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Helan gar
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:06 am
by Shannon V. OKeets
Off track for this forum, but I thought someone could translate these song lyrics. My father and his family always sang this, with a skoal in the middle. All I ever got was a somewhat blurry translation, having to do with the drinking involved I suspect. Can someone translate this for me please? Sorry about the missing accent over the a's.
Helan gar.
Sjung hopp fadarala lalan lej.
Helan gar.
Sjung hopp fadaralan lej.
Och den some inte helan ga
Han heller inte halvan far.
Helan gar.
[Aquavite shot is drunk in one swallow here.]
Sjung hopp fadaralan lej.
RE: Helan gar
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:38 am
by lomyrin
Ah yes, Swedish drinking songs.
Helan gar. The whole shot goes
Sjung hopp fadarala lalan lej. Sing hopp fadarala lalan lej
Helan gar. The whole shot goes
Sjung hopp fadaralan lej. Sing hopp fadaralan lej
Och den some inte helan ga And the one who does not take the whole shot
Han heller inte halvan far. He also does not get the half shot
Helan gar. The whole shot goes
[Aquavite shot is drunk in one swallow here.]
Sjung hopp fadaralan lej. Sing hopp fadaralan lej
Loosely translated Helan - a whole shot of liquor, går - is drunk
Lars
RE: Helan gar
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:45 am
by Shannon V. OKeets
ORIGINAL: lomyrin
Ah yes, Swedish drinking songs.
Helan gar. The whole shot goes
Sjung hopp fadarala lalan lej. Sing hopp fadarala lalan lej
Helan gar. The whole shot goes
Sjung hopp fadaralan lej. Sing hopp fadaralan lej
Och den some inte helan ga And the one who does not take the whole shot
Han heller inte halvan far. He also does not get the half shot
Helan gar. The whole shot goes
[Aquavite shot is drunk in one swallow here.]
Sjung hopp fadaralan lej. Sing hopp fadaralan lej
Loosely translated Helan - a whole shot of liquor, går - is drunk
Lars
Terrific. Thanks. Another childhood mystery solved.
RE: Helan gar
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:22 am
by Frederyck
An interesting anecdote/legend about this drinking song is that in 1957 when Sweden unexpectedly defeated Russia in the Ice Hockey World Championships Final held in Moscow, the organisers had failed to get a correct rendition of the Swedish National Anthem on the speakers. The only song the whole team knew was "Helan Går", which they sang instead during the ceremony... [:D]
RE: Helan gar
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:45 pm
by Toed
Traditionally Helan går is actually only the first 'verse' so to speak. A bit later during the meal one sings Halvan går and so on throughout all sixteen parts. However doing it that way one normaly don't drink the whole shot each time. Roughly half the first time and then less depending on your own wishes. Here is a list of the names - just swap the Helan part for the name below for the next verse and so on.
Helan (whole)
Halvan (half)
Tersen ('third')
Kvarten (quarter)
Kvinten ('fifth')
Rivan (-)
Septen ('seventh')
Rafflan (-)
Rännan (-)
Repetitionen (the repetition)
Smuttan (-)
Smuttans unge (smuttan's kid)
Femton droppar (fifteen drops)
Lilla Manasse (small manasse)
Lilla Manasses bror (small manasse's brother)
Kreaturens låteruppståndelse (the resurrection of the beasts)
Den bleka dödens dryck (the pale death)
... and that's how you get a party started
... or ended [;)]
However nowdays Helan Går is usually followed by other songs to make things less repetitive.
RE: Helan gar
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 5:38 pm
by Shannon V. OKeets
ORIGINAL: Frederyck
An interesting anecdote/legend about this drinking song is that in 1957 when Sweden unexpectedly defeated Russia in the Ice Hockey World Championships Final held in Moscow, the organisers had failed to get a correct rendition of the Swedish National Anthem on the speakers. The only song the whole team knew was "Helan Går", which they sang instead during the ceremony... [:D]
My brother (Lars) will like this story.
RE: Helan gar
Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 5:39 pm
by Shannon V. OKeets
ORIGINAL: Toed
Traditionally Helan går is actually only the first 'verse' so to speak. A bit later during the meal one sings Halvan går and so on throughout all sixteen parts. However doing it that way one normaly don't drink the whole shot each time. Roughly half the first time and then less depending on your own wishes. Here is a list of the names - just swap the Helan part for the name below for the next verse and so on.
Helan (whole)
Halvan (half)
Tersen ('third')
Kvarten (quarter)
Kvinten ('fifth')
Rivan (-)
Septen ('seventh')
Rafflan (-)
Rännan (-)
Repetitionen (the repetition)
Smuttan (-)
Smuttans unge (smuttan's kid)
Femton droppar (fifteen drops)
Lilla Manasse (small manasse)
Lilla Manasses bror (small manasse's brother)
Kreaturens låteruppståndelse (the resurrection of the beasts)
Den bleka dödens dryck (the pale death)
... and that's how you get a party started
... or ended [;)]
However nowdays Helan Går is usually followed by other songs to make things less repetitive.
And my sister will like this.