Monica Zetterlund (born Monica Nilsson on September 20, 1937 in Hagfors, Vä… Read Full Bio ↴Monica Zetterlund (born Monica Nilsson on September 20, 1937 in Hagfors, Värmlands län, Sweden, died May 12, 2005 in Stockholm, Sweden) was a Swedish singer and actress.

She appeared in more than 20 films and television series, including The Emigrants (1971) with Liv Ullman and Max von Sydow.

She was above all an outstanding singer, particularly noted for her jazz songs. In 1964 she recorded the jazz album Waltz for Debby with Bill Evans. She was regarded as a role model by many younger Swedish singers. Her long career also included En gång i Stockholm (Once Upon a Time in Stockholm) with which she represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1963. She finished last and scored the infamous null points, but still managed to remain successful in Sweden.

She was known to suffer from scoliosis, and as a result was forced to retire from performing in 1999.

On May 12, 2005, she died in an accidental fire in her apartment in Stockholm.

Om Natten
Monica Zetterlund Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Om natten
Är alla änkor grå
Utom hon som älskar
För hon är bla
Om dagen
Är alla änkor vita
Utom hon som sörjer
För hon är svart

Om natten gråter varje katt
Some inte syns
För hon är grå

Utom hon som älskar
För hon är bla

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Om natten" by Monica Zetterlund and Bill Evans are a poetic reflection on the duality of life and emotions. The song starts with the line "At night, all widows are gray. Except for she who loves. For she is blue," which seems to suggest that love is the only thing that can bring color into the seemingly bleak lives of widows at night. The second stanza continues the theme, stating that during the day, all widows are white, except for the one who grieves, who is black. This imagery is particularly striking, as it suggests that grief can cast an all-encompassing shadow on the lives of those who experience it.

The song continues with the imagery of the gray cat, which is a metaphor for the unseen pain and suffering that exists in the world. The line "Every cat cries at night that cannot be seen, for she is gray, except for she who loves, for she is blue" seems to suggest that love is again the only thing that can alleviate the pain and suffering that exists in the world. This song is an ode to love and the transformative power that it holds.

Line by Line Meaning

Om natten
During the night

Är alla änkor grå
All widows are gray

Utom hon som älskar
Except for the one who loves

För hon är bla
For she is blue

Om dagen
During the day

Är alla änkor vita
All widows are white

Utom hon som sörjer
Except for the one who mourns

För hon är svart
For she is black

Om natten gråter varje katt
Every cat cries at night

Some inte syns
Those who cannot be seen

För hon är grå
For she is gray