During his career, Lillebjørn has published several books combining guitar and song. These songbooks are pulled out around the campfire, in schools, and in kids' rooms where chords are instilled in fingers. Everyone knows Lillebjørn. His "Guitar Book" alone has sold more than 180.000 copies.
Lillebjørn plays several stringed instruments, including guitar, banjo, mandolin and Hardanger fiddle. His repertoire encompasses Norwegian folksongs in his own arrangements, his own translations of songs from other countries, and not least his own lyrics and melodies.
In a simple and down to earth manner, Lillebjørn has set words to everyday concepts, and his songs have always gone home with both young and old.
In addition to numerous tours in Norway and other Nordic countries, he has peformed at large festivals in Europe and the USA. He also joined other musicians to form two successful groups which played to full houses and sold hundreds of thousands of records.
In 1996, Lillebjørn released a double album of 40 of his best and most well known songs, "40 Spor". In 2007, he will celebrate his 57th birthday. Not bad for a legend.
Lillebjørn got his name in the 60s, playing in The Young Norwegians with Bjørn Morisse. Both being named Bjørn, a common Norwegian name at that time which translates to "bear", Lillebjørn being the shortest of the duo he got the nickname "Lillebjørn" meaning "Little bear".
Håvard Hedde
Lillebjørn Nilsen Lyrics
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No vil eg sta og gifta meg og rydja meg ein gard.
Eg bur oppunder fjell.
Og jenta hev eg lova. Eg svik ho inkje lell.
Og garden han er liten, men skogen han er god.
Der heve eg tvo furer. Og dei skal stå i ro.
So høgg eg ned den eine. Den andre let eg stå.
Den andre let eg stande. Det heve ingjo naud.
Eg tek ei stor lik-kiste den dagen eg ligg daud.
Men når me verte gamle og kvar skal hava sitt.
So høgg eg ned den andre. Og so er skogen kvitt.
Han reiste ifrå Lanjei. Men då var jenta fest.
Og det var med ein annan. Det heve'n trega mest.
Han budde under fjell.
Og jenta som han lova ho sveik han likevel.
The song "Håvard Hedde" by Lillebjørn Nilsen is a ballad about a man named Håvard, who introduces himself as a friendly and trustworthy person. He resides near the mountains and has promised to marry a woman from his village, whom he loves dearly and will never betray. Håvard owns a small farm and a forest, where he has two pine trees that are particularly important to him. As time goes by and he has many children to care for, he decides to cut down one of the trees and leave the other one standing. He plans to use the wood of the first tree to pay off his debts and provide for his family. Håvard contemplates the consequences of his actions and realizes that he will eventually die and leave behind a large coffin. When he is old, and his children and grandchildren have grown up, he will cut down the remaining pine tree and use it to make his last resting place.
Line by Line Meaning
Eg heiter Håvard Hedde og er so ven ein kar.
My name is Håvard Hedde, and I am a very nice person.
No vil eg sta og gifta meg og rydja meg ein gard.
Now I want to get married and clear some land to make a farm.
Eg bur oppunder fjell.
I live close to the mountains.
Og jenta hev eg lova. Eg svik ho inkje lell.
And I promised a girl that I will never betray her.
Og garden han er liten, men skogen han er god.
My farm is small, but the forest surrounding it is large and plentiful.
Der heve eg tvo furer. Og dei skal stå i ro.
I have two pine trees in the forest, and I have vowed to let them stand.
Når borni dei vert mange og skuldi aukar på.
When I have many children and my debts increase.
So høgg eg ned den eine. Den andre let eg stå.
I will chop down one of the trees, but the other one will remain.
Den andre let eg stande. Det heve ingjo naud.
There is no need to cut down the other tree, so I'll leave it standing.
Eg tek ei stor lik-kiste den dagen eg ligg daud.
I will have a large coffin on the day I die.
Men når me verte gamle og kvar skal hava sitt.
But when we grow old and need to divide our belongings.
So høgg eg ned den andre. Og so er skogen kvitt.
I will cut down the other tree, and then the forest will no longer be an issue.
Han reiste ifrå Lanjei. Men då var jenta fest.
He left Lanjei, but she was already with another man.
Og det var med ein annan. Det heve'n trega mest.
And she was with another man, which hurt him the most.
Han budde under fjell.
He lived beneath the mountains.
Og jenta som han lova ho sveik han likevel.
And the girl he promised to never betray still broke his heart.
Contributed by Avery F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.