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Rating:
Björk Gudmundsdottir.
Behind this name lies perhaps the most famous personality from Iceland, the distant northern island, or a girl who always seems young with her Lapp face, as if she stepped out of the normal course of time that wears us all down, or yet one of the most acclaimed artists by critics and audiences throughout the nineties.
In 2000, on the brink of a new millennium (excuse the pause but a question to the readers: did the new millennium begin in 2001?) our birch accepts a new musical and cinematic challenge (the first). And it's a triumph! She takes on the commitment to write and perform all the music for Lars Von Trier's new musical tragedy, who will guide her during the recording, towards playing Selma, the blind protagonist of the Danish director's work.
And thus "Selmasongs" is born, a work that, despite its mere thirty-two minutes and change in length, possesses artistic and thematic completeness, making it a perfect soundtrack as well as something more than a transitional album between "Homogenic" and "Vespertine".
The songs. "Overture", the instrumental opening track, shows that side of Björk that is an enemy of words, which, as she says, kept her silent for entire days in her childhood and forced her to work hard to learn how to use them (I am grateful for the magic her words convey in her lyrics). The song, played by the orchestra conducted by Vincent Mendoza, made me think more of a tragic war film, immersing you in a state of deep distrust for all the destruction man brings. The impression will then be mistaken, as the following song lyrics will suggest, but not too far considering the music of this film (and the film itself) as a denunciation of an oppressive society leading to an inevitably tragic end.
In "Cvalda", the factory and machine noises transform into music on which Björk duets with Cvalda, aka a surprising Catherine Deneuve in her performance. In "I've Seen It All", the album's highlight, the duet is with Thom Yorke, the male alter ego of the Icelander in vocal use, perhaps the only one to shift from frenzied singing to a titanic chant. Although in this piece, the Radiohead leader uses an almost unrecognizable voice. "The Musical" is an anthem to this genre and Broadway. The ironic text finale, where Selma, pursued by the police, sings "And you're always there to catch me if I fall" right as she is caught by justice while dancing. In "107 Steps", a depressive background voice counts up to one hundred and seven, upon which Björk with her stunning voice counts her One Hundred And Seven Steps. "New World" tells of the new world, or rather the journey towards the new world where for poor Selma there will be a new day to see.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 I've Seen It All (05:29)
I've seen it all, I have seen the trees,
I've seen the willow leaves dancing in the breeze
I've seen a man killed by his best friend,
And lives that were over before they were spent.
I've seen what I was - I know what I'll be
I've seen it all - there is no more to see!
You haven't seen elephants, kings or Peru!
I'm happy to say I had better to do
What about China? Have you seen the Great Wall?
All walls are great, if the roof doesn't fall!
And the man you will marry?
The home you will share?
To be honest, I really don't care...
You've never been to Niagara Falls?
I have seen water, its water, that's all...
The Eiffel Tower, the Empire State?
My pulse was as high on my very first date!
Your grandson's hand as he plays with your hair?
To be honest, I really don't care...
I've seen it all, I've seen the dark
I've seen the brightness in one little spark.
I've seen what I chose and I've seen what I need,
And that is enough, to want more would be greed.
I've seen what I was and I know what I'll be
I've seen it all - there is no more to see!
You've seen it all and all you have seen
You can always review on your own little screen
The light and the dark, the big and the small
Just keep in mind - you need no more at all
You've seen what you were and know what you'll be
You've seen it all - there is no more to see!
04 Scatterheart (06:39)
Black night is falling
The sun is gone to bed
The innocent are dreaming
As you should, sleepy-head
Sleepy-head, sleepy-head:
All the love above
I send into you
Comfort and protection
I'll watch over you
But don't ask me
What's gonna happen next
I know the future
I'd love to lead you the way
Just to make it easier on you
You are gonna have to find out for yourself
My
Dearest
Scatterheart
There is comfort
Right in the eye
Of the hurricane
Just to make it easier on you
You are gonna have to find out for yourself
All the hurt in the world
You know
There's nothing I'd love to do more
Than spare you from that burden
It's gonna be hard
If I only could
Shelter you
From that pain
Just to make it easier on you
You are gonna have to find out for yourself
05 In the Musicals (04:40)
Why do I love it so much?
What kind of magic is this?
How come I can't help adore it?
It's just another musical
No one minds it at all
If I'm having a ball
This is a musical
And there is always someone to catch me
There is always someone to catch me
There is always someone to catch me
There is always someone to catch me
When I'd fall
Why do I love you so much?
What kind of magic is this?
How come I can't help adore you?
You are in a musical
I didn't mind it at all
You were having a ball
At MY musical
And you were always there to catch me
You were always there to catch me
You were always there to catch me
You were always there to catch me
When I'd fall
I don't mind it at all
If you're having a ball
This is YOUR musical
And I'll always be there to catch you
I will always be there to catch you
I'll always be there to catch you
I will always be there to catch you
You always be there to catch me
And there's always someone to catch me
You always be there to catch me
You always there to catch me
When I'd fall
07 New World (04:20)
Train-whistles, a sweet clementine
Blueberries, dancers in line
Cobwebs, a bakery sign
Ooooh - a sweet clementine
Ooooh - dancers in line
Ooooh ...
If living is seeing
I'm holding my breath
In wonder - I wonder
What happens next?
A new world, a new day to see
I'm softly walking on air
Halfway to heaven from here
Sunlight unfolds in my hair
Ooooh - I'm walking on air
Ooooh - to heaven from here
Ooooh ...
If living is seeing
I'm holding my breath
In wonder - I wonder
What happens next?
A new world, a new day to see
08 It's Oh So Quiet (03:38)
Shhhh Shhhh
It's, oh, so quiet
Shhhh Shhhh
It's, oh, so still
Shhhh Shhhh
You're all alone
Shhh Shhh
And so peaceful until...
You fall in love
Zing boom
The sky up above
Zing boom
Is caving in
Wow bam
You've never been so nuts about a guy
You wanna laugh you wanna cry
You cross your heart and hope to die
'Til it's over and then...
Shhhh Shhhh
It's nice and quiet
Shhhh Shhhh
But soon again
Shhhh Shhhh
Starts another big riot
You blow a fuse
Zing boom
The devil cuts loose
Zing boom
So what's the use
Wow bam
Of falling in love?
It's, oh, so quiet
It's, oh, so still
You're all alone
And so peaceful until...
You ring the bell
Bim bam
You shout and you yell
Hi ho ho
You broke the spell
Gee, this is swell you almost have a fit
This guy is "gorge" and I got hit
There's no mistake this is it
'Til it's over and then...
It's nice and quiet
Shhhh Shhhh
But soon again
Shhhh Shhhh
Starts another big riot
You blow a fuse
Zing boom
The devil cuts loose
Zing boom
So What's the use
Wow bam
Of falling in love?
The sky caves in
The devil cuts loose
You blow blow blow blow blow your fuse
Aaaaah!
When you fall in love...
Ssshhhhhh...
09 Human Behaviour (04:10)
If you ever get close to a human
And human behaviour
Be ready, be ready to get confused
There's definitely, definitely, definitely no logic
To human behaviour
But yet so, yet so irresistible
And there's no map
and a compass
wouldn't help at all
They're terribly moody
And human behaviour
Then all of a sudden turn happy
But, oh, to get involved in the exchange
Of human emotions
Is ever so, ever so satisfying
Oh oh, and there's no map
Human behaviour, human
Human, human behaviour, human
Human, human behaviour, human
Human behaviour, human
And there's no map
And a compass
Wouldn't help at all
Human behaviour, human, human
Human behaviour, human,
Human behaviour, human,
Human behaviour
There's definitely, definitely, definitely no logic
Human, human
Human behaviour
Human
There's definitely, definitely, definitely no logic
Human, human, human, human.
10 Army of Me (03:56)
Stand up,
You've got to manage
I won't sympathize
Anymore
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
You're alright
There's nothing wrong
Self sufficience, please
And get to work
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
Army of me
You're on your own now
We won't save you
Your rescue squad
Is too exhausted
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
And if you complain once more
You'll meet an army of me
Army of me
11 Big Time Sensuality (03:50)
i can sense it
something important
is about to happen
it's coming up
it takes courage to enjoy it
the hardcore and the gentle
big time sensuality
we just met
and i know i'm a bit too intimate
but something huge is coming up
and we're both included
it takes courage to enjoy it
the hardcore and the gentle
big time sensuality
i don't know my future after this weekend
and i don't want to
it takes courage to enjoy it
the hardcore and the gentle
big time sensuality
14 Bachelorette (05:10)
I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl
You're bird on the brim
Hypnotized by the whirl
Drink me - make me feel real
Wet your beak in the stream
The game we're playing is life
Love's a two way dream
Leave me now - return tonight
The tide will show you the way
If you forget my name you will go astray
Like a killer whale trapped in a bay
I'm a path of cinders
Burning under your feet
You're the one who walks me
I'm your one way street
I'm a whisper in water
A secret for you to hear
You are the one who grows distant
When I beckon you near
Leave me now - return tonight
The tide will show you the way
If you forget my name go astray
Like a killer whale trapped in a bay
I'm a tree that grows hearts
One for each that you take
You're the intruders hand
I'm the branch that you break
Life is a necklace of fears
Your uncried tears on a string
Our love will untie them - come here
Loving me is the easiest thing
15 Aeroplane (03:48)
I can not live
Peacefully without you
For even a moment
I miss you terribly
When you're away
He's away
This ain't right
I'm alone
I'm taking an aeroplane
Across the world
To follow my heart.
How come
Out of all the people in the world
Only one
Can make me complete
One word, one word on the phone
Makes me happy
One touch, but one touch directly
Makes me ecstatic
He's away
This ain't right
I'm alone
I'm taking an aeroplane
Across the world
To follow my heart
16 Isobel (05:47)
in a forest pitch dark
glowed the tiniest spark
it burst into a flame
like me
like me
my name Isobel
married to myself
my love Isobel
living by herself
in a heart full of dust
lives a creature called lust
it surprises and scares
like me
like me
my name Isobel
married to myself
my love Isobel
living by herself
when she does it she means to
moth delivers her message
unexplained on your collar
crawling in silence
a simple excuse
nana na nana
nana na nana
in a tower of steel
nature forges a deal
to raise wonderfull hell
like me
like me
my name Isobel
married to myself
my love Isobel
living by herself
when she does it she means to
moth delivers her message
unexplained on your collar
crawling in silence
a simple excuse
nana na nana
nana na nana
nana na nana
nana na nana
17 Violently Happy (04:53)
Since I met you
this small town hasn't got room
for my big feelings,
violently happy
'cause I love you,
violently happy
but you're not here
violently happy
come calm me down
before i get into trouble
I tip-toe down to the shore,
stand by the ocean-
make it roar at me
and I roar back,
violently happy
'cause I love you,
violently happy
but you're not here
violently happy
overemotional
violently happy
I'll get into trouble
real soon
if you don't get here
baby!
violently happy
'cause I love you
violently happy
I'm aiming too high
violently happy
it will get me into trouble
violently happy
i'm driving my car
too fast
with ecstatic music on
violently happy
I'm getting too drunk
violently happy
I'm daring people
to jump off roofs with me
only you
can clam me down
I'm aiming too high
Soothe me...
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