Do you like this song? #845
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Cornelis Vreeswijk - Balladen om herr Fredrik Åkare och den söta fröken Cecilia Lind 1966
Cornelis Vreeswijk (8 August 1937 – 12 November 1987) was a Dutch singer-songwriter and poet who lived and worked primarily in Sweden. He emigrated to Sweden with his parents in 1949 at the age of twelve. Despite being born in the Netherlands and never acquiring Swedish citizenship, Vreeswijk is regarded as one of the country's most influential and beloved troubadours, often being compared to other national poets for his poetic lyrics and social commentary. Vreeswijk's compositions often focused on themes of love, poverty, and substance abuse. His unique style blended elements of folk, jazz, and blues, which modernized the Scandinavian ballad tradition. His first Dutch album was only released in 1972, after ten successful Swedish albums. In 2010, the Swedish drama film Cornelis, directed by Amir Chamdin, was made about his life.
"Balladen om herr Fredrik Åkare och den söta fröken Cecilia Lind" is a famous Swedish ballad with lyrics by Vreeswijk and melody taken from the English folk song "Monday Morning" (which is largely based on the 16th-century song "Scarborough Fair" and the Scottish folk song "The Elfin Knight"), which was released on record by Peter, Paul & Mary in 1965. The lyrics tell a morally questionable tale of blossoming romance at a country barn dance between an older man, Fredrik Åkare, and Cecilia Lind, who will soon turn 17. Vreeswijk's exquisite lyrics draw the listener into the middle of the story with plenty of detail and emotional charge, providing a realistic depiction of a morally questionable situation that lies before them. The song concludes by addressing the social commentary of the time, noting the reactions of the community to the pair.
"Balladen om herr Fredrik Åkare och den söta fröken Cecilia Lind" received a total of 73,1% yes votes!
