Gratulerer med dagen, Norge! Du er for alltid i mitt hjerte.
It’s been one of those days where I’ve hardly had time to take a breath, but I knew that, before Syttende Mai (Norway’s National Day) came to a close, I needed to share a song which, for me, roars for the glory of Norway. And a piece which, as someone with Scandinavian ancestry, makes me feel exceptionally proud. That song happens to be Norse by Kampfar.
Initially released on their staggeringly good EP with the same title in 1998, it also appears on the 1999 album Fra underverdenen. One review cites the lyrics as ‘cheesy’, but I find them fucking exhilarating, and Dolk’s vocals are penetrating and unforgettable. The mood of the track is high-spirited and celebratory – perfect for the most important day of the year in Norway.
my pagan ancestors call my name
through the white waterfalls of norway
from the dark and misty forests
from the mighty snowfilled mountains
through the winds of the northern seait’s been more than a thousand years
but still i am proud
still i am, norse
still the father of the north
embrace my soulthrough the white waterfalls of norway
from the dark and misty forests
from the mighty snowfilled mountains
through the winds of the northern sealet the fields and homes
turn into fire and blood
let the lambs be wolves
once againi feel a pagan breeze
from the storms of the northern sea
let the northland of supreme
be the north of my dreams
once againthrough the white waterfalls of norway
Kampfar
from the dark and misty forests
from the mighty snowfilled mountains
through the winds of the northern sea
– Katie
A Hex On Your Head 