Vazelina Bilopphøggers (Vazelina Auto Wreckers) is a former Norwegian music… Read Full Bio ↴Vazelina Bilopphøggers (Vazelina Auto Wreckers) is a former Norwegian musical group best known for borrowing musical elements from, or outright covering, rock and pop classics rewritten, often with a bizarre humorous twist, in their distinctive native dialect. One of the most prolific and beloved Norwegian bands of all time — having performed continually for thirty years and counting — they have worked with many of their country's most important artists, and recorded a slew of hit singles and albums. They have also crossed over into comics, video games, and television, among them the TV2 Christmas serial Hjulkalender.

Vazelina Bilopphøggers was founded in Gjøvik, Oppland, Norway during December 1979. Initially a seven-piece group, the original line-up consisted of Eldar Vågan (guitar, vocals), Arnulf 'Høggern' Paulsen (drums), Jan Einar Johnsen (organ, saxophone, backing vocals), Bjørn Berg (lead vocals), Asgeir Hoel (electric bass), and backing vocalists Halvard Høynes and Bjørn Bogetvedt. This line-up won the district final of NM i Rock (a national rock band championship) but failed to place in the national finals. Their first big success came with the release of the single "Gi meg fri i kveld" (b/w "Bilopphøgger Boogie"), both sides of which became nationwide hits.

Come the time of the recording of their first studio album, Hoel and Høynes had left the band; Hoel was replaced by Torbjørn Nicolaysen. Their first long-player, 24 timers service, was released in 1980; after the supporting tour, Berg, Nicolaysen and Bogetvedt departed, being replaced by bassist Rune Endal, and singer/trumpeter Viggo Sandvik; this is considered their classic line-up, one which recorded several albums and singles revered as Norwegian classics. In 1991, however, Endal left the band, who decided to become a four-piece. Partaking in studio and in live performances but not considered official band members, are bassist Terje Methi and keyboardist Tor Welo.

In 1994, they appeared on the best-selling soundtrack for Don Bluth's animated film Rock-a-Doodle, for which several band members also provided voice acting. The album combined Vågan and Sandvik's translations of T.J. Kuenster's original songs with other Vazelina "originals", several of which have become regular compilation selections and live favorites. The same line-up released a number of successful albums (11 år uten kvinnfolk [1992], Hææærli' på toppen ta væla [1996], and Hjulkalender [2000]).

2006 saw the unexpected departure of Viggo Sandvik, secondary lyricist and primary lead singer, by many considered the face of the band. Kjetil Fosseid was hired as the band's new co-lead vocalist, this line-up having released the 2007 album Bensin på bålet, and continuing to tour throughout Norway, more often with a focus on comedy revues than out-and-out live concerts.

In September 2019, the band announced that they would disband after a farewell concert at Oslo Spektrum on March 21, 2020. The concert sold out in minutes, which prompted promoters to add a new concert to be held the day before, but this concert also selled out quickly. However, the concerts were postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. In April 2021, over one year after the concerts was supposed to take place, they were finally postponed to October 8 and 9 2021. In addition, a third concert was announced to be held on October 7.

Artistic influences include rockabilly legends such as Johnny Burnette, Buddy Holly, and Gene Vincent; consequently, their catalog is heavily based on music from the 50s and 60s, having rewritten songs made famous by dozens of artists such as Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochran, Roy Orbison, and Elvis Presley. Songs that are not outright cover versions often borrow recognizable hooks and chord progressions from famous songs, combined with original songwriting efforts. Songwriting credits are still accredited to the original songwriters.

Their rewritten lyrics, chiefly written by Eldar Vågan, often have little to nothing to do with a song's original lyrical content: for example, "Surfbrett" (a pastiche of The Beach Boys) is about crafting a plywood surfboard, and "Blålys" (a rewritten "Blue Moon") concerns getting one's license revoked for drunk driving.

Their final performance went down in front of 5000 spectators in Oslo Spektrum Arena, October 8. 2022.

September
Vazelina Bilopphøggers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Vi har et oldboys-lag
På Vardal der je speller
Nå er sesongen slutt
Siste kampen i september
Men nå er je i tvil
Ska je skifte knotter
Og gå i gang på ny?
Vintersesong i november

Sjøl en lagkaptein
Vil en dag bli sein
September
November

Jeg hørte trener'n min
Rope stygge gloser
Da je fekk senestrekk
Siste kampen i september

Sjøl en lagkaptein
Vil en dag bli sein
September
November

Dæ må ta slutt en dag
For en stjernespeller

Men bære vent og sjå
For je kjæm att i november

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Vazelina Bilopphøggers' song "September" talk about a seasoned football player who plays for an oldboys team in Vardal. The football season is coming to an end, and the final game is in September. The player is in doubt if he wants to continue and is questioning if he should change his cleats and start again in the winter season which starts in November. The song also references the realities of playing for a team, as the coach yells curse words when the singer gets injured during the last game of the season.

The lyrics also make a point that even a team captain will one day become slow, and their reflexes will get slower in time. It is a wake-up call that everything will come to an end someday, even for the most accomplished players. But the song leaves a positive note, suggesting that one should keep hope and wait to see what the future holds.

Line by Line Meaning

Vi har et oldboys-lag
We have a team of older men

På Vardal der je speller
Playing on the field at Vardal

Nå er sesongen slutt
The season is over

Siste kampen i september
The last game is in September

Men nå er je i tvil
But now I am unsure

Ska je skifte knotter
Should I change my cleats

Og gå i gang på ny?
And start anew?

Vintersesong i november
Winter season begins in November

Sjøl en lagkaptein
Even a team captain

Vil en dag bli sein
Will one day be late

September
September