Puppet

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## Singles Chronology

"**Puppet**" is the first song released by AURORA, initially under her given name, Aurora Aksnes. It was posted online on December 12, 2012 and went viral in Norway. It was officially released later as MP3, CD-R and for streaming under Sound Patrol Records. It was written by Aurora and produced by Thomas Haugland, however, both of them are uncredited.

## Background

Aurora wrote the song when she was 16 years old. Aurora recorded the song in December 2012 in a professional studio as a Christmas gift for her parents, since she wanted to surprise them but disliked the idea of performing in front of them.

It was a teacher at Søfteland high school who encouraged Aurora to go to the studio and who suggested to work with producer Thomas 'TomTom' Haugland. Haugland said to *Midtsiden*:

> "It was great fun to work with Aurora, it probably comes even more from that girl there [...] she is young, but knows how she wants it. At the same time, she was good at listening and open to input."
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When she posted the song on Facebook, a friend copied it without Aurora's approval to Norwegian demo music site *NRK Urørt*. She was initially upset but was surprised by the positive feedback, the song went to the top of Urørt's weekly list in 2 days.

Later, this song and a recording of the song "I Had a Dream" at her 10th grade graduation was discovered by Aurora's future manager Geir Luedy of Made Management. Aurora said to *NPR*:

> "Suddenly, three weeks after ["Puppet"] was released, I had management. And people were asking for interviews, and I got a few gigs. It was very strange. And I didn't even want to meet my management. I didn't have any use to become an artist, I didn't see the point of it. Then my mother told me that she felt this wonderful feeling between sadness and happiness, at the same time. She told me that if I could make her feel that way, maybe I could make people feel that way. And it would be selfish in one way to hide music from the world if it could be of any use. That kind of made me take the first step into the music industry."
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## About the song

This song is about a man who is stuck in an abusive relationship, comparing him to a puppet controlled by his wife. Aurora was inspired to write the song since she thought psychological abuse towards men was an important topic to be aware of as much as towards women. Despite covering dark themes, she revealed that her parents liked the song.

## Lyrics

A dancing puppet doll made of wood

I bet he'd run away one day

If he could choose to leave or stay

He's got a string attached to every bone

She's got him round her little finger

So she'll never feel alone

Oh, sometimes I wonder did he go

But not the man, of course his soul

Dreaming about wonderland

Wakes up and he's a man

Sometimes I wonder, did he go

But not the man, of course his soul

Dreaming about wonderland

Wakes up and he's a man

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over his mind

The idea of leaving her has struck his mind

When he sees her smile

He's hypnotised and he can't leave her behind

Looking to his left, there's the door

No need to try, tried it once before

And their bones're hiding beneath the floor

Sometimes I wonder, did he go

But not the man, of course his soul

Dreaming about wonderland

Wakes up and he's a man

Sometimes I wonder, did he go

But not the man, of course his soul

Dreaming about wonderland

Wakes up and he's a man

Oh, she's taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over his mind

(Over a...)

(Taking control over)

When they where out to buy her wedding gown

She wanted nothing

But the dress over a hundred thousand pound

And what she wants, she gets, or she will cry

Hits the man with her umbrella

She'll continue till he dies

Sometimes I wonder, did he go

But not the man, of course his soul

Dreaming about wonderland

Wakes up and he's a man

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Taking control over his mind

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over his mind

Taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over another man's mind

Oh, taking control over his mind

Lyrics transcribed by listening.

## Trivia

* Aurora played all the instruments in the song, including the piano.
* Aurora admitted to dislike how her voice sounded during the time she recorded the song, however, she later began to like her voice.

## References

1. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20131203053429/http://www.nrk.no/urort/Laat/415968/default.aspx
2. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Puppet-Aurora-Aksnes/dp/B00C7ZB3P2/
3. ↑ https://www.deezer.com/en/album/6181914
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp9vXVbTow8&t=770s
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/11/10/top-shows-week-aurora-and-more/93260850/
6. ↑ https://www.coupdemainmagazine.com/aurora/12534
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 https://www.midtsiden.no/debutant-til-topps-pa-urort
8. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/auroramusic/comments/kbpwe5/
9. ↑ https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/aurora/aurora-the-best-of-whats-next/
10. ↑ https://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/nyetakter/2014/08/08/stadig-storre-gjennombrudd/
11. ↑ http://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2016/11/02/500266764/