A well-known folk singer and traditional guitarist in Norway, she was appointed Minister of Culture in Norway from 1990 to 1996, representing the Labour Party under the Gro Harlem Brundtland administration. She was also president of the Swedish Film Institute from 1999[1] to 2006.
In June 2007 she became Chairman of the Board of Human-Etisk Forbund, the Norwegian humanist organization.
Kleveland was born in Sweden to Olaf Kleveland, a civil engineer from Norway, and Eva Hansson, a bookkeeper from Sweden. Her father had fled from Norway to Sweden in 1943 due to the Nazi occupation; he had family members in Sweden with whom he could live. She and her family moved to Romerike, northeast of Oslo, in 1957, where her father got a job working at the Institute for Atomic Energy.
In a 1977 interview she describes how her parents shared equally in the household chores, and that she and her then-husband Svenolov Ehrén, a Swedish artist, did the same.[3] She is currently married to film director and cinematographer Oddvar Bull Tuhus.
Kleveland is fluent in Norwegian, Swedish, English, French and Japanese. She studied Law at the University of Oslo.
As a singer, she is famous for her very dark, soulful voice. Besides singing, she also plays the guitar and has composed songs in the singer-songwriter tradition. In addition to her solo career, she was also part of the vispop group Ballade!.
She began playing classical guitar at eight and two years later she debuted in a radio show. Her first bout as a singer of vispop was on an Erik Bye show when she was 13; Her first album was released in 1965. With her second album in 1966[1] she was one of the pioneers ushering in the new vispop genre, a blend of traditional folk song and pop. This led to a series of engagements in Paris--and a period of commuting between these Paris performances and her secondary school in Lillestrøm, north of Oslo. At 17 she conducted a major tour of Japan which included several TV shows and the release of four singles in Japanese. She released her final solo album in 1973. and has released thirteen singles for the Scandinavian and German markets.
In 1966, she represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest with the entry "Intet er nytt under solen" (There's Nothing New Under The Sun), finishing in third place. She broke a tradition expected of female performers at the time in that she was the first woman to not to wear a dress, instead going for a pantsuit.
She had a long association with the Norwegian Association of Musicians, first holding the office of secretary from 1979 to 1983, then as their leader from 1983 to 1987. She was also the President of the Musicians' Union from 1983 to 1986 and their Vice-President from 1986 to 1987.
In 1986 she hosted the first Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Norway in Bergen following Bobbysocks' victory in 1985.
Cool Water
Åse Kleveland Lyrics
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Och tvätta din trut dagen är slut
Festen är över fast alla festar
Talet har tystnat fast alla talar
Döden tar fatt dig i desssa salar
Håll andan en kort minut och smyg sen försiktigt ut
Kan du förstå vad som här passerar
Död är allting du ser
Hur du än grubblar och kalkulerar
Hur du än frågar och söker minnas
Kommer den stunden att åter finnas
Gå härifrån Jag ber
Låt bli drick inget mer
Res dig Se dig nu kring Försiktigt
Gå bort till dörren som gapar ljus
Lämna ditt krus
Det som ska göras ska göras riktigt
Det som ska göras ska göras snarast
Gå dit där ljuset syns vara klarast
Glöm detta onda rus
Aldrig mer antabus
The song "Cool Water" by Åse Kleveland reflects on the transient nature of life and the inevitability of death. The opening lines suggest a scene of chaos and hedonism, with the singer urging someone to tidy up their messy surroundings and wash their face before the day comes to an end. Despite the ongoing festivities and people speaking, the party is over, and silence has taken over. The lyrics then speak of death, its presence in the room, and the need to take a moment to hold one's breath before leaving quietly.
The second verse asks if the listener understands what is happening and comprehends the reality of death. It asserts that death is present in everything one sees, no matter how much they ponder or calculate, no matter how many questions they ask or memories they seek. The lyrics suggest that this moment will come again and advises the listener to leave and refrain from drinking any more, rising up and looking around carefully before going towards the door, which symbolizes the path to the afterlife.
In the final section, the song emphasizes the importance of doing things properly and promptly, seeking the clearest light and forgetting the evil intoxication of their previous experiences. The repetition of "never antabuse again" at the end suggests a desire to break free from addictive and harmful habits, moving toward a healthier and more meaningful existence.
Overall, "Cool Water" is a contemplative song that encourages the listener to reflect on mortality, seize the present moment, and strive for a better future free from destructive behaviors.
Line by Line Meaning
Ordna till dina glesa testar låna min kam
Arrange your sparse experiments borrow my comb
Och tvätta din trut dagen är slut
And wash your beak the day is over
Festen är över fast alla festar
The party is over even though everyone is still partying
Talet har tystnat fast alla talar
The speech has silenced even though everyone is speaking
Döden tar fatt dig i desssa salar
Death is catching up with you in these halls
Håll andan en kort minut och smyg sen försiktigt ut
Hold your breath for a short minute and then sneak out gently
Kan du förstå vad som här passerar
Can you understand what is happening here
Fattar du vad det är som sker
Do you comprehend what is taking place
Död är allting du ser
Everything you see is dead
Hur du än grubblar och kalkulerar
No matter how much you ponder and calculate
Hur du än frågar och söker minnas
No matter how much you ask and try to remember
Kommer den stunden att åter finnas
That moment will come again
Gå härifrån Jag ber
Leave from here I beg
Låt bli drick inget mer
Stop drinking no more
Res dig Se dig nu kring Försiktigt
Get up Look around carefully
Gå bort till dörren som gapar ljus
Go towards the door that is glowing with light
Lämna ditt krus
Leave your cup behind
Det som ska göras ska göras riktigt
What needs to be done must be done properly
Det som ska göras ska göras snarast
What needs to be done must be done as soon as possible
Gå dit där ljuset syns vara klarast
Go where the light seems to be the brightest
Glöm detta onda rus
Forget this evil intoxication
Aldrig mer antabus
Never again antabuse
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CORNELIS VREESWIJK, BJOERN JSON LINDH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind