ride a train.
Einar
Watch and maker, God and dog
Hammer and saw, babies and nappies
Stop and hold, moon and stars
Björk
To be a charming combination,
Tense me up.
I'm into trying a lot and most things excite me.
But what tops it all is doing two things at a time.
Einar
Knife and fork, pad and felt
Window and pane, country and western
Rhythm and blues, yawn and sigh
Björk
This is a lucky night for me
A night when one plus one is three
To read a letter and fall in love
To not sleep and be not unhappy
To watch tv and cuddle
Crême de la crême
Is doing two things at a time
Einar
To do two things twice at once
It's so nice, is there a point?
Björk
Two things... two!
Einar
To be or not to
Time and logic finally
You must enter my two nostrils
Can that be, or am I just thinking?
Life and death
Glass and water...
Björk
Two things at a time
The Sugarcubes's Lucky Night is a song that portrays the excitement of doing two things at once. The lyrics, sung by Björk and Einar, describe a range of opposing concepts that when united, create a charismatic harmony. The song is open to interpretation, but one can sense that it celebrates the beauty of balance, duality and multitasking. Björk's verse "I've tried a lot and most things excite me, but what tops it all is doing two things at a time" sets the tone for the whole song, conveying a sense of awe for the potentialities that life can offer when two things are joined together.
Einar's verse "Life and death, glass and water, rock and roll, wash and dirty, Christ and Jesus, time and hours" is an interesting juxtaposition. He pairs things that one would not usually associate with each other, and the result is delightful. The verse highlights the beauty in dichotomy, and how two things, no matter how different, can create something spectacular when brought together. The whole song's lyrics, together with the Sugarcubes's unique sound, create a unique and uplifting listening experience that one will want to revisit.
Line by Line Meaning
I've tried a lot and most things excite me.
I have experimented with many things, and most of them have thrilled me.
But what tops it all is doing two things at a time.
However, what excites me the most is being able to do two things simultaneously.
To drive a car and listen to music.
For instance, driving a car while enjoying music.
To read a book and ride a train.
Or reading a book while riding on a train.
To be a charming combination, Tense me up.
Doing two things together and creating a powerful amalgamation is quite impressive and exhilarating.
Knife and fork, pad and felt, Window and pane, country and western, Rhythm and blues, yawn and sigh
Various examples of two things that can be done together, such as using a knife and fork, using a pad and felt, looking through a window and noticing the glass pane, listening to country and western or rhythm and blues music, yawning and sighing, etc.
This is a lucky night for me, A night when one plus one is three
The singer is feeling fortunate tonight because pairing two things together today feels like more than just two.
To read a letter and fall in love, To not sleep and be not unhappy, To watch tv and cuddle, Crême de la crême, Is doing two things at a time
Other examples of two activities that can be paired together for even greater enjoyment, such as falling in love while reading a letter, feeling content while not sleeping, cuddling while watching TV, etc. All of these qualify as the best because two activities performed together create an exceptional atmosphere.
To do two things twice at once, It's so nice, is there a point?
Even doing two things twice over in one go is sublime, but the point can be debatable.
Two things... two!
The singer reiterates that it's all about doing two things at the same time.
To be or not to, Time and logic finally, You must enter my two nostrils, Can that be, or am I just thinking?, Life and death, Glass and water...
The lines might be up for interpretation but to sum up, it’s about how logic and time have an effect on everything in life, and even the most subtle things can make a difference. The mention of life and death and glass and water might signify how everything seems to be an amalgamation of two things, which when combined together create something special.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SIGTRYGGUR BALDURSSON, EINAR BENEDIKTSSON, THOR ELDON, BJOERK GUDMUNDSDOTTIR, BRAGI OLAFSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind