(English lyrics below)
Originally a Swedish medieval ballad of the classic theme "Death of the beloved", "Så rider jag mig" is counted as a "riddarvisa" which translates directly as "Knight´s song".
In 1844 Richard Dybeck wrote two stanzas of his own to the original melody. This later became Sweden´s national anthem. But that´s a different story and a different video.
These ballads are traditionally strictly repetitious with many verses and a "omkväde". A sort of identical phrase repeated within the verse. In this case it´s the final line of each verse, also preceded by a simple "tra la la" found in each verse.
The lyrics concern a young man riding home through the vast forests. On his way he encounters numerous people undertaking funeral tasks and preparations. When asked whom all this is for they reply it is for a young maid. On arrival at his parents-in-law´s homestead he finds out that it is his own beloved who has passed. It is both grim and sad, filled with emotion yet strangely unsentimental. It is the opinion of some researchers that ballads of this type were in fact sung as entertainment in a humorous fashion. Be that as it may, it is hard not to be touched by the heartbreaking content.
As you can tell, we have taken HUGE artistic liberties in how we present it.
Good or bad? Innovative or taboo?
You tell us...
English lyrics (own non-official translation):
So I ride
1. And so, I ride through the wide stretched woods
Whilst all others so sweetly slept
2. And so I ride a bit further on
And then I heard the bells toll
Bells toll!
3. Good day, good day, my bell ringing men
For whom do you ring these bells now?
4. We ring them for a young lad´s maid
Who´s off into the ground to sleep
5. And so I ride a bit further on
There stood the diggers and dug
There stood the diggers and dug
6. Good day, good day my digging men
For whom are you digging this grave?
7. We dig it for a young lad´s maid
Who´s off into the ground to rest
Lai lai lai la
Who´s off into the ground to rest
8. And so I ride to my father-in-law´s homestead
That used to be red just as roses
Lai lai lai la
That used to be red just as roses
9. Firstly, I ask where my dear maiden is
And then for my mother-in-law and father-in-law
10. And so I advance still further inside
And there two stood and gave her cerecloth
Lai la la lai la la la
And there two stood and gave her cerecloth
11. I curl and I comb my pretty yellow hair
And wanted to follow her to the grave
Lai lai lai la la
And wanted to follow her to the grave
To the grave!
12. And damsels and maidens they formed themselves a ring
They said that I could chose myself another
Lai lai lai la
They said that I could chose myself Another
13. But such a girl that she was
Is not to be found in seven kingdoms
Lai la la la la
Is not to be found in seven kingdoms
Edit and direct: @hammerblaze 🖤👊🙏
Originally a Swedish medieval ballad of the classic theme "Death of the beloved", "Så rider jag mig" is counted as a "riddarvisa" which translates directly as "Knight´s song".
In 1844 Richard Dybeck wrote two stanzas of his own to the original melody. This later became Sweden´s national anthem. But that´s a different story and a different video.
These ballads are traditionally strictly repetitious with many verses and a "omkväde". A sort of identical phrase repeated within the verse. In this case it´s the final line of each verse, also preceded by a simple "tra la la" found in each verse.
The lyrics concern a young man riding home through the vast forests. On his way he encounters numerous people undertaking funeral tasks and preparations. When asked whom all this is for they reply it is for a young maid. On arrival at his parents-in-law´s homestead he finds out that it is his own beloved who has passed. It is both grim and sad, filled with emotion yet strangely unsentimental. It is the opinion of some researchers that ballads of this type were in fact sung as entertainment in a humorous fashion. Be that as it may, it is hard not to be touched by the heartbreaking content.
As you can tell, we have taken HUGE artistic liberties in how we present it.
Good or bad? Innovative or taboo?
You tell us...
English lyrics (own non-official translation):
So I ride
1. And so, I ride through the wide stretched woods
Whilst all others so sweetly slept
2. And so I ride a bit further on
And then I heard the bells toll
Bells toll!
3. Good day, good day, my bell ringing men
For whom do you ring these bells now?
4. We ring them for a young lad´s maid
Who´s off into the ground to sleep
5. And so I ride a bit further on
There stood the diggers and dug
There stood the diggers and dug
6. Good day, good day my digging men
For whom are you digging this grave?
7. We dig it for a young lad´s maid
Who´s off into the ground to rest
Lai lai lai la
Who´s off into the ground to rest
8. And so I ride to my father-in-law´s homestead
That used to be red just as roses
Lai lai lai la
That used to be red just as roses
9. Firstly, I ask where my dear maiden is
And then for my mother-in-law and father-in-law
10. And so I advance still further inside
And there two stood and gave her cerecloth
Lai la la lai la la la
And there two stood and gave her cerecloth
11. I curl and I comb my pretty yellow hair
And wanted to follow her to the grave
Lai lai lai la la
And wanted to follow her to the grave
To the grave!
12. And damsels and maidens they formed themselves a ring
They said that I could chose myself another
Lai lai lai la
They said that I could chose myself Another
13. But such a girl that she was
Is not to be found in seven kingdoms
Lai la la la la
Is not to be found in seven kingdoms
Edit and direct: @hammerblaze 🖤👊🙏
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