When It's Lamp Lighting Time in the Valley
Encyclopedia
When It's Lamp Lighting Time in the Valley is a 1933 country
ballad
to a waltz
melody with words and music by Joe Lyons, Sam C. Hart and The Vagabonds. The song was a hit by the group the The Vagabonds back then. The song lyrics are about one who longs for his mother who is far away in a valley
. Marty Robbins
later covered
the song. Other singers who has recorded the song include Tex Ritter
and Wayne King
.
in 1935, its lyrics were changed and the song was turned into a Christmas song: "När ljusen tändas där hemma". The lamp
in the lyrics in English
was replaced by candle
s. "När ljusen tändas därhemma" ("When the candles at home are lit)", which describes an old/lonely man/woman sitting, when the darkness of the evening arrives, and dreaming of his/her childhood and old home, became a popular Christmas song in Sweden
during the 1930s and 1940s. It's not mentioned in the song lyrics, but many people associate the song with the emigration
from Sweden
to the USA during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century and Sweden being the state
where the childhood
and home is. The word Christmas
is never mentioned in the song lyrics, but the word "ljus", which is Swedish for light/candle, is strongly associated with Advent
and Christmas in Sweden. The opening words of the first verse, "Var gång skymningen stilla sig sänker" ("Every time when the dusk slowly falls") often refers to December as the darkast month of the year on the Northern Hemisphere
. In English, the song has 4 verses, and 2 in Swedish. The song has also got lyrics in Norwegian
, as "Når lysene tennes der hjemme" (meaning the same as in Swedish) and Finnish
, as "Kodin kynttilät". The song has also been translated into other languages, with other themes.
When the Swedish "dansband
", pop
and country
singer Kikki Danielsson
covered the Swedish language version of the song on her 1987 Christmas album "Min barndoms jular
" , the lyrics was changed a little, and she sang about being "lonely" instead of "old". The second verse opening lyrics "Jag är gammal och sitter och drömmer om min barndom som snabbt rann förbi" ("I am old and sit and dream of my childhood, which fast passed") was replaced with the re-written lyrics "Jag är ensam och sitter och drömmer om min barndom som snabbt rann förbi" ("I am lonely and sit and dream of my childhood, which fast passed"). Swedish dansband Sten & Stanley has also recorded this song with "ensam" lyrics version.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
to a waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
melody with words and music by Joe Lyons, Sam C. Hart and The Vagabonds. The song was a hit by the group the The Vagabonds back then. The song lyrics are about one who longs for his mother who is far away in a valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
. Marty Robbins
Marty Robbins
Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
later covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
the song. Other singers who has recorded the song include Tex Ritter
Tex Ritter
Woodward Maurice Ritter , better known as Tex Ritter, was an American country music singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter family in acting...
and Wayne King
Wayne King
Wayne King was an American musician, songwriter, singer and orchestral leader. He was sometimes referred to as "the Waltz King" because much of his most popular music involved waltzes; "The Waltz You Saved For Me" was his standard set closing song in live performance and on numerous radio...
.
Also a Christmas song
When Nils Hellström wrote lyrics in SwedishSwedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
in 1935, its lyrics were changed and the song was turned into a Christmas song: "När ljusen tändas där hemma". The lamp
Oil lamp
An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....
in the lyrics in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
was replaced by candle
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
s. "När ljusen tändas därhemma" ("When the candles at home are lit)", which describes an old/lonely man/woman sitting, when the darkness of the evening arrives, and dreaming of his/her childhood and old home, became a popular Christmas song in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
during the 1930s and 1940s. It's not mentioned in the song lyrics, but many people associate the song with the emigration
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
to the USA during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century and Sweden being the state
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
where the childhood
Childhood
Childhood is the age span ranging from birth to adolescence. In developmental psychology, childhood is divided up into the developmental stages of toddlerhood , early childhood , middle childhood , and adolescence .- Age ranges of childhood :The term childhood is non-specific and can imply a...
and home is. The word Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
is never mentioned in the song lyrics, but the word "ljus", which is Swedish for light/candle, is strongly associated with Advent
Advent
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
and Christmas in Sweden. The opening words of the first verse, "Var gång skymningen stilla sig sänker" ("Every time when the dusk slowly falls") often refers to December as the darkast month of the year on the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
. In English, the song has 4 verses, and 2 in Swedish. The song has also got lyrics in Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
, as "Når lysene tennes der hjemme" (meaning the same as in Swedish) and Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
, as "Kodin kynttilät". The song has also been translated into other languages, with other themes.
When the Swedish "dansband
Dansband
Dansband is a Swedish term for a band that plays dansbandsmusik . Dansbandsmusik is often danced to in pairs. Jitterbug and foxtrot music are often included in this category. The music is primarily inspired by swing, schlager, country, jazz, and rock...
", pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Kikki Danielsson
Kikki Danielsson
Ann-Kristin "Kikki" Danielsson is a Swedish country, dansband and pop singer. Sometimes, she also plays the accordion and she has also written some lyrics. She is also famous for yodeling in some songs. Kikki Danielsson gained her largest popularity in the Nordic region from the late 1970s until...
covered the Swedish language version of the song on her 1987 Christmas album "Min barndoms jular
Min barndoms jular
Min barndoms jular is a Christmas album from Swedish country and pop singer Kikki Danielsson. It was released in late 1987, and peaked at #19 the Swedish album chart...
" , the lyrics was changed a little, and she sang about being "lonely" instead of "old". The second verse opening lyrics "Jag är gammal och sitter och drömmer om min barndom som snabbt rann förbi" ("I am old and sit and dream of my childhood, which fast passed") was replaced with the re-written lyrics "Jag är ensam och sitter och drömmer om min barndom som snabbt rann förbi" ("I am lonely and sit and dream of my childhood, which fast passed"). Swedish dansband Sten & Stanley has also recorded this song with "ensam" lyrics version.