...CHARLENE...
A romantic, somewhat eerie tune
Charlene was released first in August 1995 on the Isobel single. Isobel is the second single off of Bjork's second solo studio album Post. In February 1996, Charlene was also released for the Post album in Thailand.
You've got yourself in a fine mess now, Charlene
You're either absolutely mad or you are joking, Charlene

Charlene, I'm crying
so close to you darling
we're naked and laughing
you shine on my battery, Charlene

I have always adored your witty mouth, Charlene
Now would you please be very very rude to them, Charlene

Charlene, I'm crying
so close to you darling
we're naked and laughing
you shine on my battery, Charlene

Let me get you out of that lake, Charlene
your dress is red and oh so slippery, Charlene

I guess I have to dry you,
dress you and comb you
you're already late,
I'll sort you out

Charlene, I'm crying
so close to you darling
we're naked and laughing
you shine on my battery, Charlene
thanks to alwaysontherun.net
Charlene is produced by Bjork and Nelle Hooper, original programming and keyboards by Black Dog. Additional programming and keyboards by Marcus Devries. Engineer Howie Bernstein. Assistant engineer Oswald Wiz Bowe. Charlene is written by Bjork.
On the Post tour, Bjork sang Charlene live but it was called "shiny."
Bjork was asked in a chat session who Charlene was and she replied "Charlene was inspired by Kadamba." Nelle Hooper (who co-produced the song), dated acress/model Kadamba Simmons for awhile. She was murdered in 1998 by an ex-boyfriend..
Thanks to PossiblyNever on the Bjork.com 4UM
Many Bjork fans believe the line
"you shine on my battery," means "you give me energy."

A great interpretation by eisbaer from the Bjork.com 4UM:
You've got yourself in a fine mess now, Charlene,
You're either absolutely mad or you are joking, Charlene
Being cross with someone who's gotten themself ina dangerous situation

I have always adored your witty mouth, Charlene,
Now would you please be verry very rude to them, Charlene
Them=murderers, that Bjork wishes Charlene could tell them off now

Let me get you out of that lake, Charlene, your dress is red and oh so slippery, Charlene
Dress is red=full of blood
slippery=when something has been in the water

I guess I have to dry you, dress you and comb you, you're already late,I'll sort you out
Make the dead person look pretty for the funeral

Unfortunately, this interpretation cannot be totally true. Charlene the song was released in 1995, yet Kadamba, whom the song is written about, was murdered three years later in 1998.

Or, as There's More to Life Than This; Stories Behind Every Song, says, Charlene could be about love and sisterly devotion towards a reckless, mischievous friend with whom she is skinny dipping. Bjork acquaints the ocean with freedom and escape from constricting etiquette.
Charlene was not performed in the Greatest Hits 2003 tour.
You can listen to Charlene at these locations:
*Soulseek
*The Hyperballad--zip
*Bjork mp3 songs and such--mp3 (doesn't always work...but keep trying because this page is well worth it).
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Last updated 3/31/04