BIRDWOMAN
Birdwoman is the dramatical character created by the Antwerp-born singer-songwriter LARA LELIANE as the antihero of her third opus. The album, produced by Rudy Coclet (Arno, Simple Minds, Axelle Red), embraces different musical registers such as jazz, pop and electronic music. The songs deal with the feelings, the thoughts and above all the battle of Birdwoman.
She is like one of the characters in the paintings of Paul Delvaux. She is surrounded by others and still she seems perfectly isolated.
Birdwoman is hypersensitive, anxious, depressed and extremely shy. But she is also passionate, determined, euphoric, and full of poetry. She has big hopes and big dreams. She tries to relate to the world and to the people, longing for connection.
Through this «chamber pop» album LARA LELIANE reinvents herself once more and shows us the artist she is, that is to say, uncompromising, not remaining in one single genre, with in the centre always her animated voice.
The musicians playing on the album are Nicola Andrioli – PIANO (Philip Catherine), Jean-François Assy – CELLO (Daan, Yann Tiersen, Dominique A, Bashung, Sharko), Dominique Vantomme – CLAVIERS (Axelle Red, An Pierlé, Toots Thielemans, Vaya Con Dios), Christine Ott – ONDES MARTENOT (Yann Tiersen, Dominique A, Radiohead), Thomas Février – PIANO (Tcheky Karyo, Jean Claude Dreyfus, Emily Bécaud, Olga Sokolow), Lorenzo Feliciati – BASS (Pat mastelotto, Cuong vu, Colin tree, DJ Skizo).
LYRICS BIRDWOMAN
I walk towards the evening sun
One question burning on my lips
I walk towards the evening sun
One question burning on my heart
Is there a mission to fulfill
Is there a mission to fulfill
I walk along the silent fields
Sparkling crystals all around
Tears of ice on my lashes
Big dreams on my head
Is there a mission to fulfill
Is there a mission to fulfill
I come across so many traces
Prints of footsteps in the snow
When I stop walking and look around
I wonder where these traces go.
Is there a mission to fulfill
Is there a mission to fulfill
I will put down my work and leave right now
To fulfill my mission
If I were cooking
I would leave the food undone
If I were sewing
I would leave the hemless dress
If I were sleeping I would leave the unconcluded dream
If I were talking to someone
I would leave in the middle of my line.
To fulfill my mission
To fulfill my mission
To fulfill my mission
To fulfill my mission
The longing is everywhere
In my heart
In my body
In my mind
The longing is always there
From sunrise to sunset
All night long
Where are you now
Where are you now
You know I guess you woke me up
And the longing allows me
To burn my ancient pain
It is all mine
It is all mine
Is my heart singing because of you
Or is it me that I see in your eyes
My golden self that you made me discover
Just like the awakening kiss of a lover
Where are you now
Where are you now
You know I guess you woke me up
And the heart knows what the mind cannot tell
The thing in you that triggers me
It is all mine
It is all mine
You know I guess you woke me up
And now I can’t sleep anymore
Longing for that part in me
That I’ve seen in the mirror of your eyes
I do what I like and I hope you will do the same
No place for sadness in my house
The sky is full of rain
And the heart is leaking
What do I tell my child
No time no answer
No answer no insight
No insight no freedom
No freedom no peace
Lack of peace leads to war
War is lack of life
Life is time
When you waste your time’You waste your life
And life is all we got
Give me the time to answer the questions of the woman
No man can tell us what to do
You know damn well that I’m looking for the straight line
Don’t steal my time
Justice is my love
No time no answer
No answer no insight
No insight no freedom
No freedom no peace
Lack of peace leads to war
War is lack of life
Life is time
When you waste your time
You waste your life
And life is all we got
My friend wants to paint the woman
I want to shine
Mama wants to travel
Daddy wants to sleep
You see what you have been missing
Trees and silence
And you drink that beauty in
You never got so drunk
No time no answer
No answer no insight
No insight no freedom
No freedom no peace
Lack of peace leads to war
War is lack of life
Life is time
When you waste your time
You waste your life
And life is all we got
War is lack of life
Life is time
When you waste your time
You waste your life
And life is all we got
Life is all we got
Looking for a job
I hate looking for a job
Cause all I wanna do is sing sing
All I wanna do is sing
They say you need a job
I hate to need a job
Cause all I wanna do is sing sing
All I wanna do is sing
Hey anybody out there
Who understands me
Les gars vous savez quoi
Je vais parler dans votre langue
Question de me faire comprendre
Il nous est donné ce laps de temps sur terre
La question suivante c’est qu’est-ce qu’on va en faire
Le temps il est cruel
Le temps ne s’arrête pas
Dès le matin je veux chanter
Je ne sais pas pourquoi
Then the producer said to me
You need an image and a stronger identity
But all I wanna do is sing sing
All I wanna do is sing
They say you’re too ambitious
You’ve got to be realistic
But all I wanna do is sing sing
All I wanna do is sing
Hey may I have this dance
You are beautiful
This is our chance
This is our chance
Then my daughter said to me
Sorry mama but I think you are too old
But all I wanna do is sing sing
All I wanna do is sing
I said darling listen to me
Your mother is gonna show you what she can do
Cause all I wanna do is sing sing
All I wanna do is sing
Hey anybody out there
Who understands me
On m’appelle naïve
On me dit que je plane
Et si je m’en tape royalement
Si tout ça ce n’est qu’un rêve
Si tout ça ce n’est qu’un jeu
Un jeu d’enfant
L’enfant il y croit
Il ne doute pas
Il aime et il s’amuse
Ma muse c’est l’enfant
The guy from the record label said to me
Give us a hit to break you into the mainstream
But all I wanna do is sing sing
All I wanna do is sing
They say one day it’s gonna happen
But got no time anymoreC
ause all I wanna do is sing sing
All I wanna do is sing
Hey may I have this dance
You are beautiful
This is our chance
This is our chance
This is our chance
What is this feeling inside of me
It’s taking over
Let me call it grace
Love is in the air
And dreams come true
It’s magic
It is fun when I’m with you
Cause you’re quick and you are clever
You are gentle and uplifting
Cause you are leading me into a whole new world
Expanding when I’m with you
My world expanding when I’m with you
Let’s stick together for a while
You and I
My world expanding when I’m with you
I have been searching for someone like you
You have been waiting for someone like me
You were so damn right when you told me
Girl I am your man just believe me now
This most delicious sense of freedom
Makes me smile
It makes me high
Cause you are bringing out the very best in me
Expanding when I’m with you
My world expanding when I’m with you
Let’s stick together for a while
You and I
My world expanding when I’m with you
Cause you are quick and you are clever
You are gentle and uplifting
Cause you are bringing out the very best in me
Expanding when I’m with you
My world expanding when I’m with you
What is this feeling inside of me
My world expanding when I’m with you
Love is in the air
And dreams come true
My world expanding when I’m with you
Love me love me love me say you do
Let me fly away with you
For my love is like the wind
And wild is the wind wild is the wind
Give me more than one caress
Satisfy this hungriness
Let the wind blow through your heart
For wild is the wind wild is the wind
You touch me
I hear the sound of mandolins
You kiss me
With your kiss my life begins
You are spring to me
All things to me
Don’t you know you’re life itself
Like a leaf clings to the tree
Oh my darling cling to me
For we are like creatures of the wind
And wild is the wind
Wild is the wind
You touch me
I hear the sound of mandolins
You kiss me
With your kiss my life begins
You are spring to me
All things to me
Don’t you know you’re life itself
Like a leaf clings to the tree
Oh my darling cling to me
For we are like creatures in the wind
And wild is the wind
Wild is the wind
Wild is the wind
Wild is the wind
Wild is the wind
I tell you stop causing all this damage to a so sensitive heart
I tell you stop now causing all this damage to a so sensitive heart
Bring back the stolen heart
Bring back the stolen heart
You have no guilt
In love there ain’t no wright nor wrong
But then I ask you
Is there a limit of pain
How much pain can bear the heart before it breaks
How many tears are needed for a heart to drown
I tell you stop causing all this damage to a so sensitive heart
I tell you stop now causing all this damage to a so sensitive heart
Bring back the stolen heart
Bring back the stolen heart
Like a hurricane you passed by and stripped the land of her soul
Destroyed
Uprooting all new shoots of love and faith
I guess these kinds of things have to happen once
But you know there is plenty of time
For a young heart to learn
I tell you stop causing all this damage to a so sensitive heart
When I say I still love you
I know you don’t believe me
But you can’t know the nature of my love
There lie thousands of years behind us
And thousands of years before us.
No need to break me open
That’s what I’m telling you
Just love me over the never ending line
I will give my heart to the one who spreads his wings under my feet
I will give my body to the one who saw it all
But I know for sure I do still love you
Is there no way to get along
But the way I love you doesn’t suit you
But the way I love you doesn’t suit you
But the way I love you doesn’t suit you
Yet the way I love you doesn’t suit you
Eating my breakfast in the morning
I can’t help but ask myself
What are we doing here
What is this all about?
Some people say we are like stars
We are supposed to shine
Some people say it’s just a game
Girl, you think too much
What are we doing here ( 2x)
Boy, if you can tell me
What this is all about
I will follow you
Until the end of time
Don’t leave me now
I need your embrace
Just tell me it’s okay
What are we doing here (2x)
I don’t listen to the radio
And I never watch the news
The suffering is all around
It’s way too much for me
I feel the mystery of life
every day under my skin
I feel the love, I feel the pain
running trough my veins
What are we doing here
What are we
What are we doing here
Boy, if you can tell me
What this is all about
I will follow you
Until the end of time
Don’t leave me now
I need your embrace
Just tell me it’s okay
It’s true it’s not the easy road
But we will find a way
I can see it in your eyes
You and I
Daddy it’s late we spoke on the phone tonight
Daddy again your speech was way too slow
We know what that means
And it hurts me
You’ve been drinking again too much daddy
Daddy we never shared a daily life
Daddy there will always be that void inside of me
It makes me hungry for confirmation
But all I was longing for
was you my daddy seeing me
Daddy I promise there is no one to blame
In this world nothing is perfect and that’s okay
It’s time for us to know who we are
We are beautiful people
Even with our scars
Daddy you’ve given me this life and so much more
Daddy now I wanna give you my love
If I only knew how to do so
On the outside a smile on my face
Inside the tears flow
Daddy I promise there is no one to blame
In this world nothing is perfect and that’s okay
It’s time for us to know who we are
We are beautiful people
Even with our scars
Daddy what’s done is done the past cannot be changed
Daddy I know life has not been easy for you at all
Listen I miss you more
Than you will ever know
Cause you will always always be my favorite daddy
Daddy I promise there is no one to blame
In this world nothing is perfect and that’s okay
It’s time for us to know who we are
We are beautiful people
Even with our scars
Daddy I promise there is no one to blame
In this world nothing is perfect and that’s okay
It’s time for us to know who we are
We are beautiful people
Even with our scars
I have the face of a woman
And the body of a bird
I can’t speak
I can only sing
And I can fly
I am in perfect joy drifting in the sky
But I would like to be a woman
Walking on the ground
I wanna have breasts and nipples
Instead of feathers
And two arms to embrace instead of these wings
I wanna feel the heat of making love
I wanna feel the pain of a broken heart
I am a birdwoman who used to live alone
Here in my paradise I seduce with my voice
I’ve seen the world from above
It filled my chest with fear
But that’s exactly where I must go
It was never so clear
That’s what I want
That’s what I want
That’s what I want
That’s what I want
I wanna have breasts and nipples
Instead of feathers
And two arms to embrace instead of these wings
I wanna feel the heat of making love
I wanna feel the pain of a broken heart
I wanna feel the heat of making love
I wanna feel the pain of a broken heart
I’m locked up in this castle where I’m sweeping the floor
Day after day night after night
Someone has closed the windows
Someone has stolen the stars
There is so little air over here
I can hardly breathe
Open the doors
Soon I will tear away the clothes from my body
I can’t bear their weight anymore
Soon my master will enter this room
I will confide in him my sorrows and hide my tears
There is so little air over here
I can hardly breathe
Open the doors
Every single morning I’m convened by my master
He will say rich as I am I’m used to have what I want
But I will never obtain what it is that thrills in you
So go on sweeping the floor girl
There is so little air over here
I can hardly breathe
Open the doors
I’ve been given a castle I’ve been given a child
I’ve been given a voice to tell you this tale
But I’m shackled here and I need to fly
I am a bird in a cage that dreams of the sky
There is so little air over here
I can hardly breathe
Open the doors
Wise man you’ve told me that freedom exists
Half angel half man you’ve seen who I am
You translated my soul I believe in your words
I believe in a life as translucent as ice
There is so little air over here
I can hardly breathe
Open the doors
I can hardly breathe
Open the doors
Fishing boats are gathered in their sleeping place
They’ve got their nightdresses on
White lines blue lines
Telling each other the stories of the day
Of the strife between hungry men and birds and the golden fish
People have lost their interest in the shore
Besides two fishermen throwing their lines into a darkening sea
Levanto makes my heart sad of joy
lalala
I think of you yet I am free of you
No one will no longer hold me down
The body is too capricious
The heart too changeable
Thus in this country I merely trust my eyes
I merely trust my eyes
I exhausted myself walking miles and miles
Upon dusty mountain roads
I came across a lonely man
Vitorio was his name
He offered red wine to the people walking by
Show me the way to the transparent sea is what I said to me
Levanto makes my heart sad of joy
lalala
I think of you
Yet I am free of you
No one will no longer hold me down
The body is too capricious
The heart too changeable
Thus in this country I merely trust my eyes
I merely trust my eyes
I travelled so far for renewed love
I found it everywhere I looked
In the streets in the buildings in the machines
In the crowded market place
Human creation is born out of love
So I filled my heart until the very top
Yet it’s not enough for you
Levanto makes my heart sad of joy
lalala
I think of you
Yet I am free of you
No one will no longer hold me down
The body is too capricious
The heart too changeable
So in this country I merely trust my eyes
I merely trust my eyes
I had a dream last night
Would you listen to its tale
There you stood on the hill before a changeful sky
What could I do but loving you again
What could you do but close your heart for me
That’s the way it goes between you and me in my dream
Than I said to you
Won’t you come with me and pick the white and flowering thyme on the hill
As we did before in early times in the open air
There you will explain your decision so hard of leaving me
But first come with me to pick the flowering thyme
Under a sky of floating clouds and circling birds
Leave me so be it but first climb with me the mountains we used to climb
There on the desolate heights we might taste again the endlessness
But first come with me to pick the flowering thyme
Under a sky of floating clouds and circling birds
Goodbye dream man
See you again in another dream
Where we might reconcile
You never know with dreams
Goodbye dream man
See you again in another dream
Where we might reconcile
You never know
You never know with dreams
You never know with dreams
LARA
In 2017 LARA LELIANE released her second opus.
The musicians involved in the album were Nicolas Dechêne (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, fretless baritone, glockenspiel), Tristan Driessens (oud), Etienne Plumer (percussions, drums), eRno Le Mentholé (vocals, beam bass), Lucas Lovinfosse (vocals), Amira Moerenhout (vocals).
FREE
In 2015 LARA LELIANE released her atmospheric debut album ‘FREE’ in collaboration with the independent record label Homerecords.
The album was produced by the Brussels based sound engineer Dries Van Ende.
The mastering was done by the Canadian Ryan Morey (Lhasa de Sela)
and Dries Van Ende.
The musicians involved in the album were Jens Bouttery (drums), Frans Van Isacker (bass clarinet), Tristan Driessens (oud), Rui Salgado (double bass), Sarah Ridy/Isabelle de Spoelberch (harp) and Amira Moerenhout (vocals).
