Texter

Texter är svårt. Bra texter är ännu svårare.
Många texter skriver på näsan och blir banala, de flesta passerar mer eller mindre obemärkta förbi. Ett fåtal blir den perfekta balansen mellan distans, allvar, självironi och utrymme för egen tolkning.
De riktigt bra texterna visar dessutom prov på ordlek och språklig finess, ibland i verbala snirkligheter, ibland i rättfram enkelhet. Man märker plötsligt att man lyssnar på vad som sjungs, inte bara sången.
De bästa texterna träffar lyssnaren direkt, och blir till ens egen. Ibland är det hela texten som fångar en, ibland bara små fraser. Som t ex ”We’ve got a kinder, gentler, machine gun hand”…

Att skriva texter tillhör inte min styrka. Att bearbeta är desto lättare. Lägga till, dra ifrån, frasera och passa in i melodi och rytm.
En av de bättre textfraser jag vet lyder:
”A welcome here I wish you, you can feel at ease. There are no emergencies at this time, I assure you.”
Hela låten har en massa ordvrängeri och dubbeltydelser, men det här är öppningsfrasen. Den förefaller svårsjungen och bakvänd, men flyter perfekt. Den är skriven av Mattias Bergström till Promemorias första album.
Ett annat lysande exempel på dubbeltydningar och humor i texter är AC/DC´s ”Big Balls”.

Nedan har vi några exempel på i mitt tycke riktigt bra texter.

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NEVERMIND – Leonard Cohen

The war was lost, The treaty signed
I was not caught, I crossed the line
I was not caught, Though many tried
I live among you, Well-disguised

I had to leave, My life behind
I dug some graves, You’ll never find
The story’s told, With facts and lies
I had a name, But never mind

Never mind, Never mind
The war was lost, The treaty signed
There’s Truth that lives, And Truth that dies
I don’t know which
So never mind

(…السلام و السلام)

Your victory, Was so complete
Some among you Thought to keep
A record of Our little lives
The clothes we wore, Our spoons, our knives

The games of luck, Our soldiers played
The stones we cut, The songs we made
Our law of peace, Which understands
A husband leads, A wife commands

And all of these, Expressions of the
Sweet indifference, Some called love
The high indifference, Some call fate
But we had names, More intimate

Names so deep, And names so true
They’re blood to me, Dust to you
There is no need, And this survives
There’s Truth that lives, And Truth that dies

Never mind, Never mind
I leave the life I left behind
There’s Truth that lives, And Truth that dies
I don’t know which
So never mind

(…السلام و السلام)

I could not kill, The way you kill
I could not hate, I tried, I failed
You turned me in, At least you tried
You side with them whom, You despise

This was your heart, This swarm of flies
This was once your mouth, This bowl of lies
You serve them well, I’m not surprised
You’re of their kin, You’re of their kind

Never mind, Never mind
I had to leave my Life behind
The story’s told, With facts and lies
You own the world
So never mind

Never mind, Never mind
I live the life I left behind
I live it full, I live it wide
Through layers of time, You can’t divide

My woman’s here, My children too
Their graves are safe From ghosts like you
In places deep, With roots entwined
I live the life I left behind

السلام و السلام

The war was lost, The treaty signed
I was not caught, Across the line
I was not caught, Though many tried
I live among you
Well-disguised

HOW TO KILL A HORSE – Brother Dege

Deep in the warm, driving rain, there’s a shadow that all men can claim.
So come to me slowly and lay.
I got a horse to kill. Can you help me bind his reins?
Deep in the ruins of shame, where only dogs dust, dust, and fools shall remain.
I kicked and cracked my heel to find a vein. To beget a tear and yet be gone away.
I got a horse to kill. Can you help me bind his reins?
I got a horse to kill that no man can break.
Deep in the dogma of dreams, where only fog, fate, and fool shall remain.
Some say the evil will wane. To beget a fear and yet be gone away.
I got a horse to kill can you help me bind his reins.
I got a horse to kill that no man can break. No man can break.
They say no man can break. No man can break. You know a man can break

TEEN IDLE – Marina and the Diamonds

I wanna be a bottle blonde
I don’t know why but I feel conned
I wanna be an idle teen
I wish I hadn’t been so clean

I wanna stay inside all day
I want the world to go away
I want blood, guts and chocolate cake
I wanna be a real fake

I wanna be a virgin pure
A 21st century whore
I want back my virginity
So I can feel infinity

I wanna drink until I ache
I wanna make a big mistake
I want blood, guts and angel cake
I’m gonna puke it anyway

I wish I wasn’t such a narcissist
I wish I didn’t really kiss
The mirror when I’m on my own
Oh, God! I’m gonna die alone
Adolescence didn’t make sense
A little loss of innocence
The ugly years of being a fool
Ain’t youth meant to be beautiful?

Yeah, I wish I’d been a, wish I’d been a teen, teen idle
Wish I’d been a prom queen fighting for the title
Instead of being sixteen and burning up a bible
Feeling super, super (super!) suicidal
The wasted years, the wasted youth
The pretty lies, the ugly truth
And the day has come where I have died
Only to find I’ve come alive
Only to find I’ve come alive
Only to find I’ve come alive
Come alive