Hinterland H 1001
Released August 26 1987
Sleeve: Finn Coren
Photo: Bjørn Jegerstedt
Art-direction: Finn Coren

And all the clowns came to
my show...

Dancing to the beat of my heart
Waltzing up and down in the rain
The echo of my very soul
Like a song without an end

Still growing in many ways
like a child...

I watch my image in the mirror
My thoughts are different from last year
I’m chasing the speed inside
Always cruising for my real self

Still growing in many ways
like a child...

-Hello, do you hear me...
My Life is my Art
I’m gonna show them everything
My Life is my Art
I’m gonna take pride in my madness
Show them everything...

Still growing in many ways
like a child...

 

In a smokefilled room
by the tabledance
I found myself without a chance

At the other side of town
Where the lights are dim
I found her there
I found her there

Do the knifetrick from Chinatown
Shake yourself over the edge
Twist and shout, mess about
Bang the skies, bang the skies..Tonight

she said..
Cheers to the Wild Boys
    Cheers to the Wild Boys
        Cheers to the Wild Boys
who sway, sway

And when the speed was keen enough
In the middle of the song
She said, take me up
Take me up again

I wanna feel, I wanna live
In the Chinese Haze Let go,
let go..go, go, go, go

When I fall over...
When I fall over...
You give me cover...
You give me cover...

She said, she said
Cheers to the Wild Boys
    Cheers to the Wild Boys
        Cheers to the Wild Boys
who dance, dance..

 

Luna Music LMS 312
Released January 25 1989
Sleeve: Finn Coren
Photo: Trond Brede Andersen
Art-direction: Finn Coren

I took all the horses
I rode fast, fast
I fell off the horses
Bloody white horses

I took the elevators
I took them downtown
I took the elevators
All the way down

Don't, don't leave me here
This is not a deathbed
I'm just asleep
Don't, don't leave me here
No...

My nerves are shot
I'm down below
I saw bloodspots
In the virgin snow

I need a drink
to take me home
I was happy, happy
At the Darling Downs

Don't, don't leave me here
I'm not dead
I'm just asleep
Don't, don't leave me here
No...No...

I live from day to day
I throw flowers in the sink...

 

Catch that girl yeah
Catch that girl Yeah
Catch that girl
-she got a thousand hearts
Catch that girl
-she got so many friends
Catch that girl
-she's never lonely no
-she always laugh and dance

All the white lies
She cannot hide
All the white lies
In her eyes

Catch that girl
Catch that girl
-tonight

Never look in her eyes, never
See straight through you
Never look in her eyes, never

Catch that girl, yeah
Catch that girl
-tonight
Catch that girl

 

Coren & Trøst on Yeats
Kirkelig Kulturverksted FXS 13
Released March 6 1990
Sleeve: Tor Lindrupsen
Photo: Kjell Herning/Fin Serck-Hanssen
Art-direction: Finn Coren

Old fathers, great-grandfathers,
Rise as kindred should.
If ever lover's loneliness
Came where you stood,
Pray that Heaven protect us
That protect your blood.

The mountain throws a shadow,
Thin is the moon's horn;
What did we remember
Under the ragged thorn?
Dread has followed longing,
And our hearts are torn.

 

'Love is all
Unsatisfied
That cannot take the whole
Body and soul';
And that is what Jane said.

'Take the sour
If you take me,
I can scoff and lour
And scold for an hour.'
'That's certainly the case,' said he.

'Naked I lay,
The grass my bed;
Naked and hidden away,
That black day';
And that is what Jane said.

'What can be shown?
What true love be?
All could be known or shown
If Time were but gone.'
'That's certainly the case,' said he.

 

Bard Records BACDSX-1
Released March 24 1997
Sleeve: Subtopia
Photos: Thomas Flor, Kirsti Aasheim
Art-direction: Stein J. Øvre

Little Fly
Thy summers play,
My thoughtless hand
Has brush'd away.

Am not I
A fly like thee?
Or art not thou
A man like me?

For I dance
And drink & sing:
Till some blind hand
Shall brush my wing.

If thought is life
And strenght & breath:
And the want
Of thought is death;

Then am I
A happy fly,
If I live
Or if I die.

Little Fly
Thy summers play,
My thoughtless hand
Has brush'd away.

Am not I
A fly like thee?
Or art not thou
A man like me?

For I dance
And drink & sing:
Till some blind hand
Shall brush my wing.

If thought is life
And strenght & breath:
And the want
Of thought is death;

Then am I
A happy fly,
If I live
Or if I die.

 

Little Fly
Thy summers play,
My thoughtless hand
Has brush'd away.

Am not I
A fly like thee?
Or art not thou
A man like me?

For I dance
And drink & sing:
Till some blind hand
Shall brush my wing.

If thought is life
And strenght & breath:
And the want
Of thought is death;

Then am I
A happy fly,
If I live
Or if I die.

 

Bard Records BACDSX-2
Released June 18 1997
Sleeve: Subtopia
Painting: William Blake
Art-direction: Stein J. Øvre

The Sun does arise,
And make happy the skies.
The merry bells ring
To welcome the Spring.
The sky-lark and thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around,
To the bells chearful sound.
While our sports shall be seen
On the Ecchoing Green.

Old John with white hair
Does laugh away care,
Sitting under the oak,
Among the old folk.
They laugh at our play,
And soon they all say:
"Such, such were the joys
When we all, girls & boys,
In our youth-time were seen
On the Ecchoing Green."

Till the little ones, weary,
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest;
And sport no more seen
On the darkening Green.

 

As I wanderd the forest
The green leaves among
I heard a wild flower
Singing a song

I slept in the earth
In the silent night
I murmurd my fears
And I felt delight

In the morning I went
As rosy as morn
To seek for new Joy
But I met with scorn.

 

I was angry with my friend,
I told my wrath, my wrath did end;
I was angry with my foe,
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I water'd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an appel bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole
When the night had veil'd the pole:
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree.

 

Bard Records BACDSX-3
Released November 23 1998
Sleeve: Subtopia
Photos: Finn Coren,
Nils Chr. Hamsund Boberg
Art-direction: Stein J. Øvre & Finn Coren

Riverboatman
Row me over
To the times
When the world was not crazy

When I was a boy
And no scars in my heart
And the Earth
Was not hurting

Let your lantern guide us there
Let your lantern guide us home

Riverboatman
Row me over
To the times
When greed was no ruling

When we were pure
In our souls, in our hearts
No black clouds
Above our shoulders

Let your lantern guide us there
Let your lantern guide us home

Riverboatman
Row me over
To the times
When the world was not crazy

When I was a boy
And no scars in my heart
And the Earth
Was not hurting

Let your lantern guide us there
Let your lantern guide us home

 

God send us a happy Christmas
His blessing be on our home
His love be around our loved ones
Wherever on earth they roam

God send us a holy Christmas
His name be on every mind
And close to the crib of Bethlehem
True happiness may we find

God send us a peaceful Christmas
May the sweetest of memories throng
Where we sit by the festive fireside
To sing us a soothing song

God send us a merry Christmas
To us and to all we love!
On our home may the babe of Bethlehem
Smile down from his home above

 

In a winter's night
Saw a blaze of light
So pure and white
Star of night

From the highest bliss
To a world like this
Everlasting light
Star of night

Glory to you my Lord
Bringing a gift of gold

On this endris night
Saw a perfect light
Beaming so bright
Star of night

Gloria tibi domine
Glory to you my Lord

Bard Records BACDSX-4
Released August 16 1999
Sleeve: Subtopia
Photo: Finn Gerhard Voldnes
Art-direction: Stein J. Øvre & Finn Coren

There is a Smile of Love,
And there is a Smile of Deceit,
And there is a Smile of Smiles
In which these two Smiles meet.

And there is a Frown of Hate,
And there is a Frown of Disdain,
And there is a Frown of Frowns
Which you strive to forget in vain;

For it sticks in the Heart's deep Core
And it sticks in the deep Back bone,
And no Smile that ever was smil'd,
But only one Smile alone,

That betwixt the Cradle & Grave
It only once Smil'd can be;
But, when it once is Smil'd,
There's an end to all Misery.

 

Bard Records BACDSX-5
Released December 2 2004
Sleeve: Creuna Design
Painting: Ørnulf Opdahl
Art-direction: Stein J. Øvre & Finn Coren

Lyrics reprinted with permission from
Bodil Cappelen & Det Norske Samlaget.
English translations by Robin Fulton

No kveikjer Vårherre sitt joletre
i den kvite vinternatt.
All den glitrande stasen, barn,
vilde du gjerne hatt.

Himmelgrani so fin og blå
har greiner av tandrande ljos;
karlsvogner kjem frå langferd der,
og måneskip sigler sin kos.

Du vil gripa og leika, barn.
Og kanskje skal di hand
ein gong plukka månar ned
og sløkkja stjernor i brand.

 

Winter Night

Our Lord now lights up his Christmas Tree
in the white winter night.
All that glittering splendour, child,
you’d like to be yours.

The heavenly spruce is fine and blue
its branches sparkle and sparkle.
Charles’ Wains arrive from afar
and moonships follow their courses.

You want to catch hold and play, child.
And perhaps one day your hand
will pluck moons downs
and put out burning stars.

Eg dreg ifrå glaset fyrr eg legg meg,
eg vil sjå det levande myrkret når eg vaknar,
og skogen og himmelen. Eg veit ei grav
som ikkje har glugg mot stjernone.
No er Orion komen i vest, alltid jagande -
han er ikkje komen lenger enn eg.
Kirsebærtreet utanfor er nake og svart.
I den svimlande blå himmelklokka
ritar morgonmånen med hard nagl.

 

I open the curtain

Before going to bed I open the curtain,
I want to see the living darkness when I wake,
and the forest and the sky. I know a grave
without a peep-hole to the stars.

Orion’s come in the west, forever on the hunt -
he’s come no further than I.
The cherry tree outside is bare and black.
In the huge blue curve of heaven
the morning moon draws with a hard nail.

 

No kveikjer Vårherre sitt joletre
i den kvite vinternatt.
All den glitrande stasen, barn,
vilde du gjerne hatt.

Himmelgrani so fin og blå
har greiner av tandrande ljos;
karlsvogner kjem frå langferd der,
og måneskip sigler sin kos.

Du vil gripa og leika, barn.
Og kanskje skal di hand
ein gong plukka månar ned
og sløkkja stjernor i brand.

 

Winter Night

Our Lord now lights up his Christmas Tree
in the white winter night.
All that glittering splendour, child,
you’d like to be yours.

The heavenly spruce is fine and blue
its branches sparkle and sparkle.
Charles’ Wains arrive from afar
and moonships follow their courses.

You want to catch hold and play, child.
And perhaps one day your hand
will pluck moons downs
and put out burning stars.

 

Bard Records BACDSX-6
Released March 21 2005
Sleeve: Stein J. Øvre & Creuna Design
Art-direction: Stein J. Øvre & Finn Coren

Lyrics reprinted with permission from
Bodil Cappelen & Det Norske Samlaget.
English translations by Robin Fulton.

Eg merka våren i dag.
Osane blenkte kring landet.
Millom ljosleggja bjørker
var fura byrja å ande.

Stig, sol, og lokk utfor vegg
kvart frose barn!
Og eg vil gløda i solavlen
kalde jarn.

 

Signs of Spring

I noticed spring today.
The willows glittered everywhere.
Among blond birches
each pine started to breathe.

Rise up, sun, entice out of doors
every frozen child.
And in the sun’s vigour I shall make
cold iron glow.

 

Bard Records BACDSX-7
Released March 28 2006
Sleeve: Stein J. Øvre
Painting: Rigmor Voldnes
Art-direction: Stein J. Øvre & Finn Coren

Lyrics reprinted with permission from
Bodil Cappelen & Det Norske Samlaget.

Det stend eit tre i hagen
og sprikjer i vårkalde dagen
med skinande nysnjo-grein.
Det duskar mot stoveglaset
og drys yver fjorgamle graset
blomane ein for ein.

Og det er kirsebærtreet
innanfor hageleet
som blømer i tidleg vår.
Mot gråe skytjeveggen
luter det krokne leggen
og signar oss atter eit år.

Tusund angande blomar
brusar um tak og plomar;
heilagt og kvitt og stilt
skin det i døkke næter
og freden i tunet gjæter
- ei jartegn på vår og mildt.

Det speglar seg bljugt i strondi,
og minner um austerlondi,
um japanske hagar og dikt.
Det tøygjer toppen i tråe
mot alle snjofjell blåe,
til vår i kulden vigt.

«The Cherry Tree»

Eg merka våren i dag.
Osane blenkte kring landet.
Millom ljosleggja bjørker
var fura byrja å ande.

Stig, sol, og lokk utfor vegg
kvart frose barn!
Og eg vil gløda i solavlen
kalde jarn.

«Signs of Spring» - acoustic version

«The Cherry Tree» - Instrumental

Bard Records BACDSX-8
Released August 18 2008
Sleeve: Stein J. Øvre
Photo: Jens Hauge
Art-direction: Stein J. Øvre & Finn Coren

Lyrics reprinted with permission from
Bodil Cappelen & Det Norske Samlaget, Norway
Robin Fulton & Anvil Press, London.
"It is forbidden to copy and/or use the poems without written permission from Samlaget and Anvil Press."

Det er den draumen me ber på
at noko vedunderleg skal skje,
at det må skje -
at tidi skal opna seg
at hjarta skal opna seg
at dører skal opna seg
at berget skal opna seg
at kjeldor skal springa -
at draumen skal opna seg,
at me ei morgonstund skal glida inn
på ein våg me ikkje har visst um.

fra "DROPAR I AUSTAVIND" (1966)

IT'S THE DREAM

It's the dream we carry in secret
that something miraculous will happen,
that it must happen -
that time will open
that the heart will open
that doors will open,
that the rockface will open
that springs will gush -
that the dream will open,
that one morning we will glide into
some little harbour we didn't know was there.

from "Drops in the East Wind" (1966)

Det er den draumen me ber på
at noko vedunderleg skal skje,
at det må skje -
at tidi skal opna seg
at hjarta skal opna seg
at dører skal opna seg
at berget skal opna seg
at kjeldor skal springa -
at draumen skal opna seg,
at me ei morgonstund skal glida inn
på ein våg me ikkje har visst um.

fra "DROPAR I AUSTAVIND" (1966)

IT'S THE DREAM

It's the dream we carry in secret
that something miraculous will happen,
that it must happen -
that time will open
that the heart will open
that doors will open,
that the rockface will open
that springs will gush -
that the dream will open,
that one morning we will glide into
some little harbour we didn't know was there.

from "Drops in the East Wind" (1966)

Bard Records BACDSX-9
Released Desember 6 2010
Sleeve: Stein J. Øvre
Portrait of Jens Bjørneboe: from Therese Bjørneboes archive
reprinted with permission
Art-direction: Stein J. Øvre & Finn Coren

Lyrics reprinted with permission from
Gyldendal Litteratur, Norway.
"It is forbidden to copy and/or use the poems without written permission from Gyldendal Litteratur, Oslo, Norway."

God aften, venn, jeg ser du kommer atter!
Du ville tale litt med mig ikveld?
Du ville høre mine fottrinn og min latter,
og se om allting gikk mig riktig vel?

Du vet så godt at jeg er alltid trofast,
og du kan komme når du vil til meg.
I mine tanker er du evig bofast;
der har jeg bygget op et hus til dig.

Det hender når jeg sitter ensom inne
at jeg blir næsten lykkelig, fordi
en stor og stille fred går gjennem sindet.
Da vet jeg hvem det er som drar forbi.

Du går forbi og kaller sakte på mig,
og det gjør godt å vite det er du.
I disse dager kan din stemme nå mig;
den er det eneste som når mig nu.

Ja, du kan være sikker: Jeg skal komme!
En aften når du søker mig igjen,
da skal jeg legge sammen alle bøker
og reise mig og følge dig, min venn!

Den der har ett
sitt brød med sorg,
skal vorde en konge
i himmelens borg.

Den der har kjempet
i kjærlighet.
skal eie all himmelens
herlighet.

Som grener i et kratt av rosenbusker
er våre sjeler slynget om hverandre
og våre hjerter vokset helt isammen
så ingen evighet kan skille dem ...

Ja, bøy deg stille over meg, venninde
og se meg inn i sjelen - se og se!
Mitt blikk er inni deg, og ditt i meg,
de møter ingen motstand i hverandre,
din sjel er i mitt indre ... helt
min sjel i din
mitt hjerte er et barn under ditt hjerte.

Ligg stille nu, venninde! Slik som himlen
er hvelvet over jorden denne natt
og stille speiler seg i vann og elver -
slik speiles du mot bunnen av mitt blikk.
For under dine øynes stjernebilde
er jeg en jord av skoger og av sjøer ...

Hellige, fruktbare - de som gjør undre,
disse som evner hvad ingen tror?
Hvem har de vært i et svunnet århundre?
de som gjør jorden til mere enn jord?

De som har kraft til å så og velsigne
kornet og bordet og barn og venn?
Hvem kan de være? Hvem kan de ligne?
Kommer de virkelig aldri igjen?

Løfter du lampen, legg sverd og bile,
verktøy og hammer og sko og stokk
ute ved døren og se dem i hvile -,
disse hvis sovende trekk er nok!

Hvor er de kommet fra? Spør ikke, venner!
Ser du dem smile? - De er ikke dét.
Alt de kan være i elskende hender,
er mer enn ditt drømmende øye kan se.