(Sorry for my bad english in advance)🙂 This is a Swedish folksong called "Hårgalåten". It is a folktale from Järvsö in Hälsingland that involves the fiddler (the devil) who plays for the young people in the village and prevents them from going to church, he leads them up on a mountain and plays there and keeps the younglings dancing until they fall dead on the ground. Legend says that it was diffucult to get up on the mountainside beacuse of the morningdew so the devil kicked with his feet to create steps to walk up on and it is told that the steps in the mountain still shows...or so they say 🙂
From what I understand, this is like a Christianized version of "Näcken". An old norse folktale about a water essence of sort. This essence tried to lure people into the water to drown them, and he could come in many shapes.
@@Raddningspatrullen Yes, that's very often the case - especially in the Nordic countries...older 'Norse' legends and traditions are kept alive, but put in 'a new Christian' costume. Our traditions didn't entirely die out because of Christianity - but often either incorporated into Christianity, or as in this case - clad in a new costume. So to speak...
The name of the village Hårga comes from the old norse word "Hargr" often meaning a stone altar not uncommonly inside a sacred grove. However it can also mean erected stones, which still exists in the Hårga village. According to legend there were a sacrificial site on top of that mountain. I am doubtful but I can for sure belive that pre-christian sacrificial rites took place at the "hargr", the stones, down in Hårga. Perhaps maybe this legend is from the time when christianity had newly taken over but some people still did some pre-christan rites. However it is very speculative and not so likely imho. More likely is that it is a stern reminder to the youth to get up and to church on sunday morning. The event takes place on a saturday night (or the night after the bathing day) which were traditionally a night of dacing and drinking as sunday were a day off. The youth met at special spots like at crossroads, bridges, fields, barns etc etc and other place with easy access and out of sight. Here people drank, danced, fought and rumbled around in the bushes. The fiddlers often played at different spots in different areas and were like that eras rock artists not rarely indicating a deal with the nix and/or the devil. It was even a thing to add luminesen moss on the fiddle. After a hard night out in sinful, but fun, ways it could be tempting to skip church the day after. Ofc some pious folks had morale panic about it...
The song is originally from Bollnäs (as far as we know). Bollnäs is the municipality where the Hårga village is located and Hårgaberget(Hårga mountain) is a real place and a small mountain in the Hårga village. It's the same location where the american horror movie "Midsummer" is supposed to be taken place in. Although the movie is filmed in Hungary so you wont know what Hårga or Bollnäs looks like by watching that movie. The movie is not very accurate either if you are interested in swedish traditions but its not like its supposed to be accurate. It's a good watch tho if you want to see a spooky twist on the concept of Midsummer. Although i would argue that we have lots of old tales that are WAY more unsettling and dark that would make for great basis for horror movies. Like this song for example!
Thanks for the reaction. I've been looking for more music like this that is actually good. Not all of it is great. Nice find ☺ Definitely adding them to my spotify list 😀
This was great. I would also recommend the live version from the band (Heilung - In Maidjan) at castlefest, or the band Wardruna and Aurora - Helvegen.
Pretty good, wasn't it? Being a Swede myself I have heard this a lot during our midsummers festivities, but never really understood the full context before this group played it. In Flames has done a pretty good version of this song too, but this version is outstanding! Check out their other songs too. Really relaxing folkore, such has Herr Mannerlig (Sir Mannerlig)
Hårgalåten is based on a Swedish myth. Though the song is an old folk song. There's a traditional celebration of this event every summer in Hälsningland. From where this song originates.
Aside from the Devilish Fiddler, this actually happened in Europe during the 16th century. It was called the Dancing Mania, I believe, in which Mass Hysteria caused people to dance themselves to death all over Germany, Denmark, and other countries.
The fiddler grabbed the fiddle from it's case And lifted his bow towards the dawning Sunday sun Then the people of Hårga came in a hurry Forgot about God and the whole world
They danced over meadows and hills High upon the top of Hårga ridge One wore out both shoes and heels One could not stop the dance
Where do you come from, you who is playing Tell us who taught you such play, so wild and mad If you don't stop our hearts will burst Oh God preserve us, he has a cloven hoof!
The bells had rung in the valley, And father and mother and brother Walked to the parish church Where can Hårga's youth now be? Oh my God, they are still dancing!
They danced to the Hårga tune High upon the top of Hårga ridge They are not far from crying Dancing, they now wore out soul and body
Stop your bow, fiddler Before we dance our life, soul and bones away No he doesn't stop his dance Until we all fall dead down
It's a folk song based on an old myth of the devil seducing the youth of Hårga with his fiddle-playing. It's actually the same myth that the horror movie "Midsommar" is loosely based on. Except in the movie instead of following the devil's fiddle-playing to dance until they died they started to worship him.
(Sorry for my bad english in advance)🙂 This is a Swedish folksong called "Hårgalåten". It is a folktale from Järvsö in Hälsingland that involves the fiddler (the devil) who plays for the young people in the village and prevents them from going to church, he leads them up on a mountain and plays there and keeps the younglings dancing until they fall dead on the ground. Legend says that it was diffucult to get up on the mountainside beacuse of the morningdew so the devil kicked with his feet to create steps to walk up on and it is told that the steps in the mountain still shows...or so they say 🙂
Everybody who prevents people from going to Church is a good boy/girl..
No offense.. 😅😅
From what I understand, this is like a Christianized version of "Näcken". An old norse folktale about a water essence of sort. This essence tried to lure people into the water to drown them, and he could come in many shapes.
@@Raddningspatrullen Yes, that's very often the case - especially in the Nordic countries...older 'Norse' legends and traditions are kept alive, but put in 'a new Christian' costume.
Our traditions didn't entirely die out because of Christianity - but often either incorporated into Christianity, or as in this case - clad in a new costume. So to speak...
The name of the village Hårga comes from the old norse word "Hargr" often meaning a stone altar not uncommonly inside a sacred grove. However it can also mean erected stones, which still exists in the Hårga village.
According to legend there were a sacrificial site on top of that mountain. I am doubtful but I can for sure belive that pre-christian sacrificial rites took place at the "hargr", the stones, down in Hårga.
Perhaps maybe this legend is from the time when christianity had newly taken over but some people still did some pre-christan rites. However it is very speculative and not so likely imho.
More likely is that it is a stern reminder to the youth to get up and to church on sunday morning. The event takes place on a saturday night (or the night after the bathing day) which were traditionally a night of dacing and drinking as sunday were a day off. The youth met at special spots like at crossroads, bridges, fields, barns etc etc and other place with easy access and out of sight. Here people drank, danced, fought and rumbled around in the bushes. The fiddlers often played at different spots in different areas and were like that eras rock artists not rarely indicating a deal with the nix and/or the devil. It was even a thing to add luminesen moss on the fiddle. After a hard night out in sinful, but fun, ways it could be tempting to skip church the day after. Ofc some pious folks had morale panic about it...
The song is originally from Bollnäs (as far as we know). Bollnäs is the municipality where the Hårga village is located and Hårgaberget(Hårga mountain) is a real place and a small mountain in the Hårga village. It's the same location where the american horror movie "Midsummer" is supposed to be taken place in. Although the movie is filmed in Hungary so you wont know what Hårga or Bollnäs looks like by watching that movie.
The movie is not very accurate either if you are interested in swedish traditions but its not like its supposed to be accurate. It's a good watch tho if you want to see a spooky twist on the concept of Midsummer. Although i would argue that we have lots of old tales that are WAY more unsettling and dark that would make for great basis for horror movies. Like this song for example!
Old Swedish song.
In Flames has it on one of the older albums too.
Thanks for the reaction. I've been looking for more music like this that is actually good. Not all of it is great. Nice find ☺ Definitely adding them to my spotify list 😀
This was great. I would also recommend the live version from the band (Heilung - In Maidjan) at castlefest, or the band Wardruna and Aurora - Helvegen.
Pretty good, wasn't it? Being a Swede myself I have heard this a lot during our midsummers festivities, but never really understood the full context before this group played it. In Flames has done a pretty good version of this song too, but this version is outstanding!
Check out their other songs too. Really relaxing folkore, such has Herr Mannerlig (Sir Mannerlig)
Hårgalåten is based on a Swedish myth. Though the song is an old folk song. There's a traditional celebration of this event every summer in Hälsningland. From where this song originates.
Aside from the Devilish Fiddler, this actually happened in Europe during the 16th century. It was called the Dancing Mania, I believe, in which Mass Hysteria caused people to dance themselves to death all over Germany, Denmark, and other countries.
The fiddler grabbed the fiddle from it's case
And lifted his bow towards the dawning Sunday sun
Then the people of Hårga came in a hurry
Forgot about God and the whole world
They danced over meadows and hills
High upon the top of Hårga ridge
One wore out both shoes and heels
One could not stop the dance
Where do you come from, you who is playing
Tell us who taught you such play, so wild and mad
If you don't stop our hearts will burst
Oh God preserve us, he has a cloven hoof!
The bells had rung in the valley,
And father and mother and brother
Walked to the parish church
Where can Hårga's youth now be?
Oh my God, they are still dancing!
They danced to the Hårga tune
High upon the top of Hårga ridge
They are not far from crying
Dancing, they now wore out soul and body
Stop your bow, fiddler
Before we dance our life, soul and bones away
No he doesn't stop his dance
Until we all fall dead down
This was amazing to watch, so much fun to see your reaction. I love that song.
can't believe you are reacting to Ofdrykkja :D ..great band..they've come a long way from their roots in DSBM genre
Richo, my man.
If this was a vibe for you, I would recommend looking into both Wardruna and Heilung.
Yeah, definitely
It's a folk song based on an old myth of the devil seducing the youth of Hårga with his fiddle-playing. It's actually the same myth that the horror movie "Midsommar" is loosely based on. Except in the movie instead of following the devil's fiddle-playing to dance until they died they started to worship him.
Whoever ask for this reaction .. thank you
You should listen to the singer Elina singing this song, her voice is pure magic.
Richo you gotta check out Wardruna, they're amazing!!
Also I'd love to see your reaction to the new Sleep Token song, The Summoning
U can literally use this for a Vildhjarta Intro
Wow Amazing 😊
Hårga-låten is one of the best of Swedish folk music. The people made to dance to death by the fiddle, which is played by Satan.
Please, look Faun and Eluveitie 😊
El diablo play the violin. Dancing till dead
We nordic people are dying out. is quite normal if you look at history?