Märk hur vår skugga, Epistel 81, Bellman on ukulele

Carl Michael Bellman (4 February 1740 Stockholm 11 February 1795) was a Swedish poet and composer. Bellman is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a very important influence in Swedish music, as well as in Scandinavian literature in general, to this day. (Wikipedia)

This song is from his "Epistels of Fredman". I have made an attempt at translating it into english, but since the Swedish is very old fashioned, it's not easy...

Behold our shadow, look, Movitz mon frére
In darkness surrounded
How gold and velvet, in that shovel, there
turn to gravel and tatters

Charon waves from his rushing river
Then three times more, the grave digger too
no-more your grape you will clutch
Therefore, Movitz, come help me raise
a headstone for our sister's grave

The little bell chimes to the big bells knell

the cantor stands decorated in the doorway
and to the prayers of the bellowing boys

this stead is sancified


The road up to the adorned temples
is treaded among the yellowing petals of roses
rotting wood planks and stretchers
Until the long and black-clothed row

deeply bows in tears.

Thus went to rest, from carousing and brawls
Troublemaker Löfberg, your spouse
There, by the grass, long necked and gaunt
You still gaze back at her

From Dantobommen she was taken today
And with her, all the parties so merry
Who shall now the bottle command?
Thirsty was she and so thirsty am I
We are thirsty, one and all

Category:

Music

Tags:

• baron
• baronk69
• ukulele
• uke
• kiwaya
• kts-4
• 18th
• century
• poetry
• fredmans
• epistlar

[TheLezwoymn]

Great!!!

[BaronK69]

@TheLezwoymn Thank you!

[foobar2027]

mycket bra!

[BaronK69]

@foobar2027 Tackar!

[cellosan]

Skönt lagom hes röst med rätt tyngd bakom, den klär denna visa väldigt bra :)

[BaronK69]

@cellosan Tackar!



[JCMcGee]

Fuck Yeah! Brilliant! More Swedish please!

I played at Emmaboda popfestival a few years back and tried, very badly, to translate my song "A Little Bit Of Love".... "lite av kärlek"....I remember being told it would sound better "Eine Kline Karlek".....poor Sweeds musta been disgusted!

(Karlek... I remember it being pronounced like SHA-LAY-ACH ?)

There's an English version on here if you look up "Bobby McGees In Leeds"

This makes me demand that you do "Hej Joe!" (and then teach me the solo!)

[BaronK69]

@Eshiebaby Sorry, I don't do tabs but the chords are: Gm, D7 Cm (theme 1) and Bb, F, Gm (theme 2), and then just throw in whatever notes that fits... Hope that helps. Good luck.

[Eshiebaby]

Do you have tabs for the ukulele?

[BaronK69]

@tomstenhaug Tack!