Svarte Sko
John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen Lyrics

The lyrics of John Olav Nilsen Gjengen's song "Svarte sko" express the feelings of a person who is trying to find their place in the world but feels like they don't quite fit in. The opening line, "Takk for maten men dra til helvete" ("Thanks for the food, but go to hell"), suggests a sense of frustration and dissatisfaction with where the person finds themselves. The following lines, "Gaten kaller så eg svarer og faller / Eg trenger rammer ellers faller eg / Ut av bildet som du ville" ("The street calls and I answer and fall / I need frames, otherwise I fall / Out of the picture like you wanted"), convey a sense of disorientation and a need for structure to keep the person from losing themselves.

The chorus of the song, "Ikkje trakk på ikkje trakk på / Ikkje trakk på mine svarte sko" ("Don't step on, don't step on / Don't step on my black shoes"), suggests a desire to protect something that is important to the person. The black shoes may represent a symbol of the person's identity or a way of grounding themselves in the chaos of the world around them. The verses that follow describe the person's journey through the night, navigating through the obstacles and distractions that threaten to pull them off course. The lines "Eg gikk feil og fant min egen vei / Alt tar slutt du får finne frem / Mine svarte sko tar meg med hjem" ("I went the wrong way and found my own path / Everything comes to an end, you have to find your way / My black shoes take me home") suggest that the person has found a way to maintain their sense of self and stay true to who they are, even in the face of adversity.