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FSC Spin-Off - May 2020: "Best Of: Christmas"
SWEDEN
Carola
Gläns över sjö och strand
PRESENTATION:
The Song
Gläns över sjö och strand (Shine Over Lake and Beach), also named Betlehems stjärna (Bethlehem's Star), is a Swedish Christmas carol from 1893.
It was originally released as a poem back in 1891, written by one of Sweden's greatest authors of that time; Viktor Rydberg. Rydberg was part of the Swedish Academy until his death in 1895 (which is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden, comprising the highest Swedish language authority and perhaps best known as the body that chooses the laureates for the annual Nobel Prize in Literature). The poem was then set to music by Swedish composer Alice Tegnér in 1893, a composer who is foremost known for being one of greatest composers of Swedish children's songs during the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.
The carol has become one of Sweden's most loved and performed ones of all time and has been recorded in hundreds of different versions throughout the years. The version of the song you hear in this entry is taken from the Christmas album Jul i Betlehem (Christmas in Bethlehem), released in 1999 by Swedish Schlager-Pop and Christian-music singer Carola.
I chose this song because it's one of my personal all-time favorite Christmas songs, and this particular version happens to be one of the best recordings of the song I've heard at least. The song is also a good representation of my home country and its music traditions, combining a composition of a melodic and humble Swedish (Scandinavian)-styled carol -and Christian hymn with Swedish "vis-culture" ("visa" is a type of a traditional Swedish and Scandinavian poetic ballad) and a warm, yet melancholic, melody that has influences from Swedish and Scandinavian folklore. While the song is a local Christmas carol, it is just a too beautiful of a gem not to be internationally acknowledged, so I hope you guys will enjoy it just as much as I do.
Lyrics
Lyrics (English translation)
The Artist
Carola Häggkvist, simply known as Carola, is one of Sweden's most successful and known names on the local music scene and outside of Sweden and Norway (where she is also a household name), and to Eurovision fans in particular, she is mostly known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 1991 with the entry Fångad av en stormvind (Captured by a Wind Storm).
The now 54-year old got her breakthrough back in 1983 at the age of 16 by winning Sweden's selection for the Eurovision Song Contest; Melodifestivalen, thus representing the country in the European final that year with the entry Främling (Stranger), which earned Sweden a top. 3 position. In 2006, she was chosen for a third time to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest with the entry Invincible (an English version of her winning entry from Melodifestivalen earlier that year titled Evighet (Eternity)). Carola has entered Melodifestivalen at two other occasions, back in 1990 with the entry Mitt i ett äventyr (Midst of an Adventure), which became the runner-up, and in 2008 in a duet with Swedish singer Andreas Johnson with the entry One Love.
Apart from her entries in Melodifestivalen and the Eurovision Song Contest, Carola is also known for songs like Mickey [1983] (a Swedish version of American singer Toni Basel's 1981 version of British group Racey's 1979 song Kitty), Säg mig var du står (Tell Me Where You Stand) [1983] (a Swedish version of Dutch singer Anita Meyer's 1981 single Why Tell Me, Why), I Believe in Love [2002] and När Löven Faller (When the Leaves Are Falling) [2003]. Taken from the Jul i Betlehem album is also the original Christmas song Himlen i min famn (The Heaven in My Arms), co-written by Carola herself, which in its own right has become a quite popular and known Christmas song in Sweden.
This year, following a career of nearly 40 years, with around 20 studio albums (nine of chich managed to top the Swedish albums chart) released between the years 1983-2016 (including four English language versions of her first albums, four Christmas albums as well as some cover albums) and continues touring and TV appearances, Carola has made a quite significant, yet random, come back to popularity, releasing a new version of her own 1983 cover Säg mig var du står in a duet with Swedish Pop star Zara Larsson. The single has become one of the biggest radio hits of the year in Sweden and also managed a top. 3 position on the official Swedish singles chart, which marks Carola's highest charting single since her 2006 Melodifestivalen winner Evighet topped the chart.
SWEDEN Carola
Gläns över sjö och strand
PRESENTATION:
The Song
Gläns över sjö och strand (Shine Over Lake and Beach), also named Betlehems stjärna (Bethlehem's Star), is a Swedish Christmas carol from 1893.
It was originally released as a poem back in 1891, written by one of Sweden's greatest authors of that time; Viktor Rydberg. Rydberg was part of the Swedish Academy until his death in 1895 (which is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden, comprising the highest Swedish language authority and perhaps best known as the body that chooses the laureates for the annual Nobel Prize in Literature). The poem was then set to music by Swedish composer Alice Tegnér in 1893, a composer who is foremost known for being one of greatest composers of Swedish children's songs during the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.
The carol has become one of Sweden's most loved and performed ones of all time and has been recorded in hundreds of different versions throughout the years. The version of the song you hear in this entry is taken from the Christmas album Jul i Betlehem (Christmas in Bethlehem), released in 1999 by Swedish Schlager-Pop and Christian-music singer Carola.
I chose this song because it's one of my personal all-time favorite Christmas songs, and this particular version happens to be one of the best recordings of the song I've heard at least. The song is also a good representation of my home country and its music traditions, combining a composition of a melodic and humble Swedish (Scandinavian)-styled carol -and Christian hymn with Swedish "vis-culture" ("visa" is a type of a traditional Swedish and Scandinavian poetic ballad) and a warm, yet melancholic, melody that has influences from Swedish and Scandinavian folklore. While the song is a local Christmas carol, it is just a too beautiful of a gem not to be internationally acknowledged, so I hope you guys will enjoy it just as much as I do.
Lyrics
Lyrics (English translation)
The Artist
Carola Häggkvist, simply known as Carola, is one of Sweden's most successful and known names on the local music scene and outside of Sweden and Norway (where she is also a household name), and to Eurovision fans in particular, she is mostly known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 1991 with the entry Fångad av en stormvind (Captured by a Wind Storm).
The now 54-year old got her breakthrough back in 1983 at the age of 16 by winning Sweden's selection for the Eurovision Song Contest; Melodifestivalen, thus representing the country in the European final that year with the entry Främling (Stranger), which earned Sweden a top. 3 position. In 2006, she was chosen for a third time to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest with the entry Invincible (an English version of her winning entry from Melodifestivalen earlier that year titled Evighet (Eternity)). Carola has entered Melodifestivalen at two other occasions, back in 1990 with the entry Mitt i ett äventyr (Midst of an Adventure), which became the runner-up, and in 2008 in a duet with Swedish singer Andreas Johnson with the entry One Love.
Apart from her entries in Melodifestivalen and the Eurovision Song Contest, Carola is also known for songs like Mickey [1983] (a Swedish version of American singer Toni Basel's 1981 version of British group Racey's 1979 song Kitty), Säg mig var du står (Tell Me Where You Stand) [1983] (a Swedish version of Dutch singer Anita Meyer's 1981 single Why Tell Me, Why), I Believe in Love [2002] and När Löven Faller (When the Leaves Are Falling) [2003]. Taken from the Jul i Betlehem album is also the original Christmas song Himlen i min famn (The Heaven in My Arms), co-written by Carola herself, which in its own right has become a quite popular and known Christmas song in Sweden.
This year, following a career of nearly 40 years, with around 20 studio albums (nine of chich managed to top the Swedish albums chart) released between the years 1983-2016 (including four English language versions of her first albums, four Christmas albums as well as some cover albums) and continues touring and TV appearances, Carola has made a quite significant, yet random, come back to popularity, releasing a new version of her own 1983 cover Säg mig var du står in a duet with Swedish Pop star Zara Larsson. The single has become one of the biggest radio hits of the year in Sweden and also managed a top. 3 position on the official Swedish singles chart, which marks Carola's highest charting single since her 2006 Melodifestivalen winner Evighet topped the chart.
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