Now it’s one thing for an artist from Copenhagen to enjoy success at home and in a few adjacent countries. But the release of Too Many Roads saw the seven-piece combo fronted by singer and guitarist Risager gaining widespread notoriety in the U.S. and being invited to play in locales as far away as Mumbai, India. The album took home the Danish Music Award as the Top Blues Album of 2014 and also earned Germany’s illustrious “Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik,” but perhaps even more impressively, it was selected as one the year’s best by Britain’s influential The Blues magazine, right alongside international stars like Robert Cray, Walter Trout and Joe Bonamassa. Clearly, Risager and his mates had taken their exhilarating mix of blues, soul and rock ‘n’ roll to the next level.
Early in 2015, Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado celebrated that triumph by returning to one of their favorite nightspots – the Harmonie in Bonn, Germany. They would treat local fans to a one-of-a-kind spectacle, hitting the stage as a ten-piece mini-orchestra. After Thomas Ruf of Ruf Records introduces this deluxe edition of the band – including a three-man horn section and backing vocalists Ida Bang und Lisa Lystam – the colossal sound of Risager’s semi-hollow body spearheads the all-out attack of opening number “If You Wanna Leave.” He and his Black Tornado are off to the races…
The succeeding 100-minute concert, captured on CD and DVD for the newest addition to Ruf’s Songs from the Roadseries, shows off every facet of this unique conglomeration of musicians. There’s the sinuous funk of “Paradise” and the furious boogie of “The Straight and Narrow Line” (featuring big-time playing by piano man Emil Balsgaard and saxophonist Hans Nybo). There’s the twin-guitar blues of “Too Many Roads” and the rough-and-tumble attitude of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Ride.” There’s the chilling “China Gate” and the dark drama of “Long Forgotten Track.” Finally, the band whips the crowd into frenzy with their ultra-groovy take on the classic “Baby Please Don’t Go” and the timeless party anthem “Let The Good Times Roll,” the latter track showcasing the talents of lead guitarist Peter Skjerning. The funk workout “Opener” and the charming “I Won’t Let You Down” (performed as a duet with Lisa Lystam) offer some welcome after play.
More than anything, Songs from the Road shows that the success of Too Many Roads was no fluke. Thorbjørn Risager and his highly skilled accomplices have perfected a spicy blend of musical ingredients. The hundreds of shows they’ve played during the past few years have them running like a well-oiled machine. More great things can be expected of them in the future – but until then, we have this brilliant document of a band that is quietly revolutionizing the way we look at the blues.
The Black Tornado band
Thorbjørn Risager – leadvoc, gtr
Emil Balsgaard – keys
Peter Skjerning – gtr,voc
Kasper Wagner – alto-/barythonsax
Hans Nybo – tenorsax, voc
Peter Kehl – trumpet, perc, voc,
Søren Bøjgaard – bass
Martin Seidelin – drums, perc, voc,
The Tornadettes (guest appearance on “Songs from the road” and on special occasions!)
Ida Bang – voc
Lisa Lystam – voc
BAND FACTS
● Nominated for a British Blues Award 2014 & 2015
● Winner of the Danish Music Award 2013 & 2014
● The band was founded in 2003 and 5 of the band members have been there
since the start.
● In 2005 their cooperation with Annika Westman started who has booked
more than 700 concerts for them in 21 countries.
● Songs From The Road is their 10th album in 10 years!
Dreamland
Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG
I CAN HARDLY BREATHE
AND I'M JUST TRYIN TO READ THE SIGNS
FIND OUT HOW I FEEL
IS THIS MY DREAMLAND?
WHERE I REALLY WANNA BE
GONNA KEEP MY EYES WIDE OPEN
AND MY HANDS UPON THE WHEEL
ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW
LET THE SUNSHINE IN
ON THAT WILD WILD ROAD I WILL TRAVEL
GONNA DRIVE TILL I HIT THE OTHER SIDE
IF MY OLD CHEVY VAN AIN'T GONNA MAKE IT
I'LL SPREAD MY ARMS OUT WIDE AND START TO FLY
GONNA GET ON OUT OF HERE
I GOTTA GET AWAY
I GOT MY OLD MOTOR RUNNING
DON'T WANNA HESITATE
BEFORE I TRAVEL ON
I WANNA KISS YOUR LIPS GOODBYE
GONNA KEEP MY EYES WIDE OPEN
AND MY HANDS UPON THE WHEEL
ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW
LET THE SUNSHINE IN
ON THAT WILD WILD ROAD I WILL TRAVEL
GONNA DRIVE TILL I HIT THE OTHER SIDE
IF MY OLD CHEVY VAN AIN'T GONNA MAKE IT
I'LL SPREAD MY ARMS OUT WIDE AND START TO FLY
GONNA KEEP ON MOVING ON
TILL THE RACE IS DONE
AIN'T NO LOOKING BACK
THOUGH THE RACE IS LONG
I GOT MY EYES FIXED
ON THAT DREAMLAND UP AHEAD
GONNA KEEP MY EYS WIDE OPEN
AND MY HANDS UPON THE WHEEL
ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW
LET THE SUNSHINE IN
ON THAT WILD WILD ROAD I WILL TRAVEL
GONNA DRIVE TILL I HIT THE OTHER SIDE
IF MY OLD CHEVY VAN AIN'T GONNA MAKE IT
I'LL SPREAD MY ARMS OUT WIDE AND START TO FLY
The song "Dreamland" by Thorbjørn Risager is essentially about escaping from one's current reality and seeking a better future in a place that feels like home. Risager creates a sense of trapped desperation in the opening lines, "Been here for so long, I can hardly breathe," conveying the notion that the singer has been stuck in this current reality for far too long and needs a change of environment to finally breathe. Then the song transitions into the chorus where the singer is adamant about driving towards his dreamland and living life on his own terms. The use of metaphors in "roll down the window, let the sunshine in" suggest that the singer is experiencing a metaphorical rebirth, much akin to how a person feels when they first experience sunlight after being indoors for a long time.
The verses paint a picture of a man determined to leave everything behind and embark on the road to his dreamland. The image of an open road further adds to the sense of freedom and escape. The singer implies that he will leave no stone unturned to reach his destination and will enjoy the journey as much as he would enjoy reaching his final destination. This mindset is further solidified by the line "if my old Chevy van ain't gonna make it, I'll spread my arms out wide and start to fly," which suggests that failure is not something the singer is willing to accept.
Overall, "Dreamland" is a song that expresses a desire for freedom from life's hardships and depicts the journey towards finding oneself and a sense of belonging. The song's upbeat music and catchy chorus perfectly complement the song's theme, which is all about leaving behind the past and starting anew.
Line by Line Meaning
BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG
I have spent a lot of time in this place
I CAN HARDLY BREATHE
This place suffocates me
AND I'M JUST TRYIN TO READ THE SIGNS
I'm trying to understand how I feel and where I should go
FIND OUT HOW I FEEL
Discover my true emotions
IS THIS MY DREAMLAND?
Is this the place where I truly belong?
WHERE I REALLY WANNA BE
Where I desire to go
GONNA KEEP MY EYES WIDE OPEN
I will pay attention to everything around me
AND MY HANDS UPON THE WHEEL
I'm in control of my destiny
ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW
I want to experience life to the fullest
LET THE SUNSHINE IN
I welcome positive energy and joy
ON THAT WILD WILD ROAD I WILL TRAVEL
I'm embarking on an adventurous journey
GONNA DRIVE TILL I HIT THE OTHER SIDE
I will keep moving forward until I reach my destination
IF MY OLD CHEVY VAN AIN'T GONNA MAKE IT
If I encounter obstacles, I won't give up
I'LL SPREAD MY ARMS OUT WIDE AND START TO FLY
I'll find ways to overcome the challenges and keep going
GONNA GET ON OUT OF HERE
I need to leave this place
I GOTTA GET AWAY
I need to distance myself from my current situation
I GOT MY OLD MOTOR RUNNING
I am ready to take action
DON'T WANNA HESITATE
I won't let fear or doubt stop me
BEFORE I TRAVEL ON
Before I continue this journey
I WANNA KISS YOUR LIPS GOODBYE
I want to say a proper goodbye to someone I care about
TILL THE RACE IS DONE
I will keep moving forward until I reach my destination
AIN'T NO LOOKING BACK
I won't dwell in the past
THOUGH THE RACE IS LONG
Although the journey is difficult
I GOT MY EYES FIXED
I am focused
ON THAT DREAMLAND UP AHEAD
I am determined to reach my goal
IF MY OLD CHEVY VAN AIN'T GONNA MAKE IT
If I encounter obstacles, I won't give up
I'LL SPREAD MY ARMS OUT WIDE AND START TO FLY
I'll find ways to overcome the challenges and keep going
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: EMIL OLIVER BALSGAARD, HANS NYBO, KASPER MICHAEL WAGNER, MARTIN SEIDELIN, PETER J SKJERNING, PETER WEIENDORP KEHL, SOREN BOJGAARD, THORBJORN RISAGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind