Swedish Smörgåsbord[1] was an interval act performance during the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmo performed by presenter Petra Mede and written by Matheson Bayley, Daniel Réhn and Edward af Sillén. It is essentially a comedic showcase of Swedish culture and the typical behavior of its people. Several references to past Eurovision winning songs from Sweden, current affairs and other forms of popular culture are also featured in the performance.
The live performance included a cameo appearance by Carola Häggkvist, who won the 1991 contest. She briefly sang the English version of her winning entry, "Fångad av en stormvind" before getting blown off the stage by a wind machine (which played prominently in her original 1991 performance).
Etymology[]
The title "Smörgåsbord" is a Swedish-style buffet that features a range of hot or cold dishes, which in turned is derived from "smörgås" (translation: open sandwiches) and "bord" (translation: table).[2]
Lyrics[]
[Petra]
I come from a country that's hard to find
Somewhere near the icy pole
But though we are freezing, please bear in mind
Sweden's gonna warm your soul
Our people are cold, but our elks are hot
A horny horde in every fjord
Our moose may be loose, but they hit the spot
On our Swedish Smörgåsbord
A tour of our nation is certain to impress
We've quite a few surprises for you
A Swedish chef and Death playing chess
And a girl with a dragon tattoo
Pah-pah-poo!
By winning this contest you get the chance
To host a show you can't afford
But then sell your country through song and dance
Here's our Swedish Smörgåsbord
We're green to our planet with eco-pride
Recycling is in our hearts
Mamma Mia
Ikea has gone world-wide
Good luck assembling all the parts
We're strict and we're structured and seldom vent
Don't show emotion, never whine
Not easy to please, but we're quite content
When we get to stand in line
[Spoken] Does anyone know what this line is for?
Well, I better stay and find out
Proper and polite and private is our style
Never ever talk on a train
And if we see a stranger throw us a smile
He's either a drunk or insane
Everyday we face it
Fly on up and taste it
Try our Swedish Smörgåsbord
(Swedish Smörgåsbord)
Beneath the midnight sun
The blondes have all the fun
And if you long for stockings, say "Amen!"
From Vikings we descended
It's frightenin' what those men did
But see how we've evolved since then
Our roles are reversing
Our daddies are nursing
In all of our cities
Though men don't have titties
They can still stay at home to raise the kids
And our girls can handle their balls
With the best kickline of them all
[Instrumental]
[Spoken] You may now kiss the groom
Follow our example
Come and try a sample
Of our Swedish Smörgåsbord
It's time for some dinner, we pray you'll stay
Come and try our favourite course
We eat all our meatballs the Nordic way
Seasoned with a hint of horse
For Strindberg and Bergman
And Celsius, all rise
For Thor and Björn Borg
And the great Nobel Prize
There's Volvo and Garbo
The best lingonberry
And all of our problems digesting our dairy
[Girl]: Oh look it's Carola!
[Carola]: Ooh yeah, ooh
Captured by a love storm
[Petra]
We gave you Carola and Waterloo
And Diggi-Loo who all adored
We'll take you to heaven
Euphoria too
Come and join our party
Come on up and chill
There's room for everybody
Gravadlax and dill
On our aquavit, crayfish
Yucky salty liquorice
Randy Scandinavian race
With H&M and Ace of Base
Our hurdy-gurdy, super-duper
Fab-as-Abba, Super-Trouper
Swedish Smörgåsbord!
References[]
- ↑ Stockholm Revisited Part Five: Interval Acts. European Broadcasting Union (1 July 2016). Retrieved on 1 January 2023.
- ↑ Tomlin, Amanda (14 January 2022). WHAT IS A SMÖRGÅSBORD, AND WHAT DOES IT INCLUDE?. Routes North. Retrieved on 1 January 2023.