Barnkammarboken, Den Silvriga – Children’s Music

With two small kids and an hour drive to my in-laws, I am incredibly appreciative of kid’s music that doesn’t push me to the brink of temporary insanity. After listening to it hundreds of times, Barnkammarboken, Den Silvriga (Nursery book, Silver) is still a CD I enjoy. Maybe I haven’t tired of it too quickly because it took me about a year to figure out what they were singing about (ok, I am still a little confused sometimes, but that’s ok). There are soloists and groups, from kids to adults, singing with accompanying music that is for the most part simple and charming rather than overbearing or obnoxious.

The 23 track CD can be purchased separately or along with a book of the same title that includes 95 songs, each with basic music notes, and illustrations by many well-known Swedish artists. I can truthfully say that out of 23 tracks, there is only one that really grates on my nerves. I managed to successfully skip over Ketchup Ska Prutta (literally ‘ketchup will fart,’ accompanied by bongo drums) for many months before my eldest daughter caught on to me and now I suffer through it. Thankfully it’s a short track. But aside from the ketchup pain, I highly recommend this compilation of Swedish classics and modern children’s songs.

I wasn’t able to find a site where you can listen to samples of each song, but I did find an upload on YouTube of my favorite track, Idas Sommarvisa by Astrid Lindgren (the author of the Pippi Longstocking books). The song was originally written for the 1973 film Emil och Griseknoen (Emil and the Piglet) and sung by Lena Wisborg who played Ida. The YouTube video is the actual clip from the film and includes Swedish subtitles. I’ve posted the Swedish lyrics and an English interpretation below. Today it is often sung by grade school children in their final procession on the last day of school.

Note that there are several books in a series called Barnkammarboken, but the one I am recommending is Den Silvriga (Silver). The song list is at the bottom of the post. All of the songs are in Swedish and the age recommendation is for 0-6 years old. Whether you decide to purchase the book and CD, or just the CD, this is a lovely addition to a young child’s music collection and I can only hope that any adults within earshot will be as relieved as I am to have a kid’s music CD we can all enjoy. Unless, of course, Ketchup Ska Prutta is playing and then I ask that you please hold me blameless.

Idas Sommarvisa
Ida’s Summer Song

Du ska inte tro det blir sommar,
You won’t believe that summer will come,
Ifall inte nå´n sätter fart
unless someone gets summer started
på sommarn och gör lite somrigt,
and makes it a bit summer-like,
då kommer blommorna snart.
then the flowers will soon bloom.

Jag gör så att blommorna blommar,
I make the flowers blossom,
Jag gör hela kohagen grön,
I make the whole cow pasture green,
och nu så har sommaren kommit,
and now the summer has come
för jag har just tagit bort snön.
because I have taken away the snow.

Jag gör mycket vatten i bäcken,
I bring plenty of water to the creek,
så där så det hoppar och far.
so it swirls and rushes.
Jag gör fullt med svalor som flyger
I bring swallows that fly
och myggor som svalorna tar.
and mosquitoes for the swallows.

Jag gör löven nya på träden
I make new leaves on the trees
och små fågelbon här och där.
and small bird nests here and there.
Jag gör himlen vacker om kvällen,
I make the sky beautiful in the evening,
för jag gör den alldeles skär.
for I make it all rosey.

Och smultron det gör jag åt barna,
And wild strawberries for the children,
för det tycker jag dom kan få,
for I think they should have them,
och andra små roliga saker
and other little fun things
som passar när barna är små.
that suit children when they are small.

Och jag gör så roliga ställen
And I make such fun places
där barna kan springa omkring,
where children can all run about,
då blir barna fulla med sommar
then they are full of summer
och bena blir fulla med spring.
and their legs are full of life.

Barnkammarboken, Den Silvriga
Song list

1. Krokodilen i bilen (The crocodile in the car)
2. Här dansar herr gurka (Here dances Mr. cucumber)
3. En elefant balanserade (An elephant balanced)
4. Sjörövar-Fabbe (Pirate fabbe)
5. Rockspindeln (Spinning spider)
6. Vipp-på-rumpan-affärn (Vipp-in-bum-shop)
7. Törnrosa (Sleeping beauty)
8. Ketchup ska prutta (Ketchup will fart)
9. Maskeradbalen (Masquerade ball)
10. Min lilla kråksång (My little crow song)
11. Var bor du lilla råtta? (Where do you live little rat?)
12. Jag vill ha blommig falukorv (I want flowery falukorv (falukorv is sausage))
13. Lille katt (Little cat)
14. En kulen natt (A chilly night)
15. Trollmors vaggsång (Troll mother’s lullaby)
16. Bockarna bruse (Billy goats gruff)
17. Rövarnas visa (Bandits show)
18. Nyckelpigan och vattnet (The ladybug and water)
19. Hajarna (Sharks)
20. Champinjon (Mushroom)
21. Blåsippor (blåsippor is a flower, Hepatica)
22. Idas sommarvisa (Idas summer song)
23. Videvisan  (Willow song)