lyrics
Ut över havet där seglar en båt
mot Lindisfarne,
där man kan hitta en oskyddad vik,
med munkarnas alla skatter,
guld, silver, och även katter
och siden textilier att ta med sig hem.
Järtecken visar att snart kommer de
till Lindisfarne,
varningar i skyn av drakar av eld,
till munkarnas alla skatter,
guld, silver, och även katter
och siden textilier att ta med sig hem.
Åttonde juni så kommer de fram
till Lindisfarne,
året var sjuhundranittiotre
för munkarnas alla skatter,
guld, silver, och även katter
och siden textilier att ta med sig hem.
Munkarna fängslade, ser dem tillbak
mot Lindisfarne,
över hav åkandes, mot nord, som del
av normännes alla skatter,
guld, silver, och även katter
och siden textilier att ta med sig hem.
sheet music
midi file
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When/why written
Written for the Eighth Norrskensbard competition, held in October, 2023, which had as a theme “Havet” (the sea), using the tune Uti vår hage, a popular Swedish folk song of unknown age and origin that was first written down in Gotland during the late 1800’s. This tune was chosen in part because it is so well known that it would (hopefully) encourage people to sing along, at least with the chorus.
Since the sea was the source of raids during what we call the Viking Age, I decided my song would be about how the sea brought the first, most famous of those raids to the shores of Lindisfarne.
English Translation
Out over the sea there sails a boat
towards Lindisfarne,
where one can find an unprotected bay,
with all the monks’ treasures,
gold, silver, and also cats
and silk textiles to take home.
Portents reveal that they will soon
come to Lindisfarne,
warnings in the sky—dragons of fire,
to all the monks’ treasures,
gold, silver, and also cats
and silk textiles to take home.
On the eighth of June they arrive
to Lindisfarne,
the year was seven hundred and ninety-three
for all the monks’ treasures,
gold, silver, and also cats
and silk textiles to take home.
The monks imprisoned, they look back
towards Lindisfarne,
crossing the sea, towards the north, as part
of all the Normans’ treasures,
gold, silver, and also cats
and silk textiles to take home.