Tinpan Orange is an Australian indie folk band from Melbourne. They formed … Read Full Bio ↴Tinpan Orange is an Australian indie folk band from Melbourne. They formed in 2005 after they were discovered busking on the streets of Darwin, Australia. The band is a trio of musicians, made up of Emily Lubitz as the lead singer and guitarist, with her brother Jesse Lubitz as guitarist and Alex Burkoy as a violinist. The band's style is heavily stylised folk music, combined with romanticism.

The band began to make its name in the live music venues and jazz clubs of Melbourne, sharing the stage with artists such as Renee Geyer, The Whitlams, Clare Bowditch, Deborah Conway, Pete Murray and Tim Rogers.

Expect to hear mellifluous and soulful songs, telling stories, some true and some false, while blurring the lines in between. Lyrics, rhythms and melodies that are as obvious and ambiguous and a straight line drawn on a Cheshire Cats grin.

Tinpan Orange consists of two acoustic guitars, a violin, a mandolin and a stirring rhythm section, all wrapped around a sultry female voice.

Barcelona
Tinpan Orange Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Would I jump now
I slept on the beach in Barcelona
All by myself
They stole my stuff, they took my camera
I had no pictures to tell
But I didn′t care cos I was flying like a bird in outer space
I was young and dumb and stronger
You could tell if you touched my face

Guess I could name a few times
And I, I would call them good times
But the sad thing about good times
Is you only know them when they wash away
Would I jump now
Then we bought a house in the city
Had a baby on the way
Sometimes we'd watch the news in the evening
You tell me you′ll sweep up leaves on a windy day
Guess I could name a few times
And I, I would call them good times
But the sad thing about good times
Is you only know them when they wash away
Would I jump now, would I jump now
Would I jump now into the fire
Would I jump now, would I jump now
Would I jump now into the water
Would I take my daughter
Could I afford to be careless
Guess I could name a few times
And I, I would call them good times
But the sad thing about good times
Is you only know them when they wash away

Would I jump now
Would I jump now

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tinpan Orange’s song “Barcelona” reflect upon the idea of living in the moment and the fleeting nature of happiness. The song starts off with the singer reminiscing about a time when they slept on the beach in Barcelona and got robbed. Despite the unfortunate incident, the singer feels incredibly free and euphoric. The lyrics, “But I didn't care cos I was flying like a bird in outer space” suggests a state of euphoria and being uninhibited. However, they acknowledge the transience of happiness and the realization that these moments only become “good times” in retrospect.

Later in the song, the singer seems to reflect on their current lives and wonders whether they should risk losing everything to feel that carefree again. They think about their house and their child and question whether they could be that careless again. They repeat the phrase “Would I jump now” as if contemplating whether to take a leap of faith or not. The lyrics “Could I afford to be careless” suggest a fear of losing everything that they have gained. The song ends with the singer pondering the transient nature of happiness once again.

Overall, “Barcelona” is a beautiful song that celebrates the fleeting moments of euphoria and happiness in life but also acknowledges the fear of losing everything that we have gained in the process. It gives us a glimpse into the singer’s life and makes us contemplate our own lives and the moments we hold onto.

Line by Line Meaning

Would I jump now
Questioning whether to take a leap of faith or not

I slept on the beach in Barcelona
Recalling past experiences of being carefree and adventurous

All by myself
Being alone in the moment of freedom

They stole my stuff, they took my camera
Being vulnerable and having things stolen

I had no pictures to tell
Losing tangible reminders of past memories

But I didn't care cos I was flying like a bird in outer space
Focusing on the freedom and exhilaration of the moment rather than material possessions

I was young and dumb and stronger
Acknowledging youthful ignorance and carefree recklessness

You could tell if you touched my face
Physical embodiment of carefree bliss

Guess I could name a few times
Reflecting on significant moments in life

And I, I would call them good times
Labeling past experiences as positive

But the sad thing about good times
Realizing that good times are fleeting and temporary

Is you only know them when they wash away
Recognizing the impermanence of good times and their impact on future perspective

Then we bought a house in the city
Transitioning to a new phase of life characterized by stability and responsibility

Had a baby on the way
Growing a family and taking on new roles

Sometimes we'd watch the news in the evening
Settling into routine domesticity

You tell me you'll sweep up leaves on a windy day
Sharing mundane tasks and responsibilities with a partner

Would I jump now into the fire
Considering taking risks even when the outcome is unpredictable or dangerous

Would I jump now into the water
Contemplating the consequences of making bold decisions

Would I take my daughter
Acknowledging the impact of personal choices on loved ones

Could I afford to be careless
Questioning the viability of risk-taking in a responsible and stable phase of life

Writer(s): Henry James Angus, Jesse Aaron Lubitz, Emily Zmira Lubitz, Alexander Burkoy, Daniel Phillip Farrugia

Contributed by Grace A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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