When most people involved in traditional music think of an immigrant song, they think of songs of longing for the old country.
This one is a little different. It's a cover of a Led Zeppelin tune from the 1970 album, Led Zeppelin III, by the Danish band, Krauka.
Immigrant Song
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore,
Of how we calmed the tides of war. We are your overlords.On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins,
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing.
Led Zeppelin opened their live concerts with this tune between 1970 and 1972. In 2003, it was one of the featured songs in the comedy movie, "School of Rock". The star of that film, Jack Black, actually made a video begging the band for permission to use the song. It succeeded.
Now Krauka has done a version of the song that makes it into a Viking-style song. I think it works.
Krauka is:
- Gudjon Rudolf (vocals, jew's harp and percussion)
- Jens Villy Pedersen (flutes, lyre, rebec and vocals)
- Aksel Striim (bowed lyre, shawm, flute and vocals)
You can hear more of Krauka on their MySpace page.
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