Oslo Gospel Choir's "Tusen julelys" became a monumental bestseller for Jan Sollesnes in Stageway, Erling Johannessens BMG and the Strømmestiftelsen Christmas 1992. Over six months earlier, the choir and their founder, conductor, composer and producer Tore Wilhelm Aas had a democratic vote in which they decided to do the songs in Norwegian instead of English. Oslo […]
/ 18/12/2014 / Kai LofthusOslo Gospel Choir's "Tusen julelys" became a monumental bestseller for Jan Sollesnes in Stageway, Erling Johannessens BMG and the Strømmestiftelsen Christmas 1992. Over half a year earlier, the choir and their founder, conductor, composer and producer Tore Wilhelm Aas had a democratic vote in which they decided to do the songs in Norwegian instead of English.
Undoubtedly the right decision, but it required someone to turn around quickly to solve the mission.
A few days before May 17, Tore Aas approached priest and author Eyvind Skeie, with whom he had collaborated on the song "Dialog" with Catwalk, which ended up in joint 5th place in the Melodi Grand Prix five years earlier. Aas had a melody for which Jan Groth had written English lyrics; "the Christmas Way", and asked Skeie if he could write a Norwegian text. Deadline: the classic "as soon as possible". Recording was planned for May 18. The recordings took place at HitCompagniet in Oslo and Helgerud Church in Bærum.
Anyone who has faced creative challenges knows the value of breaking away from their usual surroundings, for example by going for a walk and clearing their minds. For Eyvind Skeie, the break was extra extraordinary, since most of the work had to be done on May 17th.
With the assistance of the higher state authorities, namely his brother-in-law Kjell Magne Bondevik, he was able to borrow an office at the Storting ("probably Carl I. Hagen's," according to Skeie), so that with the melody humming in his brain he could both write in his notebook and watch the children's procession along Karl Johans gate.
For Skeie, the request for a Norwegian version of "the Christmas Way" was very challenging:
– Gospel is not my home area, he says. – Tore sent me a tape with music, with silly songs on it. The actual singing style, in syncopated music with many melismas (several notes sung on one syllable), is very demanding. It started with me writing a little on May 16th and continued on the 17th. After we were at the Storting, we were going to have about 40 dinner guests at home, and you could say I felt the pressure on me. What solved the text for me, when it began to come to life, was when I found the two levels: with the manger and the angels, and when we take the place of the wise men and the shepherds. I think it came across well, both the past and the present. The text is like two films: one about Christmas and one about us, says Skeie.
It was with Skeie that many other lyricists and songwriters say; when it first came loose, it came loose for good:
– What opened the dam for me were the words 'Now is the holy hour' and 'we stand in starlight'. It's like they take us straight out into the fields of Bethlehem.
He adds that the work is registered in TONO with two titles: "Now is the holy hour" and "A star is shining tonight."
– I always record the first line of each lyric, he says. – I was there during the recording, and I heard them. I already realized then that there was something about this song. What I especially like about it is the last chorus, which has a different lyric. The chorus comes twice at the end, which is unusual in a pop pattern. It also has no bridge. I think the chorus is very nice; it gives devotion and brings out the lyrical motif in a better way than if the chorus were to be repeated, for example, four times.
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The album quickly reached number 1 on the VG-lista; first number 12 in week 48, then number 2 and then number 1 throughout Christmas. On the original recording, Bodil Marie Hognestad and Lars A. Fredriksen were the soloists. Other well-known choir members at the time were Marian Lisland and Grethe Svensen. In the following years, the song entered the hearts of many other vocalists. Among those who have made their versions are Hanne Krogh, Sigvart Dagsland, Malin Reitan, Maria Haukaas Mittet, Maria Arredondo and Ole Edvard Antonsen/Ole Paus. Ingela "Pling" Forsman also made a Swedish version for Carola; "En stjärna lyser så klar", and is also sung by Tommy Körberg and many more.
(reproduced with permission from Eyvind Skeie)
Now is the holy hour
we stand in starlight
and hear the bells ringing
Now Christmas is calling.
The angels sing loudly in chorus
singing about peace on our earth
the world was never completely abandoned
a star shines tonight
A newborn love sleeps
now God's heaven is near
Our long walk is over.
the star has stopped here
The angels sing loudly in chorus
singing about peace on our earth
the world was never completely abandoned
a star shines tonight
See the sky lie and rest
on the yellow straw of the earth
we stand around the manger and smile
because we are here now
Here we can dream of that peace
which we will own someday.
For this child, heaven is with
and the earth is filled with song
Jan Groth's version:
Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/2enVkwr85PRSzLoh6m8Hih
Wimp: https://wimp.no/track/10603852
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/no/album/the-christmas-way/id479544431?i=479544516&l=nb
Oslo Gospel Choir:
Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/track/1pIuz1BBu1KqXno7K43Ma6
Wimp: https://wimp.no/wweb/track/1090172#
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/no/album/en-stjerne-skinner-i-natt/id296762228?i=296762249&l=nb