Skuggsjá is a musical piece written by Ivar Bjørnson and Einar Selvik. Arra… Read Full Bio ↴Skuggsjá is a musical piece written by Ivar Bjørnson and Einar Selvik. Arranged to be performed by Enslaved and Wardruna, and was originally initiated as a commissioned concert piece for the 200th anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution and premiered in September 2014 at the Eidsivablot festival, Eidsvoll where the constitution was written.

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.

Ni Mødre av Sol
Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I myrkre båren
Or myrkre født
Av morgonraude bylgjer
Stig soli sigrande upp
Kvar ein dag i ringen

I myrkre båren
Kvar ein dag i ringen

Or myrkre født
Kvar ein dag i ringen
Av morgonraude bylgjer
Stig soli sigrande upp
Kvar ein dag i ringen

Kvar ein dag
Ved verdas rand
Vært du båren fram
I svalkald sjø
Av jardarmagn

Ni systres son
Ni mødres son

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Ni Mødre av Sol" by Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik are poetic and evoke a sense of mystery and ancient wisdom. The opening lines "I myrkre båren, or myrkre født" translate to "Born in darkness, or born in shadow." These lines set the tone for the rest of the song, which speaks of being born, growing up, and living life in a cycle, with each day beginning and ending with the rising and setting of the sun. The lyrics suggest a cyclical nature of life and the universe, with themes of birth, death, and rebirth repeating endlessly.

The next lines "Av morgonraude bylgjer stig soli sigrande upp" translate to "From morning-red waves rises the victorious sun." This speaks to the idea that each day brings a new beginning, and the sun is symbolic of hope and renewal. The final lines "Ni systres son, Ni mødres son" translate to "Son of nine sisters, son of nine mothers." This line is a nod to Norse mythology, which often features nine sisters who represent the nine waves of the sea, and nine mothers who represent the nine worlds of Norse cosmology.

Overall, the lyrics of "Ni Mødre av Sol" are deep and intriguing, with layers of meaning that hint at a spiritual understanding of the universe and our place in it.

Line by Line Meaning

I myrkre båren
Born in darkness

Or myrkre født
Born from darkness

Av morgonraude bylgjer
From the morning's red waves

Stig soli sigrande upp
The victorious sun rises

Kvar ein dag i ringen
Every day in the circle

Ved verdas rand
At the edge of the world

Vært du båren fram
You have been carried forth

I svalkald sjø
In the cool and cold sea

Av jardarmagn
Of the power of the earth

Ni systres son
Nine sisters' son

Ni mødres son
Nine mothers' son