I grew up in the '90s and remember the lyrics back then were so abstract and open to interpretation. That always drove me crazy. Jens Lekman More Quotes by Jens Lekman More Quotes From Jens Lekman I think to find an escape route out of a music industry that is becoming more and more focused on making money. Jens Lekman making-moneybecomingthinking The fate of a song is often established in the first 15 minutes of writing. Jens Lekman fatewritingsong I didn't have a home in the world, so I wanted a home in a person. I felt like I had found that, and then it was taken away from me. Jens Lekman takenhomeworld I lived in a suitcase for a year, and then a relationship brought me to New York for about four months, then I lived in Melbourne. Then I moved back to Gothenburg because the immigrant laws are strict for both Australia and the U.S., and I would have to marry someone to get into those countries. But I wouldn't really be able to get involved in a sham marriage without being able to tell anyone about it. Jens Lekman australianew-yorkcountry I think the cynicism that you have when you've just gone through a break-up is a luxury that you allow yourself for a while. Jens Lekman luxurygonethinking I started playing bass in my friend's band for some reason. It was just something I did because, well, he asked me if I wanted to play bass and he played me this song - Nirvana's version of "Molly's Lips", the Vaselines song - and he said, "You can do this! This is not hard!" and it's like a two-note song. I learned that and then I thought I was a genius. Jens Lekman playsongtwo Vocal arrangements are something I'm working a lot with for the new songs. Jens Lekman working-a-lotarrangementssong Actually, I caught myself thinking that I was hoping for someone to break into my apartment and steal my computer, or a big fire would take place in my apartment, or thinking of uninstalling my firewall so someone could hack into my computer. I just had all these dreams and eventually realized what I needed to do was delete the songs because I really wasn't happy with them. I needed a fresh beginning. Jens Lekman dreamsongthinking I had so many songs that were actually sort of finished. And I deleted them. I wrote on my website that I'd put them on the shelf, but that wasn't true. I actually deleted them from my computer. I got sort of trigger-happy and I think I deleted about 200 songs from my computer. Jens Lekman computersongthinking I kind of like polishing the songs that I'm working on. I'm really working hard on some specific songs. Jens Lekman hardkindsong I was trying to actively get away from music, I guess. But I recorded a whole bunch of instrumental piano songs. Jens Lekman pianosongtrying It's time to find someplace where I feel like it's home. Jens Lekman homefeels I don't have a girlfriend. No, I don't. I haven't had a relationship in years, actually. But yeah, I'm still looking. It's kind of nice to be looking for a home at the same time. Jens Lekman girlfriendnicehome Sometimes it's not like I write very specific, it's more like I add an atmosphere almost to something that might have been quite awkward in my mind from the beginning. Something has happened and I want to force myself to think of it in a more positive way. And then I force myself to write something that convinces me that this is actually something pretty good or something that I learned something valuable from. Jens Lekman awkwardwritingthinking I think all of my songs are either based on personal experience or will be based on personal experience, because I do write a lot of songs prophetically. Jens Lekman writingsongthinking I really think I need to find a home. I don't know if that includes a girlfriend or not, but first I need to find a home, definitely. Jens Lekman girlfriendhomethinking Sometimes you have to burn yourself to the ground before you can rise like a phoenix from the ashes. Jens Lekman burnyourselfyousometimes Every wedding is slightly different from the other. But you always get to meet the funny uncle and the weirdo relatives, and there's always someone trying to beat you up for not playing enough Beatles songs or something. Jens Lekman uncleyouweddingfunny I'm very very happy for my hardships and misfortunes: they build character and make you a better person. Even if I think it's something you have to carry with you, it's definitely something that makes you more empathic towards other people, makes you understand people and relationships so much better. Jens Lekman youhappycharacterpeople When you're writing about difficult things and darker issues, it's nice to offer some sort of light at the end of the tunnel. Some sense of hope. Sometimes, the best way to do that is by offering it in the music, so that you can dance your way out of the darkness. Jens Lekman bestmusiclighthope
