While doing an incredible job for NRK traveling around and reporting, he also raised money for a Norwegian coastal rescue service (redningsselskapet). He also started recording tunes he learned on his journeys around the country and the world. This resulted in many recordings . Erik Bye was voted to be the 3'd most important Norwegian citizen of all time in 2005. He died in 2004.
He will always be known for the humour and radiation of positive energy.
Ballad of Norway's House
Erik Bye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We saw the folks eat sawdust bread and heard the children cry
And so we fought the British boys, we fought them to the brink
Until they took our privateer and put us in the klink.
They put us on the grimy Themes on rotten prison ships.
And fed us wormy buisquits and smelly fish and chips.
Until one foggy morgning a stranger came to say:
He said "My name is Captain Smith, I'm giving you a choice:
My company is looking for some "broady, norsky" boys
I′m setting sail at early dawn, so make your choice today
To rot here on the stinking Themes, or go to Hudsons bay"
And so we joined old Captain Smith and all his merry crew,
And helped them sail "The Prince of Wales" across the ochean blue
We went ashore in Canada, our freedom was our pay
They left us there to do or die, alone in Hudsons Bay.
And so we cut the mighty logs and hunted for our game,
And gave our jolly trading post old mother Norway's name
We had our freedom and a home, what more is there to say?
And soon the geese was crying "Skål!" around old Hudsons Bay.
Too each his toil, too each his fait, too each his fight for life,
One found his death 'mongst indians, another found his wife.
And even though our thoughts would fly to shores so far away,
We found the pine smelled pretty much like home, at Hudsons bay,
Our bones has joined the lonely land, but none can tell you where
Old "Norway′s" name is all there is to say that we were there
But ho we lived, and how we died, there′s noone here can say
Our soles are in the wildbirds cry about old Hudsons Bay.
The Ballad of Norway's House is a song by Erik Bye, that recounts the fictional story of a Norwegian privateer in the 1800s, who fought the British Navy and was imprisoned on prison ships on the river Thames. The song provides details of the harsh conditions on the prison ships, including the sawdust bread and children's cries, and the eventual escape of the privateers with the help of a Captain Smith, who offered them a choice between staying in the grimy environment of prison or taking their chances in Hudson Bay.
The privateers joined Captain Smith on a journey to Canada and helped him sail 'The Prince of Wales' across the ocean blue. They landed in Canada, where they continued to work hard, hunting for game and cutting mighty logs. They eventually named their trading post after their beloved homeland, Norway, and lived there with their newfound freedom. The song tells of the joys and sorrows of life at the trading post, with death and marriage happening to the various men, but their shared love for their home and freedom being the common thread.
Overall, the song is a tribute to the Norwegian spirit of hard work, bravery, and perseverance that allowed them to make a new home in a foreign land. It speaks to the importance of home and fighting for what one believes in, even when the odds seem insurmountable.
Line by Line Meaning
We fought for Corporal Bonaparte, they never told us why
We were soldiers fighting for a cause or a leader we didn't fully understand or believe in, and were left puzzled and confused about its purpose.
We saw the folks eat sawdust bread and heard the children cry
We witnessed the harsh reality and suffering of the people we were supposed to protect, and felt their pain and sorrow.
And so we fought the British boys, we fought them to the brink
We engaged in a fierce and intense battle with our enemies, pushing ourselves and them to the limits of our capabilities and willpower.
Until they took our privateer and put us in the klink.
Our ship was captured, and we were imprisoned in a dirty and miserable place, stripped of our freedom and dignity.
They put us on the grimy Themes on rotten prison ships.
We were transported to a polluted and filthy location, surrounded by other prisoners, with no prospect of escape or release.
And fed us wormy buisquits and smelly fish and chips.
We were barely fed and given substandard and unappetizing food, which further deteriorated our physical and mental health.
Until one foggy morgning a stranger came to say:
One day, a mysterious person arrived and offered us a glimmer of hope or a way out of our misery.
"I′ve heard the wind blows fresh and free out there in Hudsons bay"
The stranger told us about a distant and promising place where we could find freedom and adventure, away from our current predicament.
He said "My name is Captain Smith, I'm giving you a choice:
The stranger revealed his identity as a captain of a ship, and presented us with a decision to make.
My company is looking for some "broady, norsky" boys
The captain was seeking strong and resilient men from Norway for his crew, who could endure the harsh conditions and hard work required of them.
I′m setting sail at early dawn, so make your choice today
The captain warned us that time was running out, and we had to make up our minds quickly or else stay trapped in our current situation.
To rot here on the stinking Themes, or go to Hudsons bay"
The captain presented us with a bleak and uninviting alternative of staying in prison and expiring slowly, or choosing a daring and unknown expedition to a faraway land.
And so we joined old Captain Smith and all his merry crew,
We made the bold and risky decision to join the captain and his experienced and lively team.
And helped them sail "The Prince of Wales" across the ochean blue
We contributed to the journey of the ship across the vast and uncharted ocean, experiencing a mix of excitement, fear, and wonder.
We went ashore in Canada, our freedom was our pay
We finally arrived at our destination in Canada, where we were rewarded with the gift of freedom, which we had paid for with our courage and perseverance.
They left us there to do or die, alone in Hudsons Bay.
We were left to fend for ourselves in a new and challenging environment, where we had to rely on our own skills, wisdom, and luck to survive.
And so we cut the mighty logs and hunted for our game,
We engaged in the hard and backbreaking work of cutting down trees and hunting animals for food, shelter, and other needs.
And gave our jolly trading post old mother Norway's name
We established a lively and prosperous trading post, which we named after our beloved motherland, and where we exchanged goods, stories, and ideas with people from other cultures.
We had our freedom and a home, what more is there to say?
We realized our dream of having a new home where we could be free, independent, and happy, and felt no more need to seek or yearn for anything else.
And soon the geese was crying "Skål!" around old Hudsons Bay.
We celebrated our triumph and joy with the local wildlife, which we respected and learned from, and which became an inseparable part of our new life in the Canadian wilderness.
Too each his toil, too each his fait, too each his fight for life,
We acknowledged the diversity of our experiences, destinies, and struggles, and recognized that each of us had to find our own path and purpose in life.
One found his death 'mongst indians, another found his wife.
We experienced both tragedy and love during our journey, and witnessed how some of us perished while others found happiness and companionship.
And even though our thoughts would fly to shores so far away,
We sometimes nostalgically thought of our distant homeland, family, and friends, and wondered what they were doing and how they felt without us.
We found the pine smelled pretty much like home, at Hudsons bay,
Despite the physical and cultural differences between Norway and Canada, we discovered that there were many similarities and resemblances between the two places, and that we could still feel a sense of familiarity and comfort in the new land.
Our bones has joined the lonely land, but none can tell you where
Many of us died or disappeared in the harsh and unforgiving environment of Hudson Bay, and their remains were scattered and devoured by nature, leaving no trace or memory of their existence.
Old "Norway′s" name is all there is to say that we were there
The only testimony to our existence and legacy was the name of our trading post, which we proudly and affectionately called after our beloved motherland.
But ho we lived, and how we died, there′s noone here can say
Our personal stories, experiences, and emotions were lost and forgotten over time, and nobody could accurately or completely describe or understand what we went through.
Our soles are in the wildbirds cry about old Hudsons Bay.
However, our spirits and essence lived on in the vast and beautiful nature of Hudson Bay, which we had learned to appreciate, respect, and cherish, and which had become a part of us forever.
Writer(s): Erik Bye
Contributed by Aubrey K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.