The Ballad of Lula and Bela B.

Okay okay, first of all, I don’t wanna be one of those people who embed way to many vids, music clips, etc. in their blogs (or even on their profile). But this one I just have to share with all of you, simply because it may very well be the best duet I’ve ever heard… and that despite some flaws I’m going to talk about later.

So this is the video of the song "Leave" by Bela B. and Lula. Lula, then still an up-and-coming chanteusse from France, wrote the lyrics to the song and recorded it for her solo album. After Bela B., a German rock icon (for me THE German rock icon) heard Lula’s singing talent he convinced her to rerecord this particular song and to collaborate with him on other projects. Later on, the song came to be included in the soundtrack of the German film "Kaliber Deluxe" (2000), hence the video with snippets from the movie.

Now let me first elaborate on the mini-flaws. There are just two: Lula’s sentence construction and Bela B.’s pronunciation. Again, Lula is French and Bela B. is German, need I say more? There are no lyrics of the song online, but ever since I first saw this video I’ve understood the words as "you’re the one who leaved perfume in my bed". Who leave? Me leave? You leave?

Plus, "a thousand doorbells buzzing in my head" will definitely sound a bit off in a song where the lyricist obviously focused only on the sonics and not on meaning, depth, or even grammar. (Although sonics and depth are easily interchangeable for some.)

Ultimately though, and I don’t mean to romanticize or euphemise, all these minute details put together make up something very, very special, namely the entrancing words and sounds coming from Lula’s mouth and the equally intense singing of Bela B. The first time I saw this video I was literally transfixed and sent into perpetual sigh-dom.

*SIIIIIGH*. This is the only expression I can use to describe what this song does to me. It’s especially the video that I think is so awesome, I think without the catchy video the song wouldn’t be as moving.

Well, see for yourselves folks:

The Soundtrack of My Youth

Albums that shaped my existence:

Foo Fighters - There is Nothing Left to Lose

Alanis Morissette - Supposed Former Infatuated Junkie, Under Rug Swept

R.E.M. - Up

Natalie Merchant - Ophelia

Lene Marlin - Playing My Game

K’s Choice - Almost Happy

Tonic - Sugar

My Best Friend’s Wedding Soundtrack

Ally McBeal Soundtrack Vol. 1

Message in a Bottle Soundtrack

Goo Goo Dolls - Dizzy Up the Girl

Semisonic - Feeling Strangely Fine

Jude - No One is Really Beautiful

Bryan Adams - MTV Unplugged

Sarah Maclachlan - Mirrorball

Does it mean anything that the most unforgettable songs in my life I listened to when I was in high school, the only time in my life that I was perceptive, uncorrupted, and introversive?

I hate myself. I’m shallow and I now listen to what people say and care what people think. Should listen to more music and connect to myself and daydream more again. Note to self: buy cd changer