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Vidar Vang

  1. Stand up

  2. This time

  3. Hard to follow, hard to find

  4. #1

  5. Sometimes I stay up at night, all alone

  6. Nothing to me, now

  7. Alive

  8. Let's pretend this coffee is champagne

  9. My baby's like water

  10. I'll be Johnny & you'll be June

“Summen er lyden av en framtidig klassiker”
— Nordlys
“Ikke ett av de ti sporene er overflødige, og de tåler å bli gjentatt. Ofte!”
— Dagbladet

“Stand Up”

I desember 2004 skilte jeg og bandet, bestående av barndomskompiser fra Bjerkvik, lag (vi hadde da spilt sammen siden 1999). Uten stor dramatikk, men fordi vi følte vi hadde gitt alt vi kunne på to album, og satt igjen med for lite samlet omsetning til at vi kunne gå på nok en runde som fem-hodet prosjekt. Regningene skulle betales, og andre spor måtte derfor følges.

Akkurat dette punktet, der kunst krysser økonomi, har jeg etter hvert skjønt at artister og band som har solgt langt flere plater enn det jeg og vi gjorde den gangen, også har kommet - og nok vil komme til, igjen og igjen. Overgangen fra at en kasse pils, og kanskje en kasse til på nachspielet, opplevdes som belønning/betaling nok for en spillejobb, til at noen i bandet var blitt foreldre og at vi alle hadde fått forpliktelser, gjorde det vanskelig å fortsette å være satsende, men fattige kunstnere.

Jeg og bandet skiltes som gode venner, selvsagt - og er det selvsagt fremdeles.

Selv var jeg fast bestemt på å prøve igjen. Jeg hadde, som etter “Rodeo”, mange nye idèer og sanger på gang. Prosjekt “Vidar m/ band” hadde kanskje gått inn for landing, men det var aldri aktuelt for meg å stoppe i 2005. Den som ble med meg videre var Gaute. Nå ikke som gitarist, men som “bakmann” og samarbeidspartner om tekstene. Det var i forbindelse med “Vidar Vang” at partnerskapet vårt for alvor ble sementert, og det spørs om det hadde blitt et nytt album (så raskt etter “Stand Up Straight”) uten Gaute.

Bak meg hadde jeg i 2005 to kritikerroste album, som hadde gitt meg og bandet tre fantastiske år på mange vis. Men, det var også to album som hadde solgt mindre enn vi, EMI og Sony hadde trodd og håpet på - og på et stort, internasjonalt selskap så holder det sjelden å bare være “godt likt”.

Så da jeg skulle i gang med mitt fjerde album, var det første jeg gjorde å bestemme meg for å ikke forsøke å få en ny platekontrakt med en major label. I stedet ble VV Records opprettet, mitt eget plateselskap. Fra og med “Vidar Vang” har jeg selv stått for innspilling og hele produksjonen av alle albumene mine – og jeg eier alle mastertapene mine selv.

Det var et godt valg.

i 2005 ble jeg også med kompisene mine i Madrugada på en lang Europaturnè. Her ble sangene til “Vidar Vang” urfremført, og finslipt. Blant annet fra en scene i Munchen samtidig med at Liverpool slo Milan i Champions League-finalen i Istanbul. Det er første og eneste gangen jeg skulle ønske jeg heller så en fotballkamp enn å spille konsert. For jeg så alle Liverpool-kampene den sesongen - men ikke finalen. 

Gaute hospiterte i 2005 i Supermono Studio, i Sagveien 17 i Oslo, drevet av Kjetil Draugedalen. Det ble derfor også studioet hvor “Vidar Vang” ble spilt inn - med nye musikere denne gangen - et innhanket stjernelag bestående av folk jeg hadde blitt kjent med i løpet av årene i Oslo og på veien: Erland Dahlen på trommer, Bjørn Holm på ståbass, Mikael Lindqvist på piano og Lise Voldsdal på fiolin.

“Vidar Vang” ble spilt inn mer eller mindre slik de fleste jazzplater spilles inn; live i studio på et par dager. Vi telte til 4, lot det stå til, og når sangen var over gikk vi inn i kontrollrommet for å høre på den. Satt det, var den ferdig - og klar for miks. Sammenlignet med innspillingen av “Rodeo” noen år tidligere, føltes det utrolig befriende å jobbe så raskt og effektivt denne gangen. Det ga sangene masse liv, og en ny, og annen type nerve enn på de foregående albumene. 

Sangene på albumet “Vidar Vang” bærer alle preg av at jeg det året lette etter ny grunn; en eller annen ny vei videre. Det er som om sangene selv også leter seg litt ´frem, på et vis. Tekstene ble personlige, og tett på. 

“Stand Up”, singelen fra “Vidar Vang”, ble A-listet på NRK P1 vinteren 2006, og årene 2006-2007 ble svært begivenhetsrike og innholdsrike år for meg som artist. Jeg gjorde utrolig mange konserter, alene med gitaren, i trioformat med Mikael og Lise, og noen også med fullt band; med studiobandet. Og reisen gjennom Europa med Robert og Madrugada var et høydepunkt. Spør bare etter en viss “Rider Banks” i Athen eller Tessaoniki - hvem vet, kanskje får du svar.

V

  • STAND UP

    Afraid
    I don’t know where I’m going
    Afraid
    I can’t go back to where I’ve been
    It’s late
    And I’m alone out driving
    I got my window halfway down
    And the rain is coming in

    Stand up
    Stand up
    Stand up now brothers and sisters and lovers
    Stand up

    Steep
    This ladder that I’m climbing
    Steep
    And I ain’t gonna fall

    I got a six feet wall between my heart and soul
    I chased the sunshine, baby and got covered up in snow
    I held on too long to what I had to let go
    I tried to make it on my own, but this ain’t no one-man-show
    I forgot my name and where I set out to go
    I got a concrete will, I ain’t gonna cry no more

    Stand up
    Stand up
    Stand up now
    Stand up

    I’m so tired of searching
    There's nothing left to find
    I’m so tired of waiting
    For the sun to shine
    I’m so tired of dreaming
    I’m so tired, love
    I’m so tired of praying
    To the sleeping God above

    Stand up
    Stand up
    Stand up, now, brothers and sisters and lovers
    Stand up

  • THIS TIME

    I don't wanna hurt you, dad
    I don't wanna scare you, mom, or make you sad
    I don't wanna live inside a tomb
    I don't wanna leave you here
    I don't wanna close my eyes when you’re near
    I don't wanna leave my house or room

    This time is not for liars
    This time is not for cheats
    This time is not for gazing at your feet
    This time is not for cowards
    This time is not for hate
    This time is not for guards out by the gate

    I don't wanna loose this war
    But sometimes I forget just what I came here for
    I don't just wanna do good man, I wanna do right
    I don't wanna scare you, friend
    Or take away anything on which you might depend
    But I don't know if there's anything left to fight for

    This time is not for beggars
    This time is not for thieves
    This time is not for miracles or grief
    This time is not for mercy
    Mercy from the rain
    This time is not for pleasure, pills or pain

    Can you feel it?
    Can you see?

    Everybody's changing now

    This time is not for trenches
    This time is not for swords
    This time is not for prayin', sayin' “Dear, dear Lord”
    This time is not for comics
    This time is not for space
    This time's for taking punches in your face

  • HARD TO FOLLOW, HARD TO FIND

    The road was wide
    And many of us went
    Side by side
    Thirteen lonely men
    And I never meant to hurt you, friend

    I needed you
    And I guess you needed me
    I needed you
    It was plain for all to see
    And then I denied you
    One
    Two
    Three…

    I miss you, man
    The water and the wine
    I miss you, man
    You're always on my mind
    But, you're hard to follow, you're hard to find

  • #1

    May your heart stay soft and warm
    May your ships pass through the storm
    May good fortune follow you
    Stay true

    May this moment, in time
    Let it shine, shine

    Love, my love
    May God grace your day
    Your night and your way
    My love, my love
    Now, don't be afraid
    I'll be by your side always

    May you remember, may you sing
    Outside it's raining, and it's raining in
    May you fight, may you win
    May you win

    May this moment, in time
    Let it shine, let it shine

    Love, my love
    May God grace your day
    Your night and your way
    My love, my love
    Now, don't be afraid
    I'll be by your side, my love

    May God grace your day
    Your night and your way
    My love, my love
    Now, don't be afraid
    I'll be with you always

  • SOMETIMES I STAY UP AT NIGHT

    Sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy
    Sometimes I feel like going home
    Sometimes my memory works quite amazing
    Sometimes I stay up at night, all alone

    Sometimes it rains while it's sunny
    Sometimes there’s calm inside the storm
    Sometimes I won't laugh when a joke is funny
    Sometimes I stay up at night, all alone

    Sometimes the future is ahead of me
    Sometimes I'm scared of the stones that I've thrown
    Sometimes a day or five goes by me
    Sometimes I stay up at night, all alone

    I’m gone, gone, gone
    With the wind

  • NOTHING TO ME, NOW

    All your crying
    All your shame
    All your guilt
    And all your blame
    All your pain, means nothing to me now

    All your losses
    All your plans
    All your castles made of sand
    Listen man, they're nothing to me now

    You're nothing to me, now
    I know you, and you're nothing to me, now

    All your worries
    All your lies
    All your gambles
    All your alibies
    Don't ask why, they're nothing to me now

    All your anger
    All your past
    Your paradise that didn't last
    Get over it fast, man
    It's nothing to me now

    You're nothing to me now
    I know you, you're nothing to me now

    I'm just tired
    You're just blind
    I am right
    And you're just left behind
    I don't mind, you're nothing to me, now

    You're nothing to me now
    I know you, you're nothing to me now

    And I'm never going back that way again

  • ALIVE

    I try to get up early every day
    I try to make you happy in every way
    I try to do my best girl, every night
    I try to do my best girl, I try to put up a fight

    Well, all right
    You gotta fight
    Every day
    And every night

    The sky is black with rain today, but I'm not born to lose
    And though the water's pouring in from holes in both my shoes
    I'm alive

    I try to save some money, I try to be good
    I try to save some money, my dad always said I should
    But sometimes I lie awake at night, and I just wanna run away
    Sometimes I lie awake at night, but I'm gonna stay

    I'm gonna stay
    I ain't gonna run away
    I love you, baby
    I'm gonna stay

    The sky is black with rain tonight, but I'm not born to lose
    And though the water's pouring in from holes in both my shoes
    I'm alive

    All you saw
    All you knew
    And all you ever learned
    Is all in all just useless when your whole world starts to burn

    You're alive

  • LET’S PRETEND THIS COFFEE IS CHAMPAGNE

    Willie, well I know it didn’t work out like we planned
    I am out of work and you are out of love again
    Willie, I would rather be most anywhere than here
    But here we are and I am kind of glad someone is near

    So let’s pretend this coffee is champagne
    Let’s pretend it’s diamonds that are pouring down, not rain
    Let’s pretend that Marianne will take you back again
    Let’s pretend this coffee is champagne

    Bob behind the counter says “Come on, boys, time to go”
    He’s gazing out the window, sayin’ “Hey, at least it doesn’t snow”
    He’s picking up his jacket and his brand new phone
    Sayin’ “Boys, you may be down and out, but at least you’re not alone”

    So let’s pretend this coffee is champagne
    Let’s pretend it’s diamonds that are pouring down, not rain
    Let’s pretend the CIO will take me back again
    Let’s pretend this coffee is champagne

    Well I hope you were a nice guy on your way up to the top
    Cause Willie, my friend, now we’re going down
    It’s lonely at the bottom too, and this rain won’t ever stop
    And my coffee’s cold just like the funeral ground

    Everybody’s going home now, taxies in the streets
    Lots of people that I know, but none I’d like to meet
    They say the price of fame is peace and simple privacy
    But I’d give everything God, if I could just stop being me

    So let’s pretend this coffee is champagne
    Let’s pretend it’s diamonds that are pouring down, not rain
    Let’s pretend that everything will just be OK again
    Let’s pretend this coffee is champagne

  • MY BABY'S LIKE WATER

    My baby's like water
    In which I drown
    My baby's like water

    My baby's like water
    And I'm a thirsty man
    My baby's like water

    My baby's like water
    The river running to the sea
    My baby's like water
    Like the rain coming down on me

    My baby's like water
    Clouds or mist
    My baby's like water
    I'm Jesus, she's John the Baptist

    My baby's like water
    Wash my sins away
    My baby's like water
    Like a cool lake on a summers day

  • I’LL BE JOHNNY & YOU’LL BE JUNE

    August day
    Friends who say
    “Hello, how are you?”
    They've come from near
    And far away
    To celebrate

    And at the altar, a bride and groom
    They say “I do”, “I do”
    They'll soon be man and woman in a country tune
    Called “I'll be Johnny and you'll be June”

    Eyes of grey
    I see them stray
    I miss you now, baby
    Some might run
    But, I will stay
    I need you, my baby

    We made a promise when our love was new
    And now I'll see it through
    You'd take care of me, I'll take care of you
    I'll be Johnny and you'll be June

Forrige

Sleepless Songs (2010)
Neste

Stand Up Straight (2004)