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.

Outro: Ull Gjekk
Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Spelemannens tonar lurer
Minner om ein stad
Langt der nede, vekke
Lat oss lokkast, lat oss springe
Kom, bli med i natta
Djupare inn i skogen
Kor naturen kviskrar
På språk ingen lenger høyrer

Menneskeborna - dei vart vår bane
Me ga dykk alt de trengde

Me skaff ly og me skaffa liv
Guden i steinen er no taus

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik's Skuggsjá's song Outro: Ull Gjekk describe the allure of the sound of a fiddle player playing an old tune that reminds the singer of a place far away. The singer is drawn in by the music and invites whoever is listening to come with them deeper into the forest where the whispers of nature can be heard in a language that is no longer heard by humans. The last two lines of the song suggest a darker theme of humanity's downfall because they became too dependent on the gifts that nature provided for them, and now the god in the stone is silent.

The lyrics have a reflective and melancholic tone that highlights the theme of nostalgia, lost communication, and reflection on the consequences of humanity's actions. The fiddle tune and the whispers of nature evoke a sense of longing and wonder, but also a sense of regret and mourning for what has been lost.

The song reflects the Norwegian tradition of storytelling through music and lyrics. It also pays tribute to the connection between nature and humanity, as well as the importance of preserving it.

Line by Line Meaning

Spelemannens tonar lurer
The tunes played by the fiddler are enticing

Minner om ein stad
Reminiscent of a distant place

Langt der nede, vekke
Far down, away

Lat oss lokkast, lat oss springe
Let us be drawn in, let us run

Kom, bli med i natta
Come, join us in the night

Djupare inn i skogen
Deeper into the forest

Kor naturen kviskrar
Where nature whispers

På språk ingen lenger høyrer
In a language that no longer exists

Menneskeborna - dei vart vår bane
Humans were our downfall

Me ga dykk alt de trengde
We gave you everything you needed

Me skaff ly og me skaffa liv
We provided shelter and sustenance