Stein Torleif Bjella (born in 1968) is a songwriter and musician from Øvre-… Read Full Bio ↴Stein Torleif Bjella (born in 1968) is a songwriter and musician from Øvre-Ål, Norway.

His debut, Heidersmenn, was released in 2009 and produced by Kjartan Kristiansen, known from DumDum Boys. Geir Sundstøl and Lars Haavard Haugen were some of the artists who contributed on the album.
For the debut, Bjella picked up two nominations for Spellemannsprisen 2009 (the norwegian Grammy) in the categories Best Folk and Best Lyricist.

In 2011, Bjella's second album, Vonde visu was released to great reviews.

http://www.steintorleifbjella.no/

Potensial
Stein Torleif Bjella Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Turistadn køyre forbi
På nye afterski
Kor vart det tå Telemarkskyre
Kor vart det tå bygdedyret
Eg flutte hit for å få fred
No går det stolheis over meg
No tek eg heisen ein dag
Te eit nytt luftlag

Du sit blåbærblå rundt kjaften og ler
Det er noko i meg som du ikkje ser
Eg hadde potensial
No er eg bygdeoriginal

Her er ingen bleik ell sjuk
Det skulle ha tatt seg ut
Blodtrykket stig muselorten flyt
Det er like før isen bryt

Trudde lengji det ville snu
At eg gjekk fri og at det va du
Som ville vente og sjå
Som let det skure og gå

Du sit blåbærblå rundt kjaften og ler
Det er noko i meg som du ikkje ser
Eg hadde potensial
No er eg bygdeoriginal

Kunn ha vorte råskinn
I ei merkantil stilling
Vore sentrum i selskapslivet
Vorte gamal i Dollarlie

Eg hadde potensial
No er eg bygdeoriginal

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Stein Torleif Bjella's song "Potensial" tell a story of a person who has moved to a rural area to find peace and escape the hustle and bustle of urban life. The opening lines describe tourists driving by to enjoy the new après-ski scene, while the singer wonders what has happened to the traditional Telemark skiing and the sense of community that comes from living in a small town. The decision to move was driven by a desire for tranquility, but now there is a chairlift running over the person, symbolizing how modernization and progress have invaded their peaceful existence.

The chorus emphasizes the contrast between the singer and someone who seems carefree and oblivious to the inner struggles they face. The singer laments that despite their potential for something greater, they have become just another original villager, losing their aspirations and unique qualities in the process. The lyrics convey a sense of resignation, as the singer realizes that their dreams may never come true, and they have settled into their rural life, feeling overlooked and underestimated.

Overall, "Potensial" reflects on the themes of longing for a simpler way of life, the trade-offs and compromises made when choosing a different path, and the potential that remains untapped and unfulfilled.

Line by Line Meaning

Turistadn køyre forbi
Tourists drive by

På nye afterski
At the new après-ski

Kor vart det tå Telemarkskyre
Where did the Telemark ski go

Kor vart det tå bygdedyret
Where did the village beast go

Eg flutte hit for å få fred
I moved here to find peace

No går det stolheis over meg
Now there's a chairlift above me

No tek eg heisen ein dag
Now I'll take the elevator one day

Te eit nytt luftlag
To a new altitude

Du sit blåbærblå rundt kjaften og ler
You sit with a blueberry blue mouth and laugh

Det er noko i meg som du ikkje ser
There's something in me that you don't see

Eg hadde potensial
I had potential