Van Risseghem is an emerging singer-songwriter from the Midwest. Hailing fr… Read Full Bio ↴Van Risseghem is an emerging singer-songwriter from the Midwest. Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma, his musical style exemplifies an upbeat commercial sound with a heartfelt, independent feel. Van's debut album, The Motions (2009), consisted of tracks composed in his home studio, playing most of the parts himself. In his sophomore outing, Passenger (2011), Van further refined his singular sound, resulting in his most mature work to date. At the age of twenty-three Van Risseghem is an up and coming artist who has been referred to in College News Magazine as delivering a "worthwhile message of keeping your head up" to his devoted listeners.

As a yet unsigned commercial talent, Van Risseghem has experienced unprecedented exposure in a number of high-profile entertainment venues. The eponymous song the "The Motions" was literally heard around the world as the Delta Airlines boarding theme song. This song was also heard by those attending AMC and Cinemark theaters in 2009, courtesy of the theater chain's Cinemasounds pre-show feature. Another track from the album, "Love, Again", was featured prominently on Comedy Central's cult hit Tosh.0 and the NBC prime-time show The Voice. Van's music found its way into the public consciousness, from the Sonic Drive-in to the Barnes and Noble.

Van's debut album caught a lot of attention both stateside and abroad, finding its largest European fan-base in Germany. In February of 2010 the album reached number one on Germany's Big.FM, reaching several million listeners. Johannes Strate of the popular German band Revolverheld chose Van Risseghem as a featured artist on the "Feels Like Home" European tour. The proceeds for his appearance on the tour were donated to Lukulule, a charity that promotes young musicians and dancers. This side of the pond, Van Risseghem has opened for such acts as Kris Allen, Rooney, Metro Station, and Cake. Van's second album, Passenger (2011) has already begun to generate its own buzz, as he was asked to be the featured entertainer for this year's NCAA Honor's Ceremony. Additionally, a song entitled "The River" can be heard in Brita's "Filter for Good Canada" commercial.

Van Risseghem will be one to watch in the coming months as a rising, self- fashioned artist. His individual passion for his music has already found widespread approval in independent music circles. A recent article in Relevant Magazine has said, suggestive of his grass-roots style: "We know you'll enjoy the vivid, organic tones and heartfelt lyrics because we're not alone." Be sure to keep up with the music and appearances by Van Risseghem at his blog (www.vanriss.com) or friend him on Facebook.

I Call a Truce
Van Risseghem Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There you go and tangle up the lines
Your nerves have been all intertwined
And your head is spinning around
Even when you do the best you could
And it doesn't end just how it should
Don't back down
Don't back down

Lay your head and dry your tears
You are my dear, I've made it clear
You've got nothing to fear
When you're here with me
It's not whether you win or lose
You bleed or bruise, or the weapon you choose
I call a truce when you're here with me
When you're here with me

There you go and tangle up the lines
Your nerves have been all intertwined
And your head is spinning around
You've got your two hands
And you've got your big plans
For more than building castles in the sand
Don't back down
Don't back down

Lay your head and dry your tears
You are my dear, I've made it clear
You've got nothing to fear
When you're here with me
It's not whether you win or lose
You bleed or bruise, or the weapon you choose

I call a truce when you're here with me
When you're here with me

Overall Meaning

Van Risseghem's "I Call a Truce" is a song about finding comfort and support in a difficult time. The opening lines, "There you go and tangle up the lines, Your nerves have been all intertwined, And your head is spinning around," suggest a sense of confusion and frustration, perhaps with oneself or with the world around them. However, the chorus offers a message of reassurance and strength: "Lay your head and dry your tears, You are my dear, I've made it clear, You've got nothing to fear, When you're here with me."

The song speaks to the power of relationships, with the repeating line, "Don't back down," suggesting that the singer will not give up on the person they are addressing. The lyrics also evoke a sense of resilience and perseverance, with lines like "It's not whether you win or lose, You bleed or bruise, or the weapon you choose, I call a truce when you're here with me."

Overall, "I Call a Truce" encourages listeners to lean on their loved ones in times of hardship and seeks to offer a message of hope and strength.

Line by Line Meaning

There you go and tangle up the lines
You're getting wrapped up in your own thoughts and feelings, making it hard for you to navigate and understand what's going on around you.

Your nerves have been all intertwined
Your anxiety is making it hard for you to focus and stay calm in the face of stress.

And your head is spinning around
Your thoughts are moving too fast, and it's hard to keep up with everything happening at once.

Even when you do the best you could
Despite your efforts, things don't always go the way you want them to.

And it doesn't end just how it should
Even when you think you know the right way for things to turn out, sometimes they don't work out that way.

Don't back down
Despite the challenges you're facing, you should stay strong and not give up.

Lay your head and dry your tears
Take a moment to collect yourself and calm down. It's okay to feel upset, but it's important to try and manage your emotions.

You are my dear, I've made it clear
You are important to me, and I want to support you through whatever you're going through.

You've got nothing to fear
You don't need to be afraid of what's going to happen because you have my support.

When you're here with me
Being with me helps you feel safe and supported.

It's not whether you win or lose
The outcome isn't always the most important thing. There are other things to consider besides just winning or losing.

You bleed or bruise, or the weapon you choose
No matter how you're feeling or what you've been through, you're still important and worthy of love and support.

I call a truce when you're here with me
When we're together, we can leave our struggles and differences behind and focus instead on our connection.

You've got your two hands
You have the tools and resources you need to get through your struggles.

And you've got your big plans
You have dreams and goals for your future, and these can help motivate you even when things get tough.

For more than building castles in the sand
Your dreams and goals are bigger and more significant than just fleeting, temporary things like building a sandcastle.

Don't back down
Keep pushing forward, even when things are challenging.

When you're here with me
Being together can offer us both a sense of comfort and support as we navigate life's struggles.

Contributed by Carter G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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