The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #101923   Message #2890207
Posted By: GUEST,Paul F. Anderson
19-Apr-10 - 07:30 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
GREET THOSE AT HOME - NOTES

Hils fra mig Derhjemme was first published in Denmark in 1922. The lyrics were by a revue artist named Ludvig Brandstrup. The music was by Elith Worsing.

Their names are not widely known in America. The Sons of Norway Songbook from 1948 credits neither of them for the song. In 1970 the Vasa Order of America published a songbook which listed the composer as "Edith" Worsing.

Ch. Bengtsson wrote a two-verse Swedish adaptation, which differs considerably from the original.

Some Norwegian recordings of the song acknowledge L. Brandstrup as the lyricist. The 1958 Capitol Records LP "Songs of the Norwegian Fjords" has a version that is very close to the Danish.

On the other hand, the Sons of Norway Songbook has a one-verse translation that makes a few changes to the text. This book also has the best-known English lyrics for the song: "A Sailor's Greeting".

Hils fra mig Derhjemme was at first regarded as a sailor song, but in America it became a beloved expression of the immigrant's longing for the home country.

Ludvig Brandstrup (1892-1949)
Elith Worsing (1892-1923)

ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

A Sailor's Greeting can be found in the Sons of Norway Songbook, which was first published in 1948. It was written by Frederick Wick.

Greetings to the Home Folks is from the Twin Cities Dala Förening Songbook. This translation seems to be based on the original Danish text rather than on Bengtsson's version.

Jerry Silverman also translated the song in Mel Bay's Immigrant Songbook from 1992.