Jólasveinar...Merry Chistmas from Bjork

    
In 1995, the morning DJ's of 106.7 KROQ, Kevin & Bean, released their annual Christmas compilation cassette. Bjork is featured on the 5th track on the second side, singing an accapella Icelandic Christmas song. At the end she says, "Merry Christmas from Bjork." 

 

 

 The Cassette is named, "How the _____ stole Christmas." The space in the title is supposed to be for you, the owner, to write your favorite football player’s citrus-related nickname that rhymes with “moose.” This must been an allusion to OJ Simpson, and apparently was supposed to be the word, "juice."

KROQ is an LA California based alternative rock station. Their Christmas collections are extremely funny. Not all tracks are "songs." Some are messages or comedy bits. Some tracks are by well known bands using a different name. The Rentals, for example, are really Weezer (track 7, side 2).

    

  

Track list: Side one:

1. Message from Santa-Santa Clause

2. Big Hollywood Intro-Jeffrey Tambor as Hank Kinsley

3. Christmas Piglet- The Presidents of the US of A

4. Another Bobcat Christmas- Bobcat Goldthwait.

5. Christmastime is here- Stone Temple Pilots

6. Silent Night- Goo Goo Dolls

7. A Mr. Birthum CHristmas Carol- The Mr. Birthum Plaers (aka Adam Corrola).

8. Leon- Bad Religion

Icelandic Lyrics:

Jólasveinar ganga um gólf međ gildan staf í hendi móđir ţeirra sópar gólf og flengir ţá međ vendi

Upp á stól stendur mín kanna níu nóttum fyrir jól
ţá kem ég til manna

Upp á stól stendur mín kanna níu nóttum fyrir jól
ţá kem ég til manna

 

thanks to bjork.com lyrics

Side two:

1. Kevin & Bean Song- Wesley Willis

2. Good King Something of Other- Bush

3. Message from a Jew- Jon Stewart

4. The X-mas Files- David Duchovny & Gillian Anderson

5. Icelandic Christmas Song-Bjork

6. Jummy's Christmas Medly-Jimmy The Sports Guy

7. Silent Night- The Rentals

8. Closing Arguments- The Kevin & Bean Dancers

English translation:

Yule-lads tread the floors
with a thick staff in hand
their mother sweeps the floors and spanks them with twigs

On top of a chair my pitcher stands nine nights before Christmas I head towards mankind

On top of a chair my pitcher stands nine nights before Christmas I head towards mankind

 

   

 

The Yuletide lads

Iceland is special because not only do they have Santa, they have 13 Santas! 

The folk tale goes all the way back to the thirteenth century and starts with two wretched creatures named Gryla and Leppalúd. They liked to steal and eat little children who were bad. Their thirteen sons continued the tradition of making mischief, although they didn't eat children. In the 13 days before Christmas each one was assigned a specific day and task in which to make mischief.

 

Today:

Over time the Yuletide lads must have become weary of pranks as today they give children presents in their shoes the 13 days before Christmas. Bad children still receive a potato or something but no prank.

   

The Yuletide lads names:

Stekkjastadur - Enclosure Post
Giljagadur - Crevice Imp
Stúfur - Itty Bitty
Thvörusleikir - Pot Scraper Licker
Pottasleikir - Pot Licker
Askasleikir - Bowl Licker
Hurdaskellir - Door Slammer
Skyrgámur - Skyr Gobbler

(Skyr is an Icelandic yoghurt)
Bjúgnakrćkir - Sausage Snatcher
Gluggagćgir - Window Peeper
Gáttathefur - Doorway Sniffer
Ketkrókur - Meat Hooker
Kertasníkir - Candle Beggar

   

snowflakes from lookandfeel

lad pic from iceland.pl

Links:

KROQ

 

Scandanavian festival site on the Yuletide lads

 

Christmas in Iceland

 

       

Did you know?

   

Bork also sang and recorded Jolasveinar as a child.

   

So many people were playing pranks which got out of hand that in 1746 the king of Iceland said it was forbidden to play tricks on people telling them it was from the yuletide lads.

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