Jakob Hellman, born October 20, 1965 in Vuollerim, Norrbotten, is a Swedish pop singer. Although his only album to date was released in 1989, he is still well-known in his native country.
Jakob Hellman grew up in rural north Sweden, just south of the polar circle. Without previous experience in the music business (except for playing Chicago covers with bands in Vuollerim and Falun), he sent his demo to ten different record companies, and, much to his own surprise, soon had a record contract in his hand.
The first single, Tåg (Train) was released in 1988, and the same year he won a Swedish Grammy as Best Newcomer. The album followed in February 1989. Although Hellman himself wanted to name it De sista melodierna (The Last Melodies) it instead borrowed its title from one of the non-single songs, ...Och stora havet (...And the great sea).
At the time of its release, Hellman's album got positive, although not jubilant, reviews, and the single Vara vänner (Be Friends) became a major hit. Most of the album's songs can be described as quite radio-friendly guitar-based music in the singer-songwriter vein, although Hellman's syncopated singing style set him apart from most of the competition. In interviews, Jakob Hellman cited Elvis Costello as his greatest influence, and although his music by no means could be called a carbon copy, similarities can easily be found. The lyrics, entirely in Swedish, range from rather simple love songs to more philosophical themes. They are characterized by inventive turns of phrase, often imitated by followers.
At the 1989 Swedish Grammy Awards Jakob Hellman won the Best Male Rock artist award, but not Best Album, as it was given to Jerry Williams). With the passing of time, however, the record has come to be regarded as one of the most influentual Swedish pop records; in the monthly entertainment magazine "Nöjesguiden," his album was voted the best Swedish record ever made.
Hellman made no attempt at following up the album's major success. After appearing on a Evert Taube tribute album and featuring in a duet with folk-rock act Perssons Pack in 1991, he withdrew from the spotlight entirely. Reluctantly interviewed, he told journalists he had been studying different subjects at Lund University and had no plans for a new record. In the end of the 1990s he started to occasionally appear on stage again. In 2003 and 2004 Hellman has been playing several smaller venues and minor festivals, performing both old and unreleased tracks, fueling his fans' hopes for a return to recording.
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Jakob Hellman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
på en evig resa såvitt jag såg
i vår gamla svartvita färgteve
som skymde fönstret i vår kupé.
Jag blev född mellan spegeln och grammofon
om ni undrar var jag kommer ifrån,
om ni undrar vart jag är på väg..
Så du vill se vår slutstation, vårt mål.
En del målar himlar, andra kalla hål.
Och han säger: "amen", nämen skål.
Han får nog hoppa av i farten ändå.
Jag drömde stora drömmar och små
och jag drömde alla med socker på,
om Alice i underkläder som låg
i ELLO's postorderkatalog.
Och emellanåt fick jag lära mig gå
och läsa och skriva och titta på
och drömma drömmar när ingen ser på,
och drömma drömmar när ingen ser på.
Men jag måste berätta en sak som jag såg
när jag drömde en natt när jag satt och sov
och jag tittade ner ifrån där jag låg
och såg livet och livet såg ut som ett tåg.
Ett tåg där de lata och kloka funderar i kör
över vart dom skall åka och över vem som kör.
Och nå'n annan klär ut sig till konduktör
han rör inte en min om lokförarn' dör,
säljer hemgjorda pappersbiljetter för guld,
alla vill ha en egen för säkerhets skull.
Alla tror att dom hamnar i hemmahamn,
alla tror att det väntar en vänlig famn.
Men bredvid var det svart som mitt på ett hav,
vems tur det än var att hoppa av.
The opening verses of Jakob Hellman's "Tåg" paints a vivid picture of a life divided between the real world and the surreal. The singer describes being born a long time ago on a train, on a journey that seems never-ending. The only glimpse of the outside world comes from an old black and white TV, which remains the only window in their compartment. The ambiguity of the journey and destination represents life's journey, and we only get to see glimpses of its beauty and complexity.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of confusion about the singer's identity and origin. He was born between the mirror and the gramophone, therefore, making his roots unclear. There's a sense of longing to know where he comes from and where he's headed. In the end, the singer presents a surrealistic dream where he envisions life as a train. Everyone is bound for a destination that they believe is their homeward bound, but the reality is unknown. Some are lazy, some are cunning, and some are lost in their own worlds, and life remains a mystery.
Overall, "Tåg" is a hauntingly beautiful song that explores the ambiguity of life with honesty and poetry. Through this song, Jakob Hellman exemplifies the truth that we all are on a journey with an uncertain destination and that we need to make the most of every moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Jag blev född för länge se'n på ett tåg,
I was born a long time ago on a train
på en evig resa såvitt jag såg
on an eternal journey as far as I could see
i vår gamla svartvita färgteve
in our old black and white television
som skymde fönstret i vår kupé.
which obscured the window in our compartment.
Jag blev född mellan spegeln och grammofon
I was born between the mirror and the gramophone
om ni undrar var jag kommer ifrån,
if you wonder where I come from,
om ni undrar vart jag är på väg..
if you wonder where I'm going.
Så du vill se vår slutstation, vårt mål.
So you want to see our terminal station, our goal.
En del målar himlar, andra kalla hål.
Some paint skies, others cold holes.
Och han säger: "amen", nämen skål.
And he says: "Amen", no, cheers.
Han får nog hoppa av i farten ändå.
He'll probably have to jump off while it's still moving.
Jag drömde stora drömmar och små
I dreamed big and small dreams
och jag drömde alla med socker på,
and I dreamed them all with sugar on top,
om Alice i underkläder som låg
about Alice in her underwear laying down
i ELLO's postorderkatalog.
in ELLO's mail-order catalog.
Och emellanåt fick jag lära mig gå
And every now and then, I learned to walk
och läsa och skriva och titta på
and read and write and look at things
och drömma drömmar när ingen ser på,
and dream dreams when no one is watching,
och drömma drömmar när ingen ser på.
and dream dreams when no one is watching.
Men jag måste berätta en sak som jag såg
But I must tell you one thing that I saw
när jag drömde en natt när jag satt och sov
when I dreamed one night while I was sleeping
och jag tittade ner ifrån där jag låg
and looked down from where I lay
och såg livet och livet såg ut som ett tåg.
and saw life, and life looked like a train.
Ett tåg där de lata och kloka funderar i kör
A train where the lazy and wise ponder in chorus
över vart dom skall åka och över vem som kör.
about where they are going and who's driving.
Och nå'n annan klär ut sig till konduktör
And someone else dresses up as a conductor
han rör inte en min om lokförarn' dör,
he doesn't flinch if the train driver dies,
säljer hemgjorda pappersbiljetter för guld,
selling homemade paper tickets for gold,
alla vill ha en egen för säkerhets skull.
everyone wants their own for safety reasons.
Alla tror att dom hamnar i hemmahamn,
Everyone believes they'll end up in their hometown,
alla tror att det väntar en vänlig famn.
everyone believes a friendly embrace awaits them.
Men bredvid var det svart som mitt på ett hav,
But next to it, it was black as in the middle of a sea,
vems tur det än var att hoppa av.
no matter whose turn it was to jump off.
Contributed by Noah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
jayno1cutler
Klassisk barndoms-skiva :) Grym låt verkligen!
ThyMajesticOne
Geni!
Leif Eriksson
Hans bästa låt.
Android Fanatic
<3