Uti Värmeland: Plats och identitet i Sven-Ingvars texter
2021 (Swedish)In: Puls: Journal for Ethnomusicology and Ethnochoreology, E-ISSN 2002-2972 , Vol. 6, p. 36-56Article in journal, Editorial material (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
The focus of this article is the songs performed by one of Sweden’s oldest bands, Sven-Ingvars. We analyse how meaning is assigned to certain kinds of lives and ways of living in the lyrics of 54 of the band’s most popular songs from the 1960s and onward. We do so with a particular focus on the construction of place and identity within the lyrics. Since previous research about Sven-Ingvars is meager and this article is centered on recurrent patterns and themes in their songs, a quantitative analysis was carried out in order to identify the recurring patterns of words, places, towns, themes, and so on. This is followed by a qualitative text analysis, with a particular focus on the constructed identity of the I – or self – in the lyrics, and the places described. The study shows that the texts are either placed within the geographical area of Värmland or within a more general rural area, both constructed in contrast to urban space and life. The place, as constructed within the lyrics, is distinguished by simplicity and continuity. The people populating this area appear to have lived there for quite some time and are very much familiar with the I within the lyrics. The I in the lyrics is someone who knows the true value of a lifelong monogamous relationship as well as the importance of not stressing about or striving towards wealth or success. The identity of the I is very much embedded within the place. By placing the stories within Värmland, the realistic impression of the lyrics is amplified, but as the places are also commonly framed as a general rural area, they portray places, people and ways of life otherwise rarely represented publicly. By enjoying the present and simple things in life, it’s the people occupying these spaces who have truly found the right way to live their lives.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Svenskt visarkiv, 2021. Vol. 6, p. 36-56
Keywords [sv]
Sven-Ingvars, Dansband, Fröding, Värmland, Dialekt, Identitet, Plats, Platsbegrepp, Svensktoppen
National Category
Humanities and the Arts
Research subject
Musicology; Ethnology; Literature; media and communication studies
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-181899OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-181899DiVA, id: diva2:1541264
2021-03-312021-03-312021-03-31Bibliographically approved