This is how the song came about: "Crown Imperial Song"

Tekst: Kai Lofthus

The spark for Weld's instant classic "Crown Imperial Song" – recorded 20 years ago – was lit one Sunday evening in Moss in early 1993.

Journalist and musician Jørn Johansen had attended a concert by Avslørte Bondepiker at Kråkereiret. At the time, Johansen (former guitarist in Major Maracas) played for a few months with drummer Rune B. Johnsen and bassist Stig Jøraholmen (both previously in the Cosmic Dropouts). But they had not yet found a vocalist for their band. After the concert, as he walked across the canal bridge home to Jeløya, he began humming what would become a melody he imagined would suit the vocalist in the band he had seen and heard; 16-year-old Vibeke Saugestad. And he continued working on the song throughout the evening. From idea to finished composition, it took two weeks.

– It was an immediate reaction to hearing Vibeke sing, he says. – The melody was set in F#, which felt quite right with her voice. Both the title and the chorus lyrics were written that same evening. The verse and chorus came first, and then the lyrics over the course of a few days. The riff that it opens with came a couple of weeks later. The song came together very easily, and I'm very happy that it was kept as simple as it is. The tempo is slow, and the song has an acoustic feel.

After the lyrics and music were finished, not much changed with the song. A demo was recorded later in 1993, followed by studio recording in the summer of 1994 and then release via EMI in the fall. The label's artist & repertoire manager, Per Østmark, had his ears and eyes firmly fixed on Østfold at the time.

– There was a lot going on in Fredrikstad, Moss and Halden at the time. I was very interested in voices at the time, especially Odd René Andersen from Fredrikstad and Vibeke and Weld, says Østmark. – “Crown Imperial Song” is a fantastic song, in every way. It was everything an A&R could wish for.

The band received a lot of very positive press coverage in connection with the release of their debut album "Natural Tools", including in Beat, VG and Dagens Næringsliv. The single was also included in Absolute Music 11 that year, while the album led to the band being named newcomer of the year at the Spellemannprisen 1994.

Journalist and music historian Jon Vidar Bergan calls it a “melodic and memorable song and a critic favorite.”

– The opening riff sets the tone for the whole song, and then it thunders away. Vibeke has a fantastic voice!
What was the reaction from Vibeke and the other band members when they heard the song?

– We went in and practiced a lot of songs. I don't remember this one getting any particular reaction. No one pointed it out as a song that had hit potential, but when it was first recorded everyone agreed that it should be the single, says Johansen.

And the song is still alive and well.

– I'm currently working in England and listen to a lot of online radio, he says. – I recently sat one evening thinking about the song. Then a quarter of an hour passed and suddenly I heard it on NRK P13! It was very funny. I have also used it myself on some family occasions, including my daughter's name day and confirmation. It was also used as an instrumental postludium, played on organ and guitar, when my mother was buried last year.

Listen to WiMP

Weld – Listen on Spotify

YouTube: