Model of the Week: Adina Fohlin

Adina is not an A-list model, but she may soon become one. Adina is a 25 year old Swede who happened to be spotted walking down the street by an agent, lucky girl. I’m not even sure she’s beautiful, but she has mesmerizing blue eyes and striking angular features. She hasn’t done very much high profile work, but she’s very recognizable. She probably would have been more successful if she had come along in 1997 or 98 when girls with unusual features were all the rage.

Bittersweet

We have two Roxy songs in a row, so I’m writing them both up now. Because yesterday I was too lazy. Bitters End is from the first album. It’s sometimes been refferedt to as Bitter End, which makes sense because it’s the final track. But that is incorrect. It’s definitely Bitters, not Bitter. I don’t know what it means – I’m guessing bitters the alcoholic beverage? I suspect it’s not meant to mean anything. The whole song is nonsense, although it does mark the first and likely last appearance in a pop song of the word ‘cognoscenti’. Roxy Music invented a musical style musician Stephen Coates calls ‘antique beat’, in which innocous influences like jazz, doo-wop, and romance are used as vehicles for mostmodernism, ennnui and irony. Bittersweet, from Country Life (1974) is in a similar vein. It involves innovative tempo changes, German lyrics and a oompah band combined to create a posteverything cabaret effect. Both songs are full of classic Roxy themes, chiefly sorrow, loneliness,  heartbreak  and the glamour of moping about in extreme luxury.

Bitter-sweet :
Well this is such
A sad affair
I’ve opened up my heart
So many times
But now it’s closed
Oh my dear
Every salted tear
It wrings
Bitter – sweet applause
But when the show’s in full swing
Every once in a while
High stepping chorus lines
Mean I’m forgetting
Mein lullaby – liebchen
How rich in contrast
Love can be
Sometimes I’m quite amused
To see it twist and turn
To taste – both sweet and dry
These vintage years!
Lovers you consume, my friend
As others their wine
Nein – das ist nicht
Das ende der welt
Gestrandet an leben und kunst
Und das spiel geht weiter
Wie man weiss
Noch viele schonste…wiedershen
And now, as you turn to leave
You try to force a smile -
As if to compensate -
Then you break down and cry