'Oleanna' - Norwegian-American Folk Song

The flag map shows the area in the United States where there is a majority of Norwegian ancestry or 20% Norwegian ancestry.

[wofi]

Fun fact: This was a satirical song written after it was discovered that Oleana, a Norwegian settlement in Pennsylvania founded by Ole Bull, failed and all its Norwegian settlers left. It is basically making fun of Ole Bull's promise that Norwegians would have a great life there, when in reality it was a complete disaster.

[sadenar]

Fun fact, Oleanna makes fun of Ole Bull's vision for his colony in America, which in reality failed miserably

[cowboymooman]

to anyone wondering the map is just the north of the us. the east you can see the borders of the great lakes and canada and the weird jutting out bit of Minnesota

[Luking]

I like how he has both a Norwegian Accent when singing in English and a sligt American accent when singing in Norwegian

[fancy_cyka]

This is the only Scandinavian song I’ve heard and didn’t immediately think “Vikings”

[yurialbertoironico]

When the norwegians arrive in America before Spain:

[tealwashablemarker]

This is actually so amazing. The way he says “Oleanna” is beautiful, I love his fantastic singing.

[rane]

As a native norwegian,
i dont remember the lyrics, but something stuck to me in the melody,
and when the i got to the lyrics "alle fugler små de er", the pieces got together and i remembered it,
as that verse is pretty much universaly known here.
Every norwegian i know, knows that song.

[veneratlazulum]

It's nice to see that Norwegian-Americans and Norwegians get along. I grew up in Minnesota, and I remember several Norwegian and Swedish people either able to speak the language or learning it, and they were more in touch with the culture/food, visiting the country, etc. and also being humble about the differences that have developed over the past 200 years. Italians and Irish Americans could probably learn from them how to accept being an American while also being in touch with their culture. There are German-American communities that still speak German (with a heavy American accent), but I wish my mom taught me German. She just kind of handed me some books when I was like 4 then gave up.

[smokedsalmon]

As a Norwegian American, I never knew we had folks song like this lol.

[BeryAb]

It took me a couple of seconds to realize that that ain't deformed Massachusetts...

[pizzarat]

I'm not Norwegian in any sense, but this still feels nostalgic for some reason

[echojaxx]

Love from Minnesota USA, to Norway. I take great pride in my Norwegian roots and ancestry. Jeg Elsker dette lande.

[chase.]

interesting to hear how different the dialect of norwegian is in this song. it almost kind of sounds like they ironically use less english loanwords than modern bokmål. kinda sad you don't hear the languages of our European ancestors in America anymore, I'm the only person in my family who still speaks norwegian and I had to learn it on my own as a second language. anyways, cheers from a Scandinavian-American in the Midwestern USA.

[TheHumanSynthesisProject]

Thanks Ingen. Im a Norwegian American 4th gen. immigrant in Minnesota. All of the "traditional" Norwegian Americans in my family have passed on, and it has been challenging. There is a lack of cultural cohesion in my country atm and listening to music like this helps to feel closer to something bigger than the crazy world we all seem to be trapped in. Love from Midwest USA. Your art is very much appreciated

[charlesinglin]

Curiously enough, back at basic training at Ft. Lewis, WA, in 1971 the drill sergeants sang a variation of this as a cadence call. Very different verses, though. The only verse I remember is "We will raise a family now, ole oleanna, three platoons of infantry, now ole oleanna..."

[ashenen]

Oh, the part about the birds had the same melody like the German children song "Alle Vögel sind schon da" (All birds are here already)

[dracodistortion]

October 9th, 2020, is Leif Eriksson Day.

[Vsmovies]

Everybody's gangsta until the salmon jumps into the pot and tells you to set the table.

[HoosierRallyMaster]

"when she gets mad, she beats herself I can tell you"
As someone married to a woman of Norwegian heritage, I can tell you this line is clearly satirical. Uff da!