Oleanna (song)
Encyclopedia
Oleanna is a Norwegian folk song that was translated into English and popularized by former Weavers
member Pete Seeger
. The song is a critique of Ole Bull's
vision of a perfect society in America. Oleanna was actually the name of one of Ole Bull's settlements in the New Norway colony of Pennsylvania. His society failed, and all of the immigrants moved away since the dense forest made it hard to settle there. The lyrics concern the singer's desire to leave Norway and escape to Oleanna, a land where "wheat and corn just plant themselves / then grow a good four feet a day / while on your bed you rest yourself".
The lyrics for Oleanna were written by Ditmar Meidell
, a Norwegian magazine editor who set his words to the melody "Rio Janeiro". The song was first published on March 5, 1853 in Krydseren
, a satirical magazine which Meidell had founded.
Theodore C. Blegen
included the song in his 1936 book Norwegian Emigrant Songs and Ballads, which had the original lyrics, a literal translation by Martin B. Ruud and musical notation. Eight years later Blegen himself wrote a singable translation consisting of 22 verses.
Folksinger Pete Seeger
learned Oleanna from Blegen's book and in 1955 wrote a six-verse translation that was later published in Sing Out!
magazine. In 1960 Theodore Bikel
and Alan Lomax
each published versions of Oleanna that drew on Seeger's translation, Ditmar Meidell's original lyrics and their own imaginations. Jerry Silverman translated 19 of the 22 verses in 1992.
Seeger made two recordings of Oleanna for Folkways Records
. They appeared on Folk Songs Of Four Continents in 1955 and With Voices Together We Sing in 1956. Bikel recorded Oleanna for his 1959 album Folk Songs From Just About Everywhere on the Elektra
label. In 1959 The Kingston Trio
included Oleanna on their chart-topping album Here We Go Again!
. Their version of the song had new lyrics which had nothing to do with Meidell's original text.
The Weavers
The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children's songs, labor songs, and American ballads, and selling millions of records at the height of their...
member Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
. The song is a critique of Ole Bull's
Ole Bull
Ole Bornemann Bull was a Norwegian violinist and composer.-Background:Bull was born in Bergen. He was the eldest of ten children of Johan Storm Bull and Anna Dorothea Borse Geelmuyden . His brother, Georg Andreas Bull became a noted Norwegian architect...
vision of a perfect society in America. Oleanna was actually the name of one of Ole Bull's settlements in the New Norway colony of Pennsylvania. His society failed, and all of the immigrants moved away since the dense forest made it hard to settle there. The lyrics concern the singer's desire to leave Norway and escape to Oleanna, a land where "wheat and corn just plant themselves / then grow a good four feet a day / while on your bed you rest yourself".
Oleanna in English
Ditmar Meidell
Ditmar Meidell is a Norwegian magazine and newspaper editor.He was born in Bergen as a son of Lieutenant Colonel and customs inspector Christopher Pritzier Meidell Laura Fogh . He tried to get into the Norwegian Military Academy, but failed the admission test...
, a Norwegian magazine editor who set his words to the melody "Rio Janeiro". The song was first published on March 5, 1853 in Krydseren
Krydseren
Krydseren was a Norwegian satirical magazine.It was established in 1849 by Ditmar Meidell, and published by Christian Schibsted. It is regarded as the first satirical magazine in Norway. Ahead the year 1855 it became defunct, as the satirical magazine was turned into a newspaper of the name...
, a satirical magazine which Meidell had founded.
Theodore C. Blegen
Theodore C. Blegen
Theodore Christian Blegen was an American historian and author. Theodore Blegen was the author of numerous historic reference books, papers and articles written over a five decade period...
included the song in his 1936 book Norwegian Emigrant Songs and Ballads, which had the original lyrics, a literal translation by Martin B. Ruud and musical notation. Eight years later Blegen himself wrote a singable translation consisting of 22 verses.
Folksinger Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
learned Oleanna from Blegen's book and in 1955 wrote a six-verse translation that was later published in Sing Out!
Sing Out!
Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950.-Background:Sing Out! is the primary publication of the tax exempt, not-for-profit, educational corporation of the same name...
magazine. In 1960 Theodore Bikel
Theodore Bikel
Theodore Meir Bikel is a character actor, folk singer and musician. He made his film debut in The African Queen and was nominated for an Academy award for his supporting role as Sheriff Max Muller in The Defiant Ones ....
and Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
each published versions of Oleanna that drew on Seeger's translation, Ditmar Meidell's original lyrics and their own imaginations. Jerry Silverman translated 19 of the 22 verses in 1992.
Seeger made two recordings of Oleanna for Folkways Records
Folkways Records
Folkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
. They appeared on Folk Songs Of Four Continents in 1955 and With Voices Together We Sing in 1956. Bikel recorded Oleanna for his 1959 album Folk Songs From Just About Everywhere on the Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
label. In 1959 The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds...
included Oleanna on their chart-topping album Here We Go Again!
Here We Go Again!
Here We Go Again! is an album by American folk music group The Kingston Trio, released in 1959 . It was one of the four the Trio would have simultaneously in Billboard's Top 10 albums during the year. It spent eight weeks at #1 and received an RIAA gold certification the same day as At Large...
. Their version of the song had new lyrics which had nothing to do with Meidell's original text.
External links
- Lyrics and music to "Oleanna" on Digital Tradition.
- Oleana lyrics in Norwegian.
- The Ballad of Oleana: A Verse Translation by Theodore C. Blegen.
- Pete Seeger's translation of Oleanna at Smithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways...
. For complete lyrics download PDF file of liner notes. The Digital Tradition version is missing one verse and includes a verse not written by Seeger. - Ole Bull's Colony at ExplorePAhistory.