Exploring the Swedish Scene: December 2020

Here is an update of what has happened in the Swedish Scene since the last update in September.

 

Death of the Author

In a previous exploration of the Swedish scene I wrote about the Swedish online Harry Potter convention DobbyCon. A recording of one of the panels that happened has now been released. It was a panel titled “Death of the Author” and among the panelists were american wizard rockers Ashley Hamel and Avery Marshall.

Shortsnouts, YouTube, and Podcasts

In a bit of meta-reporting, Paul Thomas interviewed The Swedish Shortsnouts for his interview series “Wrock Talk” here on the wizrocklopedia.

 

Speaking of the Swedish Shortsnouts, Erik has a youtube channel where he occasionally posts videos about gingerbread starships and music tech things.

Reversing polarity on amplifiers (is this a Star Trek joke or an actual thing?)

Shelf for mixing music for online live shows 

Gingerbread Among Us starship

 

Shortsnout-Anna and Li of Pussycat Dolores have also been busy making a podcast, MagiMagasinet. You can listen to the first episode here. In the first episode they introduce themselves and talk about how they got into the Harry Potter fandom. You can follow them on twitter here. The next episode will be out on tuesday the 15th and it sounds like they will talk more about wizard rock in this one. If this schedule keeps up then it should come out every two weeks.

 

Translation

I’ll be trying a new thing now. Translating Swedish wizard rock so you non-Swedish speakers can understand it better. As well as including some notes on scandinavian culture where relevant. The first track I will translate will be “Inga kentaurer på våra gator” which is the second track off of Pussycat Dolores’ 2020 album ‘Boss Witch

 

First verse:

Original Swedish:

Hör på det är dags nu

Vi måste kämpa på nu

För monstren de ska ut

Monstren de ska ut

Direct Translation:

Listen to it is time now

We must fight on now

For the monsters they shall out 

The monsters they shall out

English Syntax:

Listen, the time has come

We must keep fighting now

Because the monsters don’t belong

The monsters don’t belong

 

Second verse:

Original Swedish:

Vi måste gå i samlad skara

Tillsammans ska vi vara

Vill inte ha dem här

Jag vill inte ha dem här!

Nej…

Direct Translation:

We must walk in gathered crowd

Together shall we be

Want not have them here

I want not have them here!

No…

English Syntax:

We must march in protest

We’ll be together

Don’t want them here

I don’t want them here!

No…

 

Chorus:

Original Swedish:

Inga kentaurer

På våra gator

Inga kentaurer

På våra gator

Inga kentaurer

På våra gator

Inga kentaurer

På våra gator

Direct Translation/English Syntax:

No centaurs

On our streets

No centaurs

On our streets

No centaurs

On our streets

No centaurs

On our streets

Note:

This is an alternate take on a common chant at anti-racist protests in scandinavia that usually goes “Ingen rasister i våre gater!”, “No racists in our streets!”

In this case the chant is subverted into a racist chant against centaurs.

Example at 2 min 37 sec.

 

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4

Third verse:

Original Swedish:

Jag vet ni håller med mig

Jag vet för jag kan se det

Kentaurer skrämmer dig

Och kentaurer skrämmer mig

Direct Translation:

I know you hold with me

I know because I can see it

Centaurs scare you

And centaurs scare me

English Syntax:

I know you’re with me

I know ’cause I can see it

Centaurs scare you

And centaurs scare me

 

Fourth verse:

Original Swedish:

Kanske kan de ej rå för det

Men äh vad gör det

Jag vill inte ha dem här

Jag vill inte ha dem här

Nej…

Direct Translation:

Maybe can they not rule for it

But ah what does it

I want not have them here

I want not have them here

No…

English Syntax:

Maybe they can’t help it

But, ah, what does it matter

I don’t want them here

I don’t want them here

No…

 

Fifth verse:

Original Swedish:

Lyssna!

Jag behöver inga hästar

Som kan prata med mig

Den andra sorten räcker

Jag är liksom ingen hästtjej

Och jag behöver ingen spåman

Som vill berätta för mig

Att världen kommer gå under

Jag vet det ändå

Så!

Direct Translation:

I need no horses

That can talk with me

The other kind reaches

I am kind of no horse girl

And I need no fortune teller

That will tell for me

That the world will go under

I know it already

So!

English Syntax:

Listen!

I don’t need horses

That can talk to me

The other kind is enough

It’s not like I’m a horse girl

And I need no fortune teller

That will tell me

That the world will end

I already know that

So!

One response to “Exploring the Swedish Scene: December 2020”

  1. Grace Avatar

    WOAH, this is awesome! I love the translation, and how much nuance you included. Very cool.

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