Introduction:
“Dear Old Stockholm” is a Swedish folk song, best known in the English-speaking world for versions by jazz artists such as Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Paul Chambers and John Coltrane‘s Impressions album.
The original Swedish title, “Ack Värmeland, du sköna”/”Värmlandsvisan”, may be roughly translated as “Oh Värmland, You Lovely”. The song was originally written by the Värmlandian Anders Fryxell in his musical “Vermlandsflickan” (The Värmlandian Girl). The song is about the county “Värmland” in Sweden.
February 2012, Johanna went to a concert at Jazz in the Basement, and heard Grant Levin play for the first time. As she always does when she appreciate something, she expresses it. And they connected in the break. “I know one Swedish song” Grant said…
One year later they meet to do a little bit of music, which ends up being a longer collaboration than thought. That very song ends up making the repertoire. Little did he know, that he with it would “sing her home”.
This song resonates with me because it has double meaning. Stockholm is my home town, and Värmeland is where my father’s family came from. He was a big supporter of me singing./Johanna
“Värmlandsvisan” / “Dear old Stockholm” (Anders Fryxell) Lyrics in Swedish and English:
| Ack, Värmeland, du sköna, du härliga land, du krona bland Svearikes länder! Och komme jag än mitt i det förlovade land, till Värmland jag ändock återvänder. Ja, där vill jag leva, ja, där vill jag dö. Om en gång ifrån Värmland jag (du) tager mig (dig) en mö, så vet jag (du) att aldrig jag mig (du dig) ångrar.I Värmeland är lustigt att leva och att bo. Det landet jag prisar så gärna. Där klappar det hjärtan med heder och med tro så fasta som bergenas kärna.Och var och en svensk uti Svea rikes land, som kommer att gästa vid Klarälvens strand, han finner blott bröder och systrar.I Värmeland – ja, där vill jag bygga och bo, med enklaste lycka förnöjder. Dess dalar och skog ge mig tystnadens ro, och luften är frisk på dess höjder. Och forsarna sjunga sin ljuvliga sång – vid den vill jag somna så stilla en gång och vila i värmländska jorden. |
Oh, Värmland, you beautiful, you lovely country, you crown among the Swedish Kingdom’s lands! And were I even to come into the midst of the promised land, to Värmland I [would] still return. Yes, there I want to live, yes, there I want to die. If once from Värmland I (you) take me (yourself) a maid, I (you) know that I (you) will never regret it.In Värmland it’s jolly to live and to reside. That land I praise so willingly. There hearts beat with honor and with faith as solid as the mountain’s core. And each and every Swede in the Swedish Kingdom’s lands, who comes as a guest by Klarälven’s beach, he finds [there] only brothers and sisters.In Värmland – yes, there I want to build and to dwell, with simplest happiness contented. Its valleys and forest give me the peace of silence, and the air is fresh on its heights. And the rapids sing their lovely song – by it I want to fall asleep so quietly once it’s time and rest in the Värmland earth. |