Learning Swedish through Swedish music classics
There is so much great music in Swedish that never made it outside the borders. A person in nearby me is currently learning Swedish and she loves music, so this is for her - listen and learn! (And the rest of you can as well, of course.)
Sofia Karlsson, a fantastic young artist, recorded a new version of my favorite Peps Persson's 80's blues and reggae song För livet ('For life') in 2007, a song that I heard over and over again growing up and loved. Peps version is filled by his 'skånska' accent from southernmost Sweden, but Sofia's version turns it more into a folk ballad. You can listen to Sofia's version here. And here are the lyrics, line by line, with translation (literal, as much as possible) in parentheses. Enjoy!
This song is a homage to all living things, all species. Peps Persson has written several songs on this theme, and also songs that criticize society, capitalism, and materialism. Som of this more famous song titles are (in translation): High Standard, False Mathematics, Oh Boy, and The Totally Fooled Generation.
som lever och andas, [that lives and breaths]
Jag spelar för livet, [I'm playing for life]
som ger både mening [that gives both meaning]
Jag spelar för livet, [I'm playing for life]
Jag leker med toner [I'm playing with tunes]
Jag spelar för livet, [I'm playing for life]
och fötterna dansar [and the feet are dancing]
Jag spelar för livet, natt och dag [I'm playing for life, night and day]
Jag spelar för livet, sådan är jag [I'm playing for life, that's how I am]
Jag spelar för livet, dag och natt [I'm playing for life, day and night]
Jag spelar för livet, därför att [I'm playing for life, because]
Jag spelar för livet [I'm playing for life]
Jag spelar för livet [I'm playing for life]
och själen bräddfull [and soul filled full]
Jag spelar för livet [I'm playing for life]
och säljer min möda [and selling my work]
Jag spelar för livet [I'm playing for life]
för vid den horisonten [because at that horizon]
Jag spelar för livet [I'm playing for life]
som alltid har växt [which always has grown]
Jag spelar för livet, sådan är jag [I'm playing for life, that's how I am]
Jag spelar för livet, natt som dag [I'm playing for life, night and day]
Jag spelar för livet, dag och natt [I'm playing for life, day and night]
Jag spelar för livet, som besatt [I'm playing for life, like possessed]
Jag spelar för livet [I'm playing for life]
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