Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)

Subject: Lyr Add: HÄLSA DEM DÄRHEMMA (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 May 07 - 08:29 AM

This is a sentimental favorite among Swedish-Americans in Minnesota. There are few Swedish speakers here nowadays, so it is not often sung—more likely done as a waltz tune. The words must have been very significant to the immigrant generation.


HÄLSA DEM DÄRHEMMA (Words in Swedish)

1. I den stora tysta natt,
Står jag här vid skeppets ratt,
Under himlens stjärnehär,
Man på post mig satt.
Efter lång och strävsam dag,
Hör jag fjärran vingeslag,
Svalors flock som återgår
Mot nord, mot ljus, mot vår.

REFRÄNG: Hälsa dem därhemma,
Hälsa far och mor.
Hälsa grona hagen,
Hälsa lillebror.
Om jag hade vingar
Flöge jag med dig,
Svala, flyg mot hemmet,
Hälsa ifrån mig.

2. Lilla Svala, fastän svag,
Dag och natt, och natt och dag,
Förer dig till målet fram snabba vingeslag.
Svala Tänk också på mig!
Gärna flyger jag med dig!
Hemma står väl ängen grön,
O, svala hör min bön.


PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS:
(from http://www.pihl.us/leif/songs/halsa-dem-darhemma.html)

1. E den stura tista natt,
Store jag her veed shep-pets ret,
Oonder him-lens st-jarn-are,
Man poe post my saht.
Efter long och strev-sam dag,
Hur jag fie-yer-ran ving-e-slag,
Sva-lores flock som otter-gore
Moot nord, moot yuice, moot vore

CHORUS: Hellsaw dome der hem-ma,
Hellsaw far och moor.
Hellsaw gru-nah hawgen,
Hellsaw lille-broor.
Ohm yahg had-de ving-are,
Flou-geh yahg med die,
Svalla, fleague moot hem-et,
Hellsaw e-frome my.

2. Lil-la Svalla, fah-sten svag,
Dahg och natt, och natt och dahg,
Fur-er die til mole-et fram fraw-m snab-ba ving-e-slag.
Svalla tenk och sow poe my!
Jarn-na flee-ger yahg med die!
Hemm-ma store vell eng-en grou-n,
O, Svalla hur min buuhn.


LITERAL TRANSLATION (Not intended to be sung):
(from http://www.pihl.us/leif/songs/halsa-dem-darhemma.html)

1. In the big silent night,
I am standing here at the helm of the boat,
Under the stars in heaven,
I am at my station.
After a long and hard day,
I hear the sound of wings far away,
A flood of swallows returning
Towards north, towards light, towards spring.

CHORUS: Send my regards to those at home,
Send my regards to father and mother.
Send my regards to the green fields,
Send my regards to little brother.
If I had wings
I would fly with you,
Swallows, fly towards my home,
Send my regards from me.

2. Little swallows, although weak,
Day and night, and night and day,
You proceed to the goal on quick flaps of wings.
Swallows think also of me!
I would dearly fly with you!
At home stand the green field,
O swallows, hear my prayer.


SINGABLE TRANSLATION:
(from http://home.pcisys.net/~don_erickson/halsadem.htm)

1. On the deck I stand at night,
When the stars above are bright,
Far away from friends and home,
Lonely here I roam.
Swallows on their wings so high,
Now in spring they homeward fly,
To the land where sunlight beams
Into my childhood dreams.

CHORUS: Greet my dear old mother,
Greet my father too,
And my little brother
When he welcomes you.
If I had wings to follow,
Happy would I be.
Dearest little swallow,
Greet them all from me.

2. Little swallow, weak and light,
Night and day and day and night,
Toward your goal your wings so swift
Carry you away.
Swallow, listen then to me,
How I'd fly across the sea
To the meadows green at home,
Oh, swallow, hear my plea.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: GUEST,Paul F. Anderson
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 07:30 PM

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.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: GUEST,Paul F. Anderson
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 07:39 PM

A SAILOR'S GREETING

On the deck I stand at night,
When the stars above are bright,
Far away from friends and home,
Lonely here I roam.
Swallows on their wings so high,
Now in spring they homeward fly,
To the land where sunlight beams
Into my childhood dreams.

CHORUS:
Greet my dear old mother,
Greet my father too,
And my little brother
When he welcomes you.
If I had wings to follow,
Happy would I be.
Dearest little swallow,
Greet them all from me.

Danish lyrics: Ludvig Brandstrup 1922
English translation by Frederick Wick 1948


HÄLSA DEM DÄRHEMMA (2nd Verse)

Little swallow, weak and light,
Night and day and day and night,
Toward your goal your wings so swift
Carry you away.
Swallow, listen then to me,
How I'd fly across the sea
To the meadows green at home,
Oh, swallow, hear my plea.

Swedish lyrics: Ch. Bengtsson 1920s
English translation by Anne-Charlotte Harvey 1977

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: GUEST,Paul F. Anderson
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 07:56 PM

ORIGINAL DANISH LYRICS

Hils fra mig derhjemme

I den store tavse nat, står jeg her ved skibets rat,
Under himlens stjernehær, ene og forladt.
Under himlens høje tag høres fjerne vingeslag,
Fugletrækket atter går mod nord, mod lys og vår.

Hils fra mig derhjemme, hils min far og mor!
Hils de grønne bøge, hils den blanke fjord.
Mine bedste tanker følger jer på vej,
Når i fly'r mod hjemmet, hils det, hils fra mig!

Langt mod syd og højt mod nord, øst og vest, hvor palmer gror,
Lever unge danske mænd, der ud fra hjemmet for,
Hundred tusinder af mil skiller os fra venners smil;
Svale flyv fra sted til sted og tag en hilsen med.

Hils fra mig derhjemme, hils og bring dem bud!
Bed dem aldrig glemme, os, some rejste ud.
Intet har vi elsket, højt som hjemmets navn;
Sig dem det og hils dem, hils i København!

Tekst: Ludvig Brandstrup 1922

PARTIAL NORWEGIAN TRANSLATION

Hils fra meg der hjemme

I den stille tause natt står jeg her ved skipets ratt,
under himlens stjernevell,ene og forlatt.
Under himlens høye tak høres fjerne vingeslag,
fugletrekket atter går mot nord, mot lyse vår.

Hils fra meg der hjemme,hils min far og mor,
hils de grønne lier og den blanke fjord.
Hvis jeg hadde vinger, fløy jeg hjem med deg
til de lyse netter. Hils dem! Hils fra meg.

Text: Ludvig Brandstrup

(from the 1948 Sons of Norway Songbook)

GREETINGS TO THE HOME FOLKS

In the quiet of the night keeping watch by soft star-light,
Sailing far at sea I stand, thoughtful and alone.
From beyond the pow'r of sight comes the whir of bird wings light,
Soaring northward to the cooler new-blown spring at home

Carry greetings with you to the distant shore,
Greetings to my loved ones and her whom I adore.
All my thoughts go with you as you fly away.
Greetings, warmest greetings at the break of day.

Toward the south and toward the north men have ever ventured forth
East and West across the sea, ev'rywhere to roam.
But when months and many miles keep us from our dear ones' smiles,
With the migrant birds our thoughts go warmly winging home.

(from the Twin Cities Dala Förening Songbook)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 20 Apr 10 - 01:34 AM

Bertil Boo on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gG8Fa9OkzQ

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: H?lsa dem d?rhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Nov 17 - 12:23 AM

from email:

Hi Joe,

I'm working on a songbook for the Daughters of Norway and did a search for English lyrics. I noticed Mudcat has incorrect information about the origins of this song. Just thought you'd like to know.

It is not a traditional Swedish Waltz, the melody was composed by Danish composer Edith Worsing (1893-1923).

The original Danish lyrics were written by Ludwig Brandstrup (1892-1949), the Norwegian lyrics were taken from the Danish lyrics, by Hans-Fredrik Friis-Olsen (1923-2008). Frederick Wick wrote the English lyrics that I am using in the songbook, in 1948.

There are of course Swedish lyrics which are best known in the US, which explains why folks would think the song was Swedish.

Keep up the good work!
Beth Koll

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: H?lsa dem d?rhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: leeneia
Date: 19 Nov 17 - 01:46 PM

Thanks for the links and info. I've made a MIDI of this and plan to play it on accordion.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: leeneia
Date: 22 Nov 17 - 01:37 PM

If you would like a copy of this (melody and chords in C), send me a PM. It's a nice little piece.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: H?lsa dem d?rhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Nov 17 - 12:21 PM

Anybody remember when Garrison Keillor used to advertise El Muchacho Alegre "Happy Boy" brand "Ajua!" hot sauce? It was supposedly made by the Halsa Dem Dar Salsa Company in Lake Wobegon, Minnesota.

I think he later dropped the Hispanic-sounding part of the name—maybe somebody thought it was insensitive—and made it a wholly Swedish product, thus losing some of the irony.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Nov 17 - 12:55 PM

After doing a little Googling, I learned that "El Muchacho Alegre (Happy Boy)" is the name of an actual Mexican restaurant in Napa, CA. So maybe that's why he changed the name. He kept "Ajua" though. (pronounced ah-HOO-ah).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: leeneia
Date: 24 Nov 17 - 06:42 PM

ohboyohboyohboy. Somebody has asked me for the music! He's going to play it! How often does that happen?

This is a good piece for beginning accordion. Interesting, but not too hard, and 77 measures long, so I get lots of practice.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: GUEST,Paul F. Anderson
Date: 01 Apr 18 - 01:04 PM

The song was originally Danish, and its composer was a man named Elith Worsing. The mistaken idea that it was a woman named "Edith" may have originated with a misprint in a Vasa Order songbook of the 1970s   

SWEDISH SHEET MUSIC
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/inharmony/detail.do?action=detail&fullItemID=/lilly/devincent/LL-SDV-132034&queryNumber=1

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: GUEST,GUEST: Janet
Date: 18 Apr 18 - 04:47 PM

Need copyright information on Frederick Wick's English translation. Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: GUEST,Paul F. Anderson
Date: 03 Aug 18 - 03:26 PM

https://www.worldcat.org/title/sailors-greeting-halsa-dem-darhemma-ttbb/oclc/56339683&referer=brief_results

Sons of Norway Songbook edited by Carl G. O. Hansen and Frederick Wick, (Minneapolis: The Sons of Norway, 1948).

The translation was apparently published as sheet music in 1938 and in the Sons of Norway songbook of 1948.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: Felipa
Date: 04 Aug 18 - 04:16 PM

I missed this thread first time round. Thanks everyone, esp. Jim Dixon and Paul Anderson, for the lyrics and information. Yes, Leenia, I may learn to play the tune - though I prefer key of D or G.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: leeneia
Date: 05 Aug 18 - 08:40 AM

It should be on its way.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: leeneia
Date: 07 Aug 18 - 09:48 PM

On August 6th at 1:14 US Central Time I sent you the jpg. I hope it arrived in good order.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: GUEST,jaspianist
Date: 17 Sep 18 - 06:07 PM

How might I get sheet music (either a lead sheet or the original publication) for this piece? If you can send it to me, please write to me at jacqueline (at) jacquelineschwab.com
Thanks! Jacqueline

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: leeneia
Date: 18 Sep 18 - 09:08 AM

Well, Jacqueline, you look legit, so I will send you the jpg. Look for the waltz in an e-mail from a g-mail account. Since I am not in your address book, it may be put in your spam or junk file.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jul 19 - 10:05 AM

Here are links to two versions, one in English with Swedish captions, the other in Swedish with English captions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JY3fwO9Ez0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J186-I-j6CQ