Skuggsjá translates into ‘mirror’ or ‘reflection’ in the Norse language, and the piece not only contextualizes harder music’s role in the democracy in Norway in 2014, but also joins threads from the country’s ancient musical history and solidifies harder music’s position as Norway's most important cultural export.
By highlighting ideas, traditions and instruments of their Norse past, Skuggsjá tells the history of Norway and reflect relevant aspects from the past into the present day. In light of this we reflect on ourselves as a people and nation. In a magnificent tapestry of metal instrumentation, a wide variety of Norway´s and Scandinavia’s oldest instruments, and poetry in Norse and Norwegian, Skuggsjá is a fusion between past and present, both lyrically and musically.
Fornjot
Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let løynd ei soge
Frå Jötnaheim og Ymisland
Let gløymd ei soge
Jotner eg minnes
Upphavsborne
Or frost og fonn
Born av vinden hav og eld
Born av vinden hav og eld
Frå nord
Fornjots sønn i segl
Mot nord
Fornjots sønn under kjøl
Frå nord
Fornjots sønn i hjarta
Born av vinden hav og eld
Frå nord
Fornjots sønn i segl
Mot nord
Fornjots sønn under kjøl
Frå nord
Fornjots sønn i hjarta
Born av vinden hav og eld
Då stor-isen svann
Slo bylgjer mot strand
Me søkte og fann
Eit ov-fagert land
Me sådde i jord
Me sanka til bord
Med havhest fór
På vegen mot nord
Born av vinden hav og eld
Born av vinden hav og eld
Frå nord
Fornjots sønn i segl
Mot nord
Fornjots sønn under kjøl
Frå nord
Fornjots sønn i hjarta
Born av vinden hav og eld
Frå nord
Fornjots sønn i segl
Mot nord
Fornjots sønn under kjøl
Frå nord
Fornjots sønn i hjarta
Born av vinden hav og eld
The lyrics in "Fornjot" by Ivar Bjørnson and Einar Selvik reference Norse mythology, specifically the Jotnar, or giants, who are often portrayed as elemental forces of nature. The first two lines speak of "secrets" and "forgotten tales" from the "ancient realm" where the Jotnar reside, implying that their stories have been lost or hidden over time. The next few lines mention the "ancestors" of the Jotnar, who were born from frost and snow, and their lineage, which goes back to Fornjot, a mythical figure who is often considered the progenitor of the Jotnar race.
The chorus repeatedly refers to Fornjot's sons being born from the elements of wind, sea, and fire, suggesting that they are inextricably linked to these natural forces. The verse that follows appears to reference a journey from a frozen, inhospitable land to a warmer, more fertile one across the sea, where the people plant, gather food, and travel on horseback. The repetition of the chorus underscores the idea that the Jotnar and their descendants are able to withstand extreme weather and navigational challenges because they are born of the elements themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Frå fyrndeheim
From the ancient world
Let løynd ei soge
Let no story be hidden
Frå Jötnaheim og Ymisland
From the realm of giants and chaos
Let gløymd ei soge
Let no story be forgotten
Jotner eg minnes
I recall the giants
Upphavsborne
The primal beings
Or frost og fonn
From frost and snow
Kjem Fornjots-ætti
Comes the lineage of Fornjot
Born av vinden hav og eld
Born of the wind, sea, and fire
Frå nord
From the North
Fornjots sønn i segl
Fornjot's son in a sailboat
Mot nord
Towards the North
Fornjots sønn under kjøl
Fornjot's son beneath the keel
Fornjots sønn i hjarta
Fornjot's son in the heart
Då stor-isen svann
When the great ice melted
Slo bylgjer mot strand
Waves crashed upon the shore
Me søkte og fann
We searched and found
Eit ov-fagert land
A wondrously beautiful land
Me sådde i jord
We planted in the soil
Me sanka til bord
We gathered for the table
Med havhest fór
We rode on the sea horses
På vegen mot nord
On the journey towards the North
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Einar Selvik, Ivar Peersen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind