Hoola Bandoola Band was founded in Malmö, Sweden in 1970 by Afzelius, Clemmedson, and Wiehe. The other members of the group were Povel Randén, Arne Franck, Per Ove Kellgren, and Håkan Skytte. The group's name, chosen by Wiehe, was derived from a fictional nonsensical language spoken by ants in the Donald Duck cartoon "Tea for Two Hundred." In 1971, the group had their first radio hit, and were subsequently approached by two record labels interesting in signing them; Hoola Bandoola Band made the conscientious choice of joining the more alternative label, MNW, and thus did they become the most well-known "alternative" group in Sweden.
Later that year, they released their debut album, Garanterat individuell, which was hailed as the harbinger of a new era of Swedish music and was elected "Album of the Year" by a majority of the press. The album's lyrical content was not as overtly political as their subsequent efforts. Their second studio album, and arguably their most enduring release critically and commercially, Vem kan man lita på?, was released in 1972; the album contained their biggest hit and one of the perennial landmarks of progg music, "Keops pyramid". With the 1973 release of På väg, recorded with a balalaika orchestra, Hoola Bandoola Band became one of Sweden's best-selling acts.
In 1975, the alternative music scene of Sweden united in protest against a scheduled soccer match between Sweden and Chile, which was at that point under the rule of dictator Augusto Pinochet; making use of their musical platform to bring this to the attention of the public eye, Hoola Bandoola Band released the single Stoppa matchen, in which the event was compared to the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games which provided Nazi Germany with largely positive attention. The single's b-side was "Victor Jara", a tribute to Chilean political folk singer Victor Jara who was tortured and murdered by Chilean military forces.
Their fourth studio album released later that year, Fri information, marked a high point for their political outspokenness, and was the first album to which Afzelius contributed songs. Hoola Bandoola Band disbanded on 1 May 1976; the International Workers' Day. Their disbandment marked the beginning of highly successful solo careers for both Afzelius and Wiehe, who continued to write political material and regularly performed Hoola Bandoola Band songs as solo artists.
In 1996, twenty years after their original disbandment, Hoola Bandoola Band was reformed; their first live performance was as a support act for Bob Dylan, and they went on to have a successful summer tour of Sweden. To celebrate their reformation, their collected studio recordings were released as the box set Ingenting förändras av sig själv. Recordings from the 1996 tour were released as the live compilation album ...för dom som kommer sen after Afzelius's death in 1999, the album's title derived from a line from "Rocksamba" meaning roughly "for those who come later." Starting in 2002, a "Hoola Bandoola Band Award" is given to people and organizations who have "done work in the spirit of Björn Afzelius", on the anniversary of his death.
In 2011 was released the compilation 1971-2011, spanning selections from their entire catalog, as well as songs which had been recorded by Wiehe as a solo artist. The album was released in conjunction with another reformation tour held during the summer of that year.
Vem kan man lita på?
Hoola Bandoola Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
och våra släktingar har ta'tt gift
och alla våra vänner har valt sej själva
och våra lärare och fröknar
har gått och dränkt sej med varann
och nu när sömntabletterna har slutat hjälpa
och när vår präst från konfirmationen
står och pekar i det blå
eller känner vilket håll, vinden blåser på
då kommer Halta Lotta hem till mej
med rösten fylld av gråt
och säger, vem i hela världen kan man lita på
Och när John och Yoko Lennon
har gått på psykoanalys
och Robert Zimmerman har flytt till landet med miljonerna
och Marilyn Monroe tappat taget
och Greta Garbo har blivit ful
och man försöker muta oss med bilder av visionerna
och när prinsar och presidenter
ljuger medvetet i kapp
och när dom som skulle säga sanningen
börjar ta tillbaka vad dom redan sagt
då kommer Lille Gerhard hem till mej
och häver sej på tå
och säger, vem i hela världen kan man lita på
Krevaderna har tystnat
och kriget har tagit slut
Ensam sitter kaparen vid kanonerna
och över gyttjefyllda gravar
ligger luften tung av krut
Han fingrar lite tankspritt på patronerna
Och när han tittar sej i spegeln
har den rämnat mitt itu
Och mellan halvorna av hans ansikte
kilar råttorna in och ut
Då kommer Mor Maria krypande
hennes ögon är så blå
när hon säger, vem i hela världen kan man lita på
The lyrics to Hoola Bandoola Band's song "Vem kan man lita på?" speak of the loss of trust and faith in various institutions, establishments and individuals that one may have previously relied on. The song speaks to a sentiment of disillusionment and uncertainty that many may feel during times of societal upheaval or personal crisis.
The first stanza of the song speaks to the loss of family and friends, and the lack of support that may have once been available. The mention of teachers and pastors having drowned themselves in each other's company speaks to a loss of faith in religious and educational institutions. The idea of sleep medication no longer working may indicate a struggle with mental health or an inability to cope with a difficult situation. The final line of the stanza, "vem i hela världen kan man lita på" or "who in the world can you trust," sets the tone for the rest of the song.
The second stanza addresses the loss of trust in influential figures and celebrities, who may have once been looked up to as role models, but have since shown themselves to be flawed or corrupt. The reference to "prinsar och presidenter ljuger medvetet i kapp" or "princes and presidents lie deliberately in sync" is a powerful statement about the state of politics and leadership. The line, "och man försöker muta oss med bilder av visionerna" or "and they try to bribe us with images of visions" speaks to the false promises or propaganda used by those in power to maintain their authority.
The final stanza of the song takes on a more existential tone, depicting a solitary soldier haunted by the horrors of war. The mention of "gyttjefyllda gravar" or "mud-filled graves" speaks to the brutality and violence of war, while the metaphor of a broken mirror and rats crawling through one's face speaks to a loss of identity and self-worth. The appearance of "Mor Maria," or perhaps the Virgin Mary, is a symbol of hope and comfort in a time of despair.
Overall, the song speaks to a universal human experience of questioning who and what can be trusted in a world that often seems chaotic and uncertain.
Line by Line Meaning
När far och mor är döda
och våra släktingar har ta'tt gift
och alla våra vänner har valt sej själva
och våra lärare och fröknar
har gått och dränkt sej med varann
och nu när sömntabletterna har slutat hjälpa
och när vår präst från konfirmationen
står och pekar i det blå
och ingen fattar om han visar vägen
eller känner vilket håll, vinden blåser på
When our parents are no longer alive, all our relatives are married, and our friends have chosen their own ways. All our teachers have drowned themselves together, and even sleeping pills no longer provide the needed relief. When our confirmation priest points to the heavens, but we cannot understand his direction or the wind's direction, Halta Lotta comes to us with tears in her voice and asks who in the world can be trusted.
Och när John och Yoko Lennon
har gått på psykoanalys
och Robert Zimmerman har flytt till landet med miljonerna
och Marilyn Monroe tappat taget
och Greta Garbo har blivit ful
och man försöker muta oss med bilder av visionerna
och när prinsar och presidenter
ljuger medvetet i kapp
och när dom som skulle säga sanningen
börjar ta tillbaka vad dom redan sagt
då kommer Lille Gerhard hem till mej
och häver sej på tå
och säger, vem i hela världen kan man lita på
When John and Yoko Lennon have had psychoanalysis, Bob Dylan has moved to the countryside with millions, Marilyn Monroe has lost control, and Greta Garbo has become ugly. They try to bribe us with visions and images. When both princes and presidents deliberately lie, and those who are supposed to speak the truth retract their statements. At this point, Lille Gerhard comes home and exclaims who in the world can be trusted?
Krevaderna har tystnat
och kriget har tagit slut
Ensam sitter kaparen vid kanonerna
och över gyttjefyllda gravar
ligger luften tung av krut
Han fingrar lite tankspritt på patronerna
Och när han tittar sej i spegeln
har den rämnat mitt itu
Och mellan halvorna av hans ansikte
kilar råttorna in och ut
Då kommer Mor Maria krypande
hennes ögon är så blå
när hon säger, vem i hela världen kan man lita på
The trenches have gone silent, and the war is over. The only person left sitting with the cannons is the captain. The air is heavy with gunpowder over trenches filled with mud-filled graves. The captain fiddles absent-mindedly with his cartridges. When he looks at himself in the mirror, it splits down the middle, allowing rats to come and go between the two halves of his face. This is the time when Mor Maria crawls in with her blue eyes and asks who in the world can be trusted.
Contributed by Jason A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@annikapoulssen5263
60 år nu.. Äkta text & suverän musik som gäller IDAG. Bästa varma hälsningar till oss människor! KramAnnika
@abbelias4581
Saknar den här typen av musik 2021😩
@yllepluff
Den finns fortfarande om man vet vart man ska leta. Här i Lund hör man sällan live musik, men Thomas Wiehe kan man fortfarande stöta på om man äter lunch på Govindas och han har varit sugen på att göra come-back har jag hört.
Och om man går till Asia Express sent på kvällen brukar Rolf Alm (som startade Blodsbandet med Peps) sitta och supa sig full de flesta kvällar.
Det finns många fler bara i vår lilla stad. Problemet är att de flesta är bortglömda gamlingar nu för tiden. Prata med era gamlingar - även om de inte gjort så mycket med sina liv har de alltid väldigt mycket erfarenhet av livet.
@janfalk9713
Så sant som det är idag🎸⚓🌹💓 Janne Falk
@nicklasjakobsson7505
Mer aktuell än någonsin...😂
@mariaahlfeldt410
Älskar deras deras dialekt !
@youview1327
Alltid lika aktuell.
@kjellbjork7202
Perfekt. Bara att byta ut namnen i texten . 2020
@mariaahlfeldt410
Tack Björn Afzelius och Mikael Wiehe kram från Maria
@wavester77
Så fantastisk berättande musik!!! Och en fråga.... va fasen spelar han på för slags gibson??