I was really close to my maternal grandparents since they lived next door in the village I grew up. I often spent time there coming home after school as a kid. I played with grandad; we built a museum of old stuff we found in the sheds, he told me stories from the old days and we played violin together. We even went to folk music-festivals in the area during summer and jammed with other people.
I always felt we had a certain bond that stayed over the years. I sometimes think that he might have wanted to pursue what I did had he grown up in another age and with another background. He was always interested in the arts, beautiful things like flowers and gardening and especially music and in writing down stories he remembered. He was proper working class, did work in coalmining, sawmills, farming and all sorts and I don’t think he considered anything else seriously. He led a long life and died in 2017, a hundred years old.
On the cover of the album we see him and his big sister in 1920 on a picture taken by the locally famous photographer Karl Lärka, that documented the life of ordinary folks in the rural area of northern Dalecarlia where I come from. This is my goodbye song to grandpa and in the stop-start form and slow majestic limp of the chords, riff and pulse that runs through it, I see him and his wellies strolling around the neighbourhood.
Another fine performance of the core trio I think. The happy sad – rise and fall of the melody made me think of Ron Sexsmith, someone I listened tons to in my early twenties but then lost track of a bit. I became nostalgic and went through all of the albums of his. I missed the first time, lots of gold to discover. But he was glad I asked and was a fan of Peter Bjorn and John. And he said it was a really lovely song and sentiment which actually made me well up a bit. Now Ron isn’t my grandfather but hearing his mighty voice sing my words & melodies just made perfect sense and made the song hit harder. At least he feels like my big brother here.
Credits:
Release: 2023-05-10 (May, 10, 2023)
© & ℗: 2023 SunYears Yep Roc, LLC
Peter Morén: Lead vocals, electric guitars
Ron Sexsmith: Lead vocals
Andreas Nordell: Bass
Nino Keller: Drums, piano, vibraphone
Recorded by Ruben Engzell, Studio Skutan, Sthlm except Rons vocals records by Jim Neil, Owlsville Studio, Stratford ONT., CA
Video shot and directed by Martin Hedman.
Archive photos by Karl Lärka, from Axi and Vika, 1920-1921, used with kind permission from Mora Bygdearkiv and Anneli Larsson.
Lyrics:
When you’re leaving dad, you put to bed a century
You’ve been ‘around longer than us all
I’ll miss you like mad but what you left it lingers
And I will bring it down the line
I have been so blessed and it ain’t over yet
Regret the regrets
Whatever counts comes next
Read the stories dad, let me in on your secrets
The older they got, the more they grew
I’ll sing the songs you sang, carry the notes you couldn’t
And do the work you weren’t allowed
On and on together we will stand
Carry me granddad in your big old hands
On and on together we will stand
Carry me granddad in your big old hands
When you walked the walk you’re feet were apart like mine are
Your wellies paved the way for me
When you talked the talk, we all shut(ted) up and listened
You cast a shadow long and wide
I have been so blessed and it ain’t over yet
Regret the regrets
Whatever counts comes next
On and on together we will stand
Carry me granddad in your big old hands
On and on together we will stand
Carry me granddad in your big old hands
