Photo: Agnete Brun
This is how the song came about:
From a demo studio in the Old Town to a Christmas classic, Stjernesludd has become an anthem for those who know the darker side of the holiday season.
/ 17/12/2024 / Kristian DugstadDumDum Boys' Star nonsense has become part of our shared Christmas repertoire. The song, which is about the less idyllic sides of a dark and cold capital, is as relevant today as when it was released almost 30 years ago.
Although it has undoubtedly become part of the Christmas tradition, this was never the intention of songwriter Aslak Dørum.
– I don't think it would have ever occurred to me to set out to write a Christmas song. It was the autumn darkness that I was thinking about when I made it, he says.
At the same time, he realizes that the associations quickly move towards Christmas time, with references to herberg, soft packs og Kind children.
Another Christmas song with melancholic undertones, which people both here at home and around the world have embraced, is The Pogues' Fairytale of New York.
Although the songs tell different stories, they have in common that they take a look at the other side of the coin. The comparison comes as no surprise to Dørum.
– I see the parallel to fairytale"I'm a huge fan of The Pogues and Shane MacGowan, and I listened to that song a lot when it was released ten years ago. I still do, I think," he says.
Star nonsense has become an anthem for those who know the darker sides of Christmas celebrations. The description in the song is, after all, quite close to reality, says Dørum.
– If you walk around Oslo in November and December, that's what it looks like. The song couldn't have been any different. It's this lyrical universe I move in. There's not so much sunshine and laughter.
The song was created in the DumDum Boys' small rehearsal space and demo studio in Gamlebyen in Oslo. Aslak Dørum is both composer and lyricist, and can report an effortless and uncomplicated process.
– It wasn't a big studio recording with guest musicians. The song is quite simple and the arrangement came naturally. It sounds like the DumDum Boys from 1997 playing a ballad, he laughs.
The sound of DumDum Boys in 1997 clearly resonates today. After all, the band is still relevant 45 years after it was formed in 1979. Dørum was recruited as bassist in 1993 and immediately began writing songs.
When they stand on stage today, Star nonsense a natural place on the setlist at all concerts in November and December. The audience is not free to sing along.
– There's a high sing-along factor. It's definitely a song people know the lyrics to!
Aslak never imagined that the song would have the life it has today.
Star nonsense is sung by choirs and played by bands all over the country. Famous cover versions include Kurt Nilsen with KORK, Kim Rysstad with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Atle Pettersen with Sølvguttene. A month ago, Emma Steinbakken came up with her own variation.
The song is actually in 14th place on the list of Norwegians' favorite Christmas songs. This is according to a new survey about Christmas music, conducted for TONO. 17 percent of those surveyed have Star nonsense as their favorite, which is equivalent to just over a million.
– It has evolved over the years. That's how you really want it to go with all the songs you make, but it's impossible to predict what will take on a life of its own and what won't, he says.