The Norwegian singer Hanne-Mette Gunnarsrud has many beautiful songs. One of her best is Bydga Mi (My Village). Here are the lyrics along with my translation:
Bygda Mi
Det er mange gode minner jeg har med meg
Fra de aller beste åra i mitt liv.
Den bekymringsløse vakre ungdomstida
Er ett første valg i minnenes arkiv.
Men jeg søkte mer enn bygda kunne gi meg,
Var nysgjerrig på, hva livet kunne gi.
Jeg forlot deg like etter russetida
Og jeg trodde at vårt forhold var forbi.
Hva skjedde med kiosken nede på hjørnet?
Vi var samlet der hver dag.
Den gamle skolen står der tom og øde.
Hvor var jeg da bygda døde?
Vi var ikke der når penger måtte spares
Vi var ikke der når valgene ble tatt.
Ingen stemmer for bevaring av det gamle,
Det var fremskrittet som overskygget alt.
Hva skjedde med kiosken nede på hjørnet?
Vi var samlet der hver dag.
Den gamle skolen står der tom og øde.
Hvor var jeg da bygda døde?
Men en indre stemme ropte meg tilbake,
Og den sa at det var her jeg hørte til.
Materielle ting er enkle å forsake
Når man endelig forstår hva skebnen vil.
Hva skjedde med kiosken nede på hjørnet?
Vi var samlet der hver dag.
Den gamle skolen står der tom og øde.
Hvor var jeg da bygda døde?
Hvor var jeg da bygda døde?
My Village
There are many good memories I have with me
From the very best years in my life.
The carefree beautiful time of youth
Is one of the first choices in the memory archive.
But I sought more than the village could give me,
Was curious about what life could give.
I left you just after graduation time
And I thought our relationship was over.
What happened with the kiosk down the corner?
We were gathered there each day.
The old school lies there empty and deserted.
Where was I when the village died?
We were not there when money needed to be saved.
We were not there when the decisions were taken.
No voices for preservation of the old,
It was progress that overshadowed everything.
What happened with the kiosk down the corner?
We were gathered there each day.
The old school lies there empty and deserted.
Where was I when the village died?
But an inner voice called me back.
And it said that it was here I belonged.
Material things are easy to forsake
When you finally understand what fate wants.
What happened with the kiosk down the corner?
We were gathered there each day.
The old school lies there empty and deserted.
Where was I when the village died?
Where was I when the village died?
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