Herr Olof
Gjallarhorn Lyrics


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Herr Olof han sadlar sin gångare grå
Så rider han sig till havsfruns gård
Herr Olof han red guldsadeln flöt
Han sjunker i havsfruns sköt

Välkommen välkommen herr Olof till mig
I femton år har jag väntat på dig
Var är du födder och var är du buren
Var haver du dina hovkläder skuren

På konungens gård är jag födder och buren
Där haver jag mina hovkläder skuren
Där har jag fader och där har jag mor
Där har jag syster och bror

Men var har du åker och var har du äng
Var står uppbäddad din bruaresäng
Var haver du din fästemö
Med henne vill leva och dö

Där har jag åker och där har jag äng
Där står uppbäddad min bruaresäng
Där haver jag min fästemö
Med henne mig lyster att leva och dö

Men hör riddar Olof kom följ med mig in
Och drick ur min kanna det klaraste vin
Var är du födder var är du buren
Var haver du dina hovklädder skuren

Här är jag födder och här är jag buren
Här haver jag mina hovkläder skuren
Här har jag fader och här har jag mor
Här har jag syster och bror

Men var har du åker och var har du äng
Var står uppbäddad din bruaresäng
Var haver du din fästemö
Med henne vill leva och dö

Här har jag åker och här har jag äng
Här står uppbäddad min bruaresäng




Här haver jag min fästemö
Med dig vill jag leva med dig vill jag dö

Overall Meaning

The song "Herr Olof" by Gjallarhorn tells the tale of Herr Olof, who saddles his grey stallion and rides to the abode of the sea maiden. Olof rides on a saddle made of gold as he sinks into the sea maiden's lap. The sea maiden welcomes him with open arms, telling Olof that she has been waiting for him for 15 years. She asks Olof where he was born and where he got his clothes from and he tells her that he was born and raised at the king's farm, where he got his clothes, and has a family.


The sea maiden then asks about his land and where his bride is, to which Olof replies that he has his own land with fields and meadows, and his bride is waiting for him. The maiden invites him to drink the clearest wine from her kettle and asks the same questions again. Olof replies the same to all of them and finally, the song ends with Olof's affirmation of his love for his bride and his desire to live and die with her.


The lyrics attempt to capture the mythical and supernatural aspects of Nordic folklore, which involves sea maidens and otherworldly creatures. The song also hints at themes of longing and waiting, as the sea maiden speaks of waiting for Olof for 15 years. Overall, the song speaks of the beauty and elegance of Nordic folklore while presenting a story that engages the listeners.


Line by Line Meaning

Herr Olof han sadlar sin gångare grå
Herr Olof prepares his trusty gray horse for a journey


Så rider han sig till havsfruns gård
He rides towards the sea-maiden's dwelling place


Herr Olof han red guldsadeln flöt
He rode his saddle made of gold


Han sjunker i havsfruns sköt
He submerges in the embrace of the sea-maiden


Välkommen välkommen herr Olof till mig
Greetings, greetings Herr Olof, welcome to me


I femton år har jag väntat på dig
For fifteen years I have waited for you


Var är du födder och var är du buren
Where were you born and where were you raised?


Var haver du dina hovkläder skuren
Where did you get your horseshoes made?


På konungens gård är jag födder och buren
I was born and raised in the king's domain


Där haver jag mina hovkläder skuren
There, my horseshoes were made


Där har jag fader och där har jag mor
There, I have a father and a mother


Där har jag syster och bror
There, I have siblings


Men var har du åker och var har du äng
But where are your fields and meadows?


Var står uppbäddad din bruaresäng
Where is your bridal bed prepared?


Var haver du din fästemö
Where is your betrothed?


Med henne vill leva och dö
With her, I want to live and die


Där har jag åker och där har jag äng
There, I have fields and meadows


Där står uppbäddad min bruaresäng
My bridal bed is prepared there


Där haver jag min fästemö
There, I have my betrothed


Med henne mig lyster att leva och dö
I desire to live and die with her


Men hör riddar Olof kom följ med mig in
But listen, knight Olof, come follow me inside


Och drick ur min kanna det klaraste vin
And drink from my vessel the clearest wine


Här är jag födder och här är jag buren
Here, I was born and raised


Här haver jag mina hovkläder skuren
Here, my horseshoes were made


Här har jag fader och här har jag mor
Here, I have a father and a mother


Här har jag syster och bror
Here, I have siblings


Men var har du åker och var har du äng
But where are your fields and meadows?


Var står uppbäddad din bruaresäng
Where is your bridal bed prepared?


Var haver du din fästemö
Where is your betrothed?


Med henne vill leva och dö
With her, I want to live and die


Här har jag åker och här har jag äng
Here, I have fields and meadows


Här står uppbäddad min bruaresäng
My bridal bed is prepared here


Här haver jag min fästemö
Here, I have my betrothed


Med dig vill jag leva med dig vill jag dö
I want to live and die with you




Contributed by Gavin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@stianfiskermann2919

Anglo translation:

Herr Olof has saddled his good grey mare,
And off he has ridden to the mermaid's lair.
His saddle of gold floated high on the waves
And down sank Herr Olof to the mermaid's embrace.

"O welcome, Herr Olof, and welcome to me!
Full fifteen years I have waited for thee.
"Where were you born, and where you raised,
And where were your courtly garments made?"

"Twas in the king's castle I was born and raised,
And it's there that my courtly garments were made.
"There lives my father, there lives my mother,
And there live my sister and brother."

"But where are your fields and where are your lands,
And where in the world does your bridal bed stand?
"Where in the world does your true love lie,
With whom you will live and die?"

"There are my fields and there are my lands,
And there is the place where my bridal bed stands.
"There is the place where my true love does lie,
With whom I have sworn to live and to die."

"Come in now, Herr Olof, sit down by me here,
And drink from my goblet of wine so clear.
"Now where were you born, and where were you raised,
And where were your courtly garments made?

"Here I was born, and here I was raised,
And here is where my courtly garments were made.
"Here lives my father, and here lives my mother,
And here are my sister and brother."

"But where are your fields and where are your lands,
And where in the world does your bridal bed stand?
"Where in the world does your true love lie,
With whom you will live and die?"

"Here are my fields and here are my lands.
Here is the place where my bridal bed stands.
"Here is the place where my true love does lie,
With you I will live and with you I will die."



@elektra121

Deutsche Übersetzung (von Friedrich Herder!):

Erlkönigs Tochter
Herr Oluf reitet spät und weit,
Zu bitten seine Hochzeitsleut'.

Da tanzen die Elfen auf grünem Land',
Erlkönigs Tochter reicht ihm die Hand.

"Willkommen, Herr Oluf! Was eilst du von hier?
Tritt hier in die Reihen und tanze mit mir."

"Ich darf nicht tanzen, nicht tanzen ich mag,
Frühmorgen ist mein Hochzeittag."

"Hör an, Herr Oluf, tritt tanzen mit mir,
Zwei güldne Sporen schenk' ich dir.

Ein Hemd von Seide so weiß und fein,
Meine Mutter bleicht's mit Mondenschein."

"Ich darf nicht tanzen, nicht tanzen ich mag,
Frühmorgen ist mein Hochzeittag."

"Hör an, Herr Oluf, tritt tanzen mit mir,
Einen Haufen Goldes schenk' ich dir."

"Einen Haufen Goldes, den nähm ich wohl;
Doch tanzen ich nicht darf noch soll."

"Und willst, Herr Oluf, nicht tanzen mit mir,
Soll Seuch und Krankheit folgen dir."

Sie tät einen Schlag ihm auf sein Herz,
Noch nimmer fühlt' er solchen Schmerz.

Sie hob ihn bleichend auf sein Pferd:
"Reit heim nun zu dein'm Fräulein wert."

Und als er kam vor Hauses Tür,
Seine Mutter zitternd stand dafür.

"Hör an mein Sohn, sag an mir gleich,
Wie ist dein' Farbe so blaß und bleich?"

"Und sollt sie nicht sein blaß und bleich,
Ich trat in Erlenkönigs Reich."

"Hör an, mein Sohn, so lieb und traut,
Was soll ich nun sagen deiner Braut?"

"Sagt ihr, ich sei im Wald zur Stund,
Zu proben da mein Pferd und Hund."

Frühmorgen, als es Tag kaum war,
Da kam die Braut mit der Hochzeitschar.

Sie schenkten Met, sie schenkten Wein;
"Wo ist Herr Oluf, der Bräutigam mein?"

"Herr Oluf, er ritt aus zur Stund,
Er wollt probieren sein Pferd und Hund."

Die Braut hob auf den Scharlach rot,
Da lag Herr Oluf, und er war tot.



All comments from YouTube:

@r.j.mckenziesullivan2412

I used this in my class today. I am having my students listen to music they don't usually hear. So today they enjoyed this ballad and some wanted to dance. They learned what a drone is. I love the drone that underlies the rest of the piece. thankyou for being on YouTube.

@leflyxdvd

souns very fun and you sound like a great teacher atleast, on i wouold have liked to have. Good for you to give these cultural lessons. sounds fun :)

@hokage64th

Im not Nordic or European, Im from half the world away, from the Philippines to be exact, Nordic music, history, and culture is beautiful. Greetings :)

@salomelinan1531

Me too, i'm from spain, but my child's father is from iceland, i see in his eyes every day the beauty of their culture.. and i embrace the love all around the world and their cultures.. ❤️❤️

@jonnieve6692

Well..im not nordic, and i dont have any nordic roots, but i still love this.

@chloenatasha7672

same, im vibing to this lol

@Pirustae

Origins don't matter here

@jonnieve6692

@@Pirustae I was so confused from your reply, my comment is from 8 years ago xdd

@stianfiskermann2919

Anglo translation:

Herr Olof has saddled his good grey mare,
And off he has ridden to the mermaid's lair.
His saddle of gold floated high on the waves
And down sank Herr Olof to the mermaid's embrace.

"O welcome, Herr Olof, and welcome to me!
Full fifteen years I have waited for thee.
"Where were you born, and where you raised,
And where were your courtly garments made?"

"Twas in the king's castle I was born and raised,
And it's there that my courtly garments were made.
"There lives my father, there lives my mother,
And there live my sister and brother."

"But where are your fields and where are your lands,
And where in the world does your bridal bed stand?
"Where in the world does your true love lie,
With whom you will live and die?"

"There are my fields and there are my lands,
And there is the place where my bridal bed stands.
"There is the place where my true love does lie,
With whom I have sworn to live and to die."

"Come in now, Herr Olof, sit down by me here,
And drink from my goblet of wine so clear.
"Now where were you born, and where were you raised,
And where were your courtly garments made?

"Here I was born, and here I was raised,
And here is where my courtly garments were made.
"Here lives my father, and here lives my mother,
And here are my sister and brother."

"But where are your fields and where are your lands,
And where in the world does your bridal bed stand?
"Where in the world does your true love lie,
With whom you will live and die?"

"Here are my fields and here are my lands.
Here is the place where my bridal bed stands.
"Here is the place where my true love does lie,
With you I will live and with you I will die."

@elegathor4251

I'm hungarian, and want to learn to speak all the scandinavian languages. And I recognize one easy way. Not too hard learn scandinavian from english.

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