Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Älskaren i Gluggen

My latest über-dorky obsession is with a folk-music trio from Sweden called Triakel, and their CD, Sånger från 63°N (Songs from 63°N). It's been played to death on my stereo, and making me want to take up the Hardanger fiddle.

My favorite of late is the knee-slappingly infectious ribald-double-entendre "lullaby" called Älskaren i Gluggen (The Lover at the Window).

Jag ser ditt blåa öga
söta lilla vännen min
igenom fönstret höga
men du får inte komma in.
~ Tusselullagulla snälla
som går till mig om kvälla
som inte kan se att far är hemma
far är hemma.
Vyssan lullan lej.

Update 1/18/07: Someone has informed me that "Shockingly, some of us don't read Swedish." Disappointing as I find that, here is the translation (nothing sublime, really) of the above:
I see your blue eye
sweet little friend of mine
through the window up there
but you can't come in here.
~Hushabye baby dear
who comes to me this evening
who cannot see that pa's at home now
pa's at home now
hush now, baby dear

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awwwww...how cute. Wait, no, it's really about...

!!!!

Are all Swedish popsters obsessed with adultery? 'Cause I know that something's going on.

Joe said...

It makes me wonder if Swedes themselves are obsessed with adultery. And it's not just popsters -- most of the Triakel songs are drawn from historical folk sources. I think the truth is that rural farm folk (good Lutherans or not) have been gettin very busy for a looong time, and quite often too.

Anonymous said...

Swedes aren't obsessed with adultery. This year they are obsessed with the weather. Americans fuss over adultery, with their laws against it ;-). You mind your business...keep your nose in your book

You're right about farm folk, and with a long history of a very narrow sliver of an upper class or middle class, the first have had much more influence with the culture and norms (and cuisine!) than on the Continent. Leftover potatoes and meat bits anyone?