Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.12.2014, Blaðsíða 25

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Skakkamanage
“Costa Del Jól”
This lost pearl of a Christmas song was
released by indie band Skakkamanage
(led by Svavar Pétur, the man behind
Prins Póló) just before Christmas of 2005
and is named after one of Iceland most
popular holiday destination, Costa Del
Sol. It’s an unconventional beast that fea-
tures an excellent, upbeat acoustic gui-
tar melody. The lyrics serve as a Christ-
mas greeting and an apology to friends
and family, from a guy who has decided
to spend the holidays in Costa Del Sol.
Björk
“Jólasveinar ganga um gólf”
The one and only Björk takes on a clas-
sic Icelandic Christmas lullaby, the old-
est written documentation of which is
from the early 19th century. The lyrics
are about those famous Yule Lads who,
according to this ditty, like to walk back
and forth across the floor with canes in
hand, while their mother sweeps said
floor and spanks them with a rod. What
an odd family.
Ragnar Bjarnason
“Er líða fer að jólum”
This is a true classic Icelandic Christmas
song as performed by legendary crooner
Ragnar Bjarnason. Ragnar premiered
his version at state TV RÚV’s first and
only New Year’s Eve Special in 1980.
That Christmas, Icelandic actors were
on strike, so it was the first time in the
history of Icelandic television that there
was no Áramótaskaup comedy revue on
offer (more on that in the Grapevine’s
Encyclopaedia of Icelandic Christmas).
Instead, RÚV got local legend Hemmi
Gunn to host a special that placed the
focused on music and interviews. The
song was written by Gunnar Þórðarson,
with lyrics from Ómar Ragnarsson, and
captures the spirit of Iceland in Decem-
ber perfectly. The darkness, the cold, the
light and the music.
Sigur Rós
“Ég fæ jólagjöf”
Sigur Rós performed this Icelandic
Christmas standard at Gaukur á Stöng
in Reykjavík before Christmas of 1999.
The song “Ég fæ jólagjöf” (“I’ll get a
Christmas gift”) is an Icelandic take on
“Feliz Navidad,” and was originally per-
formed by child star Katla María in 1980.
Sigur Rós make the song their own with
a haunting delivery, slowing it down so
much that it’s really hard to recognize if
you don’t know the lyrics.
Gang Related
“Jesú jólasveinn”
Reykjavík indie rockers Gang Related
released this song before Christmas of
2011. The lyrics relay a tale about a guy
who is telling Jesus—whom he refers
to as Jesus Santa Claus—how much he
loathes everything about the holidays
and how surprised he is that he’s the only
one. Making full use of their lo-fi 60s pop
sound and armed with a grandiose mel-
ody and a hilarious lyrics, Gang Related
deliver a Christmas song that definitely
does not suck.
Like we noted in last year’s Straumur Xmas Special, the
holidays can be hard on the ears for folks who have a mod-
icum of taste for decent music. It’s a well-known fact that
most Icelandic Christmas songs suck pretty hard, but of
course there are always some exceptions. You can add the
following to last year’s selection.
Words
Davíð Roach & Óli Dóri
Photo
Skari
25The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 18 — 2014 MUSIC
More Icelandic
Christmas Songs
That Don’t Suck!
STRAUMUR
www.straum.isStraumur radio show airs
Mondays on X977 at 23:00
Straumur