MP3: Johndoe - Nattskift
A few months back, I posted an mp3 for the song "Kjøtere", the first single from Johndoe's latest album "Dødvinkel". Little did I know, said record would go on to become of my favorites for 2006. How would I? Just like you, I only had one (albeit great) song to go on. So let us revisit Johndoe once again, this time with the song "Nattskift". Frontman Jonas Skybakmoen explains the lyrics:
"Nattskift" literally means "night shift". It's a song about not knowing what will come later in life. When you get older, you seem to think a lot more about these things. In short, the story is about a ghost like old neighbour that never sleeps. Every night, he leaves his apartment, only to play the slot machine at the local gas station. The protagonist in the song comes across him late one night, and for a second, their eyes meet. And the protagonist gets afraid, because he can see the reflection of himself in the old man's eyes. This meeting with his "future self" kinda leads him to contemplate where he is going in life. So "Nattskift" deals with themes of destiny, chance and uncertainty.
Not speaking Norwegian, the thing I like best about that song is that infectious melody line that sounds like a guitar doubled with cello. And that noise in the first chorus that sounds like a reverb tank being kicked over. Love that too. Look for the copies of "Dødvinkel" to appear in the webstore soon.
Johndoe - Nattskift