Songs for the project were primarily written during the space of time between the dissolution of Blod, snått & juling and the founding of gnom. Ottesen and Zahl recorded an acoustic demo in 1997, featuring both original compositions for the project and new versions of songs they had written for Blod, snått & juling, as well as some songs which Ottesen had recorded for his own solo project demo. In 1998, they released their only studio album, Mys, on Shimmer Recordings. Largely ignored both critically and commercially, the album sold less than 600 of its original print run of 1,500 copies in the first full year of its release.
Subsequently, gnom held sporadic performances on the smallest of small venues in Norway. On the setlist was the song "Hemmelig Beskjed", which the band themselves described as "ompa" music. The song featured unusual percussion in the form of oil barrels; as a whole, the song elicited a more positive response from concert attendees than the rest of their material. Using "Hemmelig Beskjed" as a starting point, Ottesen then composed "Bastard", an unusual song boasting bizarre storytelling lyrics heavily inspired by Tom Waits, as well as an instrumental section performed on oil barrels. Despite plans for another album, Prestø's eventual departure from the group, poor album sales and concert attendance, and the financial troubles caused by these left the band disheartened, deeming the project unsalvageable in its current form.
Using "Bastard" as a musical and stylistic point of reference, Ottesen and Zahl rechristened gnom as Kaizers Orchestra, retaining all of the band members and eventually adding a sixth member. Officially founded on 1 January 2000, Kaizers Orchestra went on to become a commercial and critical success both in Norway and internationally. A studio recording of "Bastard" was eventually released on Kaizers Orchestra's self-titled first EP, colloquially known as the Gul EP. In 2003, after a long legal struggle to purchase the rights to the material from Shimmer Recordings, Ottesen and Zahl released a remastered edition of Mys with an altered tracklist, notably featuring the studio recording of "Bastard" from the Gul EP. Ottesen and Zahl have sporadically performed gnom material on special occasions, most recently during the promotional tour for Kaizers Orchestra's autobiography Kontroll på kontinentet.
Bastard
gnom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eg har ni, eg har ni liv, og bare et igjen
så når du spør meg om alt eg har gjort
vett du at eg angrer så fort du har spurt
Men det begynte i det Herrens år 1835
at eg blei født av en doktor gjennom hans eksperiment
Eg er en blanding av litt av kvert
For når eg helser på folk eg treffer på min vei
Kan de sjå på meg stygt
De kan peike og sei: "bastard"
De kan sjå på meg stygt og sei: "bastard"
Men fram til eg var 13 levde eg kun på et liv
Det var langt, men ikkje så langt, eg kan leva på ni
Og kor enn eg går blir det sagt at eg har uflaks
på grunn av at eg er svart
Eg brant kastanjer på gatå, men eg fekk ingen kunder
"Kom og kjøp! kom og kjøp!" Nei, eg trengte et under
Eg blei tatt hånd om av en viss Mr. Kaizer
Han er den stolte eier av verdens tyngste siameser
I liv nummer seks tok eg sjølvmord
i nummer sju lige så
Og i liv nummer åtta lev eg nå
Og tatt i betraktning at eg er 61
Må eg ha vært et ganske godt eksperiment
Men, nei, nå ser eg fram te den dagen det tar slutt
Det er'kje så bra med ni liv som du kanskje sko ha trudd
Og alt eg ber om er en kiste eller to
For eg angra på det mesta eg har gjort
Henry er'kje prest og ingen av oss er klokker
(Den som spår i Mr. Kaizer sin kabal
eller håner sin konge i en katedral
Den skal sjøl hogga av nakken med sitt eget sverd
Og han vil i all ettertid bli kalt "bastard")
The lyrics to Gnom's song, "Bastard," describe the struggles of a being who has lived multiple lives and is now left with only one life remaining. The singer explains that they were born in 1835 through a doctor's experiment, making them a combination of different things, including half-cat. Throughout their lives, they have encountered discrimination and judgment from those they meet on their path, who insult the singer by calling them a "bastard."
The singer recounts their experience of trying to make a living by selling roasted chestnuts on the street but failing to attract any customers. Eventually, they are taken in by a man named Mr. Kaizer, who owns the world's heaviest Siamese cat. The singer explains that they have lived through many different lives, including committing suicide in the sixth and seventh lives, and currently living their eighth life at the age of 61.
The singer expresses regret for many of their actions throughout their various lives and looks forward to the day when their current life will end. The song ends with the warning that those who disrespect Mr. Kaizer or insult their king in a cathedral will face severe consequences and be labeled a "bastard."
Overall, the lyrics of "Bastard" explore themes of identity, discrimination, and regret, and provide a unique perspective on the experience of living multiple lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Eg har sagt det før, nå må eg sei det igjen
I have said it before, but I need to say it again
Eg har ni, eg har ni liv, og bare et igjen
I have nine lives, but only one left
så når du spør meg om alt eg har gjort
So, when you ask me about all that I have done
vett du at eg angrer så fort du har spurt
You know that I regret it as soon as you asked
Men det begynte i det Herrens år 1835
But it all began in the Lord's year 1835
at eg blei født av en doktor gjennom hans eksperiment
That I was born from a doctor's experiment
Eg er en blanding av litt av kvert
I am a mixture of a little bit of everything
Men det er vel ingen tvil om at eg må vær halvt katt
But there is no doubt that I must be half cat
For når eg helser på folk eg treffer på min vei
For when I greet people I meet on my way
Kan de sjå på meg stygt
They can look at me with disdain
De kan peike og sei: "bastard"
They can point and say, "bastard"
De kan sjå på meg stygt og sei: "bastard"
They can look at me with disdain and say, "bastard"
Men fram til eg var 13 levde eg kun på et liv
But until I was 13, I only lived one life
Det var langt, men ikkje så langt, eg kan leva på ni
It was long, but not that long, I can live on nine
Og kor enn eg går blir det sagt at eg har uflaks
And wherever I go, it's said that I have bad luck
på grunn av at eg er svart
Because I am black
Eg brant kastanjer på gatå, men eg fekk ingen kunder
I roasted chestnuts on the street, but I didn't get any customers
"Kom og kjøp! kom og kjøp!" Nei, eg trengte et under
"Come and buy! Come and buy!" No, I needed a miracle
Eg blei tatt hånd om av en viss Mr. Kaizer
I was taken care of by a certain Mr. Kaizer
Han er den stolte eier av verdens tyngste siameser
He is the proud owner of the world's heaviest Siamese cat
I liv nummer seks tok eg sjølvmord
In life number six, I committed suicide
i nummer sju lige så
In number seven, the same
Og i liv nummer åtta lev eg nå
And now in life number eight, I live
Og tatt i betraktning at eg er 61
And considering that I am 61
Må eg ha vært et ganske godt eksperiment
I must have been a pretty good experiment
Men, nei, nå ser eg fram te den dagen det tar slutt
But no, now I look forward to the day it ends
Det er'kje så bra med ni liv som du kanskje sko ha trudd
It's not that great with nine lives like you might have thought
Og alt eg ber om er en kiste eller to
And all I ask for is a coffin or two
For eg angra på det mesta eg har gjort
Because I regret most of what I have done
Henry er'kje prest og ingen av oss er klokker
Henry is not a priest and none of us are clockmakers
(Den som spår i Mr. Kaizer sin kabal
(Whoever predicts Mr. Kaizer's fate
eller håner sin konge i en katedral
Or insults their king in a cathedral
Den skal sjøl hogga av nakken med sitt eget sverd
Shall have to cut off their own head with their own sword
Og han vil i all ettertid bli kalt "bastard")
And they will forever be called a "bastard")
Contributed by Kayla O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@The1337Duke
NICE! dette er jo Mr. Kaizers stemme jeg hører! Awesome sang! Dette er før Kaizers Orchestra hører jeg^^
@eirikwegga
Proto Kaizers. They played the Gnom set a bar, people weren't paying attention until they did this one at the very end, when it was over the audience roared. So they figured "let's head in this direction", and Kaizers was born.
@TartarStan
So fucking awesome!
@AleksaNoeksa
Similar sound to 170. Pretty great.
@HOJ76
Første gangen vi får høre om Mr. Kaizer, ergo - historisk element i denne sangen..
@ratoftouille6934
the FIRST poor little meow meow...we do stan
@TrygveBernhardtMoenHaaland
@Venix946 Dette var sangen som lagde utgangspunktet til Kaizers Orchestra. Gnom eksperimenterte med forskjellige sjangere og denne sangen ga de lyst på mer. Med ny musikk, så ville de ha nytt navn. De kom da på at de nevnte en Mr. Kaizer i denne sangen og kalte bandet sitt opp etter det. Det er forøvrig ikke Jan-Ove som er selveste Mr. Kaizer, i hvert fall ikke alene.
@jonaslkse8050
3.13 "For Henry er ikkje prest og ingen av oss har klokker"
@TheCoughingCore
skulle gjerne hatt den sangen ...
@SOSifymaybe
888 views, 8 likes, kult :D