Dear Old Stockholm
Stan Getz/Chet Baker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I long how I long to roam
back to my old Kentucky home.
Dear old Southland for you my heart is yearning
And I long just to see once more
"Dear Old Stockholm" is actually an instrumental jazz standard, and there are no lyrics in the original song. However, the version by Stan Getz and the Swedish All Stars has these lyrics added by Al Viola. The lyrics refer to the yearning for home, specifically the Southland and Kentucky. The singer misses and longs for the places where they grew up, which is a common theme in many types of music. The repeated use of "dear old" also emphasizes the sentimental attachment to these places.
This song is also known as " Ack Värmeland, du sköna” which is a Swedish folk song that somewhat reminds of Scottish folk music. "Dear Old Stockholm" became especially well-known in the jazz world after Miles Davis included it in his album "Round About Midnight" in 1957. The song is played at a medium tempo, in a 32-bar AABA form (eight bars, repeated twice, followed by another eight bars and then a closing section). It is typically played with a saxophone or trumpet as a lead instrument, as in the version by Stan Getz.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear old Southland I hear you calling me.
My beloved southern home, you summon me with your familiar sounds and sights.
And I long how I long to roam
I ache with a deep desire to wander and explore new places.
back to my old Kentucky home.
I yearn to return to the comforting embrace of my childhood home in Kentucky.
Dear old Southland for you my heart is yearning
My heart is filled with a strong longing and affection for the Southland that I hold dear.
And I long just to see once more
I simply desire to gaze upon the familiar and beloved sights of my homeland once more.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STAN GETZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bosshoss64
I'm from Stockholm, and this piece of music is pure magic.
@del4297
CaptainBuster: Thanks so much for posting this wonderful music "Dear Old Stockholm". Stan Getz and Chet Baker two great musicians. Cheers from New Orleans the city of jazz and the wonderful "cajun" food.
@mrcountbasie
Tack för härliga Stockholmsbilder...
@ceciliaderico1543
Beautiful rendition of a Swedish folk song, Ack Värmeland Du Sköna, made in to jazz. Monica Zetterlund, Swedish jazz singer, made that in to jazz. I believe she was from that part of Sweden, Värmland. Check out Monica Z. and Bill Evans.
@MathiasSkyman
That's correct. Monica was born in Hagfors, Värmland.
@rogb3199
Love the music, love Stockholm, love the postcards- in fact, what's not to love? Thanks for this.
@jazzuffe
Tearing music, so wonderful.
@PecanRanch
Epic performance !! I love how the crowd goes wild for Chet at the end ( this song was the encore of the set ).
@da19lila38
Meditative and making one want to visit this wonderful city. Maybe i will sometime ... have to hurry, btw, considering...
@laurasmith7421
The music ,the presentation, totally delights me! Thanks for putting this together. Smiling with my heart.