… nursing homes (alderheimer)?
Johan på snippen. Really.
A few years ago, a friend of mine went to a concert given by three prominent accordionists from this region. They were playing both full-size and diatonic accordions and lots of music from all over Europe.
During the program, they mentioned that the Swedish tune "Johan på snippen (John in the corner)" is probably the most requested tune by people in nursing homes across the state, where they occasionally play.
Here's a version of what the song sounds like done with enthusiasm and fun by young folks. It's from a concert done by Dan Palmkvist (who also plays with the Original Swedish Arvika Blues Breakers) in Arvika, Sweden.
The tune is a classic and the video below helps to prove that point!
Nu Johan på Snippen har köpt sej klaver,
mö åttio basar å fint faner.
Och nu ä de' dans varje lörda gu' ger,
så på bönemöte går nog ingen mer.
När som Johan tar klavere mellan sina hänner,
jäntera di skrattar så di visar sina tanner,
och när han drar uppå bäljen ett drag,
så blir de' dans intill ljusande dag.
Alla våra pigor liksom alla våra drängar
känner melodien liksom taktens alla svängar.
Johan han spelar så skjortan blir våt,
lägger sin själ i varenda dragspels låt.Nej, kors! Se bå' farsan å morsan ä me'
di trives nog bäst där de' livat ä '.
Fast gammel en blir när som åra går te
ska' en välan inte va less' för de'.
Dansa de' kan alla
både käringar å gubbar,
så att dammet ryker mella' tuvar, sten å stubbar,
får di en gammel å känd melodram,
dansar di av sej minst ett kilogram.
Gamla Fia stå ej längre si så där å skolka,
killar inte de' i tårna när di spellar polka,
fast du ä' sjutti å ja' sjutti-fem,
så ska vi jazza mä' gammal bonnakläm.Och Bloggarpåpelle å Hackstorpajon,
di kom mä' en väska
direkt från station.
Di har vatt i stan å fått hem sin ranson,
de' syns nog på bena de hörs på ton.
Hoppa flickor, så ni visar hela underkjolen,
dra på bälgen, Johan,
så du trillar unner stolen.
Tjo, ska' du ha dej en stor pilleknark?
Den gör i piglocket stort undervark!
Hadeliå hadeliå haderiderala.
dansen går så dammet står
tess tuppen börjar gala.
Tack ska' du ha för du spela så bra,
så hissar vi Johan! Hurra, Hurra, Hurra!Och nu går vi hem, hör du Lotta kom hit,
så ska ja' dej följa på vägen en bit.
Ä hunn' inte lös går ja' me' änna dit.
i fall ja' får lönen för möda å flit.
Ni som inga flickor ha gå genast hem i snarken,
så att inte ni i morron utav bonn' får sparken
för att ni sover bak stutar å plog
vi som ha flickor vi klarar oss nog.
Johan uppå Snippen, om du ingenting har för dä,
ställer vi te skräll igen på onsda' eller lörda'.
Ja de' ä' säkert, de' tummar vi på,
ajöken å tack för i kväll, i flickor små.
And in a rough English translation:
Johan on the corner has bought an accordion
with eighty bass notes and a fine finish.
And now there's dancing each Saturday, by golly,
so no one goes to the prayer meetings anymore.
As Johan takes the accordion in his hands,
the girls giggle so much they show their teeth,
and as he pulls out the bellows a bit,
then there's dancing till next morning.
All our girls, as well as all our boys, know the melody,
just as they know every turn of the beat.
Johan plays so hard his shirt wets with perspiration,
puts his soul into every tune of his accordion.Goodness me! There's Mother and Father, too.
I guess they're happiest where it's lively.
Though you grow old as the years go by,
you certainly shouldn't be sad about it.
They all know how to dance-
both the old women and the old men,
stirring up dust among the hillocks, rocks and stumps,
whenever they hear an old familiar melody, they dance so
they lose at least a couple of pounds.
Old Fia, don't stand on the sidelines out of the action.
Don't your feet just itch to dance when they play a polka?
Although you're seventy and I'm seventy-five,
we'll dance jazz in the old peasant manner.And Bloggarpåpelle and Hackstorpajon,
they are coming with a bag
straight from the railway station.
They've been to town and brought home their quota;
you can tell by their walk, you can tell by their voice.
Jump high, girls, so your slip shows.
Pull on the bellows, Johan,
so you falloff your chair.
Do you want a big drink?
That'll do wonders for the accordion music!
HadeliA, hadelia haderiderala,
the dance goes so the dust flies
till the rooster crows.
Thanks for playing so well.
We hoist up lohan-Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurrah!And now we're going home. Say, Lotta, come here
and I'll go part way home with you.
And if the dog isn't loose I'll go the whole way,
in case I get paid for my troubles and pains.
You who have no girlfriends go straight home,
so you don't get fired by the farmer tomorrow,
for falling asleep behind the oxen and plow.
We who have girlfriends, we'll manage all right.
Say, Johan, if you aren't busy,
we'll have another bash Wednesday or Saturday.
Oh, that's true, we agree to that,
goodbye and thanks for tonight, you charming girls.
Good songs last through the ages!
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Twitter Comment
@AnnCurry Still lking for good news? A link to MN’s most requested Nordic tune, abt Johan’s new accordion. UR welcome! [link to post]
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