Lyr Req: 10,000 Swedes/20 Swedes

Subject: 10,000 Swedes
From: kendall
Date: 22 Jul 12 - 04:13 PM

Does anyone know a song or a poem that goes, "!0,000 Swedes came sneaking through the reeds, and up stepped one Norwegian"...?

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: bassen
Date: 22 Jul 12 - 04:16 PM

I've only heard it as bragging phrase:   "10 000 Swedes ran through the woods, chased by one Norwegian." It may have been "1000 Swedes", but that was many years ago so I guess you have to take inflation into account...

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: kendall
Date: 22 Jul 12 - 05:24 PM

I know there is more to it but I can't bring it to mind. No great loss.

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 22 Jul 12 - 05:37 PM

When I was a kid in Minnesota, the version we knew went
like this:

"Ten thousand Swedes ran through the weeds,
At the battle of Copenhagen.
Ten thousand Swedes ran through the weeds,
Chased by one Norwegian!"

And it was understood that the way to start a knock-down,
drag-out fight in a Swedish-neighborhood bar was to sing
this scrap of a song.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: Deckman
Date: 22 Jul 12 - 06:35 PM

I was at a jam session Friday night in Seattle and that "saying" was told! bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: kendall
Date: 22 Jul 12 - 08:06 PM

Dave, thats it!

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 22 Jul 12 - 09:05 PM

Lutefisk lutefisk lefsa lefsa
Will we beat Ballard ya betcha ya betcha

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: Don Firth
Date: 16 Sep 14 - 02:50 PM

Ballard is pretty much the northwest quadrant of Seattle, a city shape more or less like an hourglass, bordered by Lake Washington on the east and Puget Sound on the west. Initially, it was settled by a large number of Scandinavian lumbermen and fishermen. It's a modern part of a modern city now, but still the population is heavily Swedish and Norwegian.

Bumpersticker seen on a car in the Ballard District:

"Norwegian driver
Thank you for not laughing."

Further—a definition. Lutefisk is whitefish preserved in salt and or lye, and there is a complex process involved in reconstituting it so that it can be considered fit for human consumption. The process stinks to high heaven and often results in a totally inedible gelatinous mess. But, it is eaten anyway because it is considered an essential Christmas delicacy. Def: "The Piece of Cod which Passeth All Understanding."

Sven and Ole find work with a house-building firm, and on their first day of the job, the basement has been dug, but nothing has actually been built yet. Sven steps into the construction trailer on the site and asks the boss sitting at his desk, "Are ve supposed to start wit' da foundation, or wit' da roof?"

The boss stares at him open-mouthed for a moment, then says, "Well, with the foundation, of course!!"

Sven sticks his head out the door and yells, "Hey, Ole! C'mon down!"

(Rimshot!)

Don Firth

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Sep 14 - 08:11 PM

Sounds like a really big Burns night.

So how many tatties?

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 13 May 18 - 10:43 AM

My Dad used sing this ditty to torment my uncle, who was of Swedish origin.

Ten thousand Swedes came thru the weeds to attack one lone Norwegian.
Their lips hung loose for a chew of snoose at the battle of Copenhagen.

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 13 May 18 - 01:55 PM

There is available a digitised version of the sheet music at the Indiana University site (as Twenty Swedes):
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/inharmony/detail.do?action=detail&fullItemID=/ism/sheetmusic/ism-71.998.58.871&queryNumber=1

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 13 May 18 - 06:26 PM

I was rather under the impression that the Battle of Copenhagen (Kobnhavn) was fought between Lord Nelson and the Danish fleet, with the final score as Brits 1: Denmark NIL. No known presence of Swedes or Norwegians.
We did have a little trouble with a previous king of Norway in 1066 though; Brits 1: Norway NIL. Most of their army is under a local housing estate.

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: GUEST,nemo
Date: 13 May 18 - 06:38 PM

Rather like ten thousand Micks laid down their sticks, no?

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: Lighter
Date: 13 May 18 - 07:05 PM

Augusta [Ga.] Chronicle (Nov. 13, 1956), p. 4:

You remember the poem, "Ten thousand Swedes crept through the weeds at the battle of Copenhagen. Ten thousand Micks were throwing bricks in the battle of Copenhagen."

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: GUEST
Date: 13 May 18 - 10:16 PM

Dear Mr. Rooweaver,

Do you have ID for your university link?


webapp1.dlib

has issues with the great-unwashed-masses approaching the ivory towers.

Subject: RE: 10,000 Swedes
From: Lighter
Date: 13 May 18 - 11:31 PM

Listen here to the 1930 football song about "Twenty Swedes":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKrcGGYiIgs

Subject: RE: Lyrics: 10,000 Swedes/20 Swedes
From: EBarnacle
Date: 15 May 18 - 08:40 AM

If you pull up the movie "I remember Mama" you will hear the song sung.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: 10,000 Swedes/20 Swedes
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 15 May 18 - 06:02 PM

Amazing - What a wonder filled world.o
The recordings awsome.

Thank You WeeRover.
For the Indiana Collection the portal is:

http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/inharmony/detail.do?action=detail&fullItemID=/ism/sheetmusic/ism-71.998.58.871

Unfortunately, the Swedes only has the cover.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Try Chicken on the Indiana search

Subject: RE: Lyrics: 10,000 Swedes/20 Swedes
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 07:48 PM

Ten T'ousen Svedes

(E.C. Stangland)

Ten t'ousand Svedes ran tru da veeds
Chased by vun Norvegian
Ten t'ousand more ran to da shore
In da battle of Copenhagen.
Vay, vay back in history
Back ven da vorld vas new
Norvegians searched all over
To find some snoose to chew.
Dey fished for Lutefisk and Torsk
It helped to make dem strong
And you and me, ve know a Norsk
Cannot do nutting wrong.
But Svedes and Danes were envious
Of Viking trips and raids
Da Viking shields and helmet horns
Made all dose folks afraid.
T'roughout da world da Vikings sailed
To Ireland and France
Dey even found America
One afternoon by chance.
My grandpa says, and he should know,
Da Svedes made up their minds
To beat da Norsky Vikings
And kick a few behinds.
But history, so Grandpa says,
Shows dat da Norskies von
Dey clobbered all da Svedes and Danes
And made it lots of fun.
Ten t'ousand Svedes ran tru da veeds
Chased by vun Norvegian
Da dust from da veeds made snoose for da Svedes
And dey called it COPENHAGEN!

Subject: RE: Lyrics: 10,000 Swedes/20 Swedes
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Sep 20 - 09:19 PM

1000 micks ran through the sticks chased by one small cockney

Subject: Lyr Add: TWENTY SWEDES RAN THROUGH THE WEEDS
From: cnd
Date: 26 Sep 20 - 12:47 AM

In an unexpected overlapping of some of my interests, a song I haven't seen mentioned (much) here: the 1930 football parody song Twenty Swedes Ran Through the Weeds (Chasing One Norwegian) by The California Ramblers. A second shorter version by famous banjoist Harry Reser skips the spoken intro written below but adds the non-sung lyrics at the end of this transcription.

The whole song mockingly follows an early football game between the Swedes of Minnesota and Notre Dame, making fun of the simplicity of college yells while cheering on Notre Dame football, which at that time was one of the best teams in the nation, recognized as co-champion of the year (alongside Alabama).

As a side note, I've found a fragment of the sheet music to the song online (here). It gives more lyrics which weren't sung in either version, but unfortunately not enough lyrics that I felt like it was worth writing down. It did confirm the man who scored the touchdown was named Izzy Cohn, a player who wasn't actually on Notre Dame's 1930 roster (link). Aside from Cohn, most of the details of the song are correct, except for one: Notre Dame and Minnesota first met in 1937, 7 years after the publication of this song. Otherwise, the players (aside from Cohn) named were real ND players, Rockne himself was the Norwegian, and Minnesota's team was at least referred to frequently as the Swedes at the time, even if their team didn't contain a particularly high number of Swedes (none of the last names listed look Swedish to me!).

The phrase does, however, pre-date the song. After some quick searching the earliest reference I've found was from 1920, and even that article said the phrase had been in use "for years."


TWENTY SWEDES RAN THROUGH THE WEEDS (CHASING ONE NORWEGIAN)
(Alfred Bryan and Billy Moll)

[in announcer voice]
Ladies and gentlemen, we are now at the field ready to witness the football classic of the year. Here comes the famous team of Notre Dame. Get in on this cheer!

Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!
Notre Dame U!
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!
Notre Dame U!
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!
Notre Dame U!
Hooray!

And now come the gallant Swedes from Minnesota. Look at those huskies! Here comes the cheer for them!

Rah rah rah! Rah rah rah!
Minn-e-so-ta, ya ya ya
Yump-in yimminee, ho-lee-yee
Ve're terrible Svedes from Minnesoty

[end of intro section]

The gang from Minnesota were down at Notre Dame
The Irish team was on the scene all ready for the game
When on the field stepped Rockne, the crowd all heard him call
Bring on your Swedish football team, substitutes and all

It's the Irish, the Irish
Rah rah rah rah rah!

Twenty Swedes ran through the weeds chasing one Norwegian
Oh, how that Irish team could run
Twenty Danes ran down the lane to tackle that collegian
But Notre Dame had just begun

Carideo passed the ball to Schwartz, Savoldi passed to Brill
And how the crowd cheered every Irish name
Then a guy named Izzy Cohn made a touchdown all alone
For the Fighting Irish team of Notre Dame

[Harry Reser non-sung section]
Signals! One, two!
Watch my shoes!
Three, four!
Shut the door!

After the ball was over
[whistle and cheering]

Subject: RE: Lyrics: 10,000 Swedes/20 Swedes
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Sep 20 - 06:06 PM

I love this plaice.

[That is a lutejoke. This *is* a music forum.]

Subject: RE: Lyrics: 10,000 Swedes/20 Swedes
From: GUEST
Date: 30 May 21 - 09:30 PM

My grandma taught me,”Ten thousand Swedes ran through the weeds at the battle of Copenhagen. Ten thousand more stood on the shore, fighting one Norwegian.”

Subject: RE: Lyrics: 10,000 Swedes/20 Swedes
From: GUEST,#
Date: 30 May 21 - 10:52 PM

https://exploringeuropeandrussia.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/10000-cowardly-swedes-ran-through-the-weeds-chased-by-one-courageous-norwegian/comment-page-1/

From the link:

‘10,000 Cowardly Swedes Ran Through The Weeds, Chased By One Courageous Norwegian’
I heard this poem on my first trip to Norway from a very proud Norwegian. Since my son Matthew (and my future grandson) have Norwegian ancestry, maybe they would like to memorize this poem:

“The Battle of Copenhagen”

Ten thousand Swedes ran through the weeds,
chased by one Norwegian.
Ten thousand more ran to the shore
in the battle of Copenhagen.

Way, way back in history,
back when the world was new,
norwegian searched all over,
to find some snoose to chew.

They fished for Lutefisk and Torsk,
it helped to make them strong,
and you and me, we know a Norsk,
cannot do nothing wrong.

But swedes and danes were envious
of Viking trips and raids.
The Viking shields and helmet horns,
made all those folks affraid.

Throughout the world the Vikings sailed,
to Ireland and to France.
The even found America,
one afternoon by chance.

My grandpa says, and he should know,
the swedes made up the minds.
To beat the Norsky Vikings,
and kick a few behinds.

But history, so grandpa says,
show that the Norskies won.
They clobbered all the swedes and danes,
and made it lots of fun.

Ten thousand swedes ran through the weeds,
chased by one norwegian.

The dust from the weeds,
made snoose for the swedes,
and they called it Copenhagen,

E. C. Stangland

Actually, the two Battles of Copenhagen in recorded history involved the British, not the Swedes. This poem seems to be more like folklore than actual history. Such English language rhymes might have originated in the American midwest, as a way of differentiating Norwegians from Swedes, according to James P. Leary in Wisconsin Folklore.

It’s funny that the ditty made it all the way back from America to Norway, and was quoted to me by a proud Norwegian.

**************************************************

Snoose (snus) is a smokeless tobacco sold by Copenhagen Tobacco (founded 1822 in the US).

Four of the poem's lines are quoted in the play, "I Remember Mama."

Note that no date was given in the link at the top of this post.

"WISCONSIN FOLKLORE" by James P Leary is available to read online I think by people who can access the library system at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.