The band was formed in 1982, with a lineup consisting of Nielsen on guitar and vocals, his long time partner May-Irene Aasen on drums and Håkon Torgersen on bass. Their debut album Alt kan repareres was released in 1986.
Much of the band's lyrics revolved around alcohol, and Jokke had a reputation of frequently getting drunk on stage. In 1992, he created a scandal when he received a Norwegian Grammy award whilst under the influence of drugs.
In the mid-90s, Jokke had developed a heroin addiction, and had several stays at rehabilitation clinics. By the turn of the millennium, many of his close friends believed that he had conquered his inner demons. In October 2000, while on leave from a rehabilitation clinic, Jokke died from a drug overdose.
In 2005, a double tribute album entitled "Det beste til meg og mine venner" (English: The best for me and my friends) was released, which featured some of Jokke's best known songs covered by Norwegian artists.
Hvis Jeg Var Deg
Jokke & Valentinerne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg spandert en fyll på meg
tenk på alt det morsomme vi sammen kunne gjort
hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg spandert en øl på meg
Hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg spandert en øl på meg
hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg tatt en fyll med meg
tenk på alt det morsomme vi sammen kunne gjort
Og hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg gitt meg alt du eier
veldedighet er in for tida
gi meg alt du eier
tenk deg hvilken byrde som vil løftes fra ditt hjerte
og tenk deg hvilken byrde som vil løfte seg fra mitt
For jeg orker ikke tanken på å gå ned til min seng
ligge der i mørket og lytte til min by
En by som alle rømmer til
en kirkegård av drømmer
Og ingen veit helt hva dem vil
eller hvordan dem skal få det til
så..
Hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg spandert en øl på meg
hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg tatt en fyll med meg
tenk på alt det morsomme vi sammen kunne gjort
hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg spandert en øl på meg
For jeg orker ikke tanken på å gå ned til min seng
ligge der i mørket og lytte til min by
En by som alle rømmer til
en kirkegård av drømmer
Og ingen veit helt hva dem vil
eller hvordan dem skal få det til
så..
Hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg spandert en øl på meg
hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg tatt en fyll med meg
tenk på alt det morsomme vi sammen kunne gjort
hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg spandert en øl på meg
hvis jeg var deg, hvis jeg var deg
hvis jeg var deg
hvis jeg var deg.....
The lyrics to Jokke & Valentinerne's song Hvis jeg var deg centers around the idea of switching places with someone else, particularly the person the singer is singing to. The chorus revolves around the singer imagining what they would do if they were the person they're addressing - they would buy themselves a beer, have a drink with themselves, and think about all the fun things they could do together. The bridge then takes a more serious turn, as the singer suggests that if they were the addressee, they would give away everything they own since charity is in fashion now. The second verse is a repetition of the first, and the song ends with a repeated chorus.
Overall, the lyrics can be interpreted as a longing for connection and companionship, as evidenced by the repeated suggestion of doing things together. The fact that this desire is expressed through a song about switching places with someone else suggests that the singer may feel disconnected from others or may not feel understood in their current life. The reference to the city as a graveyard of dreams further emphasizes this sense of disconnect and the singer's feelings of being lost in the face of life's uncertainties.
Line by Line Meaning
Hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg spandert en øl på meg
If I were you, I would buy myself a beer
hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg spandert en fyll på meg
If I were you, I would get myself drunk
tenk på alt det morsomme vi sammen kunne gjort
Think of all the fun things we could have done together
hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg tatt en fyll med meg
If I were you, I would drink with me
Og hvis jeg var deg så ville jeg gitt meg alt du eier
And if I were you, I would give me everything you own
veldedighet er in for tida
"Charity is in right now"
gi meg alt du eier
Give me everything you own
tenk deg hvilken byrde som vil løftes fra ditt hjerte
Imagine the weight that would be lifted from your heart
og tenk deg hvilken byrde som vil løfte seg fra mitt
And imagine the weight that would be lifted from mine
For jeg orker ikke tanken på å gå ned til min seng
Because I can't bear the thought of going to my bed
ligge der i mørket og lytte til min by
Lying there in the dark, listening to my city
En by som alle rømmer til
A city where everyone escapes to
en kirkegård av drømmer
A graveyard of dreams
Og ingen veit helt hva dem vil
And nobody really knows what they want
eller hvordan dem skal få det til
Or how they will achieve it
hvis jeg var deg, hvis jeg var deg
If I were you, if I were you
hvis jeg var deg
If I were you
hvis jeg var deg.....
If I were you...
Contributed by Charlie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
negative nancy
if i were you, then i would buy me a beer
if i were you i would get drunk with me
think of all the fun things we together could’ve done
if i were you i would buy me a beer
x 2
and if i were you i would’ve given me everything you own
charity is in these days
give me all your belongings
think of the burden that will get lifted from your heart
and think of the burden that will lift from mine
for i cannot stand the thought of going down into my bed
laying there in darkness
listening to my town
a city all escape to
a graveyard of dreams
nobody knows quite what they want or how they should get it done
so...
(then those two verses repeat several times)
if i were you, if i were you
if i were you
if i were you
Tomnedreb
Jokke er kongen av norsk rock, ingen ved siden og ingen over,,
methodically0mental
RIP Joachim... Du var en fin fyr, og jeg spanderte mer enn en øl på deg.
reigninoel
"der ingen helt veit hva de vil, eller hvordan dem skal få det til" <------- Dette her er rein poesi.
civroger
Nostalgi. Dette var livet.
negative nancy
if i were you, then i would buy me a beer
if i were you i would get drunk with me
think of all the fun things we together could’ve done
if i were you i would buy me a beer
x 2
and if i were you i would’ve given me everything you own
charity is in these days
give me all your belongings
think of the burden that will get lifted from your heart
and think of the burden that will lift from mine
for i cannot stand the thought of going down into my bed
laying there in darkness
listening to my town
a city all escape to
a graveyard of dreams
nobody knows quite what they want or how they should get it done
so...
(then those two verses repeat several times)
if i were you, if i were you
if i were you
if i were you
grantorgeir
if I was you, then I would buy me a beer if I was you, then I would get drunk with me think of all the fun we could do together if I was you, then I would buy me a beer I can't stand the thought of going back to my bed lie there in the darkness and listen to my town a town that everyone escapes to, a graveyard of dreams and no one knows what they want, or how they're going to get it. roughly
Eirik Ramsin
Elsker denne mannen... RIP
Monika Solberg
Var i Norge i August og der ble samen fremstilt på NRK 2 ( tror jeg) av en kirkesanger i et program som het Stjerne dryss ( tror jeg)
Utrolig bra😎
Salvador Dalí
It's nice, would someone recommend any Norwegian rock(progressive) songs?
Rockelement
You can check out Conception ;)