Here, in honor of the solstice just passed, are some new lyrics for what may be the most beautiful song I know: Björk’s version of “Vökuró” from her masterpiece Medúlla. This is the kick-off of my experiment with a “12 days of Christmas” music series. One song a day, with a few comments on some of them. Not ranked.
I love this song so much that I decided I had to try to sing it. So, in addition to sounding it out in Icelandic in what I suppose would sound atrocious to native speakers without enlightening anyone else, I made some singable English lyrics. (It’s not that I claim to know Icelandic, but only that I tried to get near the heart of the meaning in lyrics that work as a song, through a free paraphrase informed by other people’s translations).
One of these days I hope to record this. Meanwhile, waiting for that day would turn the perfect into the enemy of the good—and, in addition, if I were to put this forward in my own voice when you could listen to Björk, it would be pathetic.
Still, you will get more out of this superlative performance if you understand what she is singing about. It's an Icelandic lullaby, and this the gist of it in prose form-- again my paraphrase from translations.
Our farm sleeps happily as snow falls at dusk.Silently it blankets the grass, keeping earth until spring.
Spring is nesting underground, keeping watch with the two of us. Trusting life through the winter’s cold, staring from the depths up into the stars.
Far away the great city wakes, going mad with grim enchantment. It never rests, anxious night and day—yet you gaze back at me, smiling calm and bright.
In your smile I feel my hope return, rousing songs from dreams. Earth is at peace in the arms of snow. Close your eyes, my beloved child, and rest until spring.
Here it is again in a form that allows you follow along, word by word, or even sing along with her if you dare to profane the perfection of her arrangement. More to the point, since we can also follow with the prose, we can use these words to live into our own sung versions.
Little farm, home for you and me Through the night, sleeps in peace Falling snow, covering the grass Silent snow, blanketing the fields, keeps earth ’til spring
Spring still hides. nesting at the foot of the hill Keeping watch as we also do Trusting life, through the winter’s cold Keeping faith, staring from the depths up into the stars
Far away, the great gray city wakes Flickering screens drawing us into their spell Never rests, fearful night and day Yet your eyes, trusting and serene, are with me here
In your smile, I can feel my hope return As we sleep, songs will rise from dreams Earth at peace In the arms of snow Close your eyes, my beloved child, and rest till spring
MBE standard notice: The time I spend on this blog is not in addition to a Twitter and FaceBook presence, but an alternative to it. If you think anything here merits wider circulation, this will probably only happen if you circulate it.