regndoft | This Old Road

This post will once again reaffirm two things about me:

1. I am really bored now in summer.

2. I am a huge fag.

So here. Have a DenSu fanmix.

Cover art by

stalkerbunny. Love her! o/

I'm not going to write an entire "Introduction to DenSu", but it's probably quite important to have heard my personal view on the pairing before trying to make sense of this fanmix. Personally, I prefer to explore the dualistic nature of Sweden and Denmark as persons vs nations. Without making this sound too sappy, I think it's more interesting to see them unable to compromise between their own desires and their roles as nations and inability to protest what their ruler decides, than just enemies or rivals.

Former DenSu fanmixes I've seen focus more on the historical rivalry and a relationship that is broken off in the end. To make things more challenging for myself ~~and because I have an instrumental mix on their shared history lying around somewhere on the comp~~ I decided to put this in modern time, with several loose ends from the past.

The mix consists of ten tracks, two sides: first part for Denmark, second for Sweden. It is constructed so that each track corresponds to one topic from each character's perspective: first track in Denmark's part is about the past, and when it comes around to Sweden's part his first track (sixth song on the entire mix) comments the same thing.

What do you mean, I complicate things? Download link at the bottom. All songs in foreign languages except first and last tracks were translated by me.

This Old Road - A DenSu Fanmix

Side A - Denmark

1. Waylaway - The Mediaeval Baebes

(Translated from Middle English)

Evilly I tore your heart to pieces
And now I deeply regret it
Oh woe

But you will not understand
To be deceived in such a shameful way
Oh woe

You have banished me into the woods
Forever

The Past. This song might be a bit overdramatic, but it was the only one I found that illustrates my point: Sweden leaves, and Denmark feels at least partly responsible.

2. History Sticks to Your Feet - Modest Mouse

At the movies, eyes iced over
Walking sideways, through the gutters
And you realize life sticks to your feet, your history
I'm gonna slap that look off your face like life don't hold no mystery
All those red marks on our shoulders
Self back patting, homemade trophies
Well the past only exists as tiny bricks we burn to release all its memories
I've had enough with rolling boulders, I want more moss on me

Clocks to splinters but time goes forward
And when them trees drop leaves your feet collect their memories
I guess all us snakes find our tails pretty damn tasty!

Time passes, as it is wont to do, and at some point there is an attempt at mending the past. Then again, while forgetting old mistakes you might also remember the things left unresolved.

3. Drømte Mig En Drøm – Valravn

(Translated from Danish)

I dreamt a dream last night
Of silk and expensive cloth
Wore a dress so light and smooth
In the rich beams of the shining sun
//Now the clear morning dawns//

To the young ones’ pack I went
I was drawn to song and dance
Confidently I met his gaze
And laid my hand in his
//Now the clear morning dawns//

All the others looked at us
They smiled, and they laughed
Soon the dance completely stopped
Only the two of us danced there
//Now the clear morning dawns//

I dreamt a dream last night
Of silk and expensive cloth
Far away he raised his hat
And drearily my dream came to end
//Now the clear morning dawns//

Longing.

(This song has ooold roots. Wikipedia has an article on it. I have taken it slightly out of context, but yeah. Translated from Danish to the best of my measly Swedish ability. :D Also, despite the last verse being listed by the band it isn't sung...)

4. Moonland - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Under the snow, under the stars
The whispering DJ on the radio
The whispering DJ on the radio
I'm not your favourite lover
I'm not your favourite lover

And it must feel nice
(It must feel nice)
To leave no trace
That somebody needs you
And that somebody is me

Under the stars, under the snow

Your eyes were closed
You were playing with the buttons on your coat
In the back of that car

In moonland
Under the stars
In moonland
And I followed that car

The past isn't the only thing getting in the way.

5. The Tinderbox - Patrick Wolf

And now I live alone in this dirty old attic
And my friends have no strength to climb up the stairs
So in the dark (dark), I spark (spark) a small box of tinder
And your love is ferried to here

On a
Black dog
Black burning eyes
Come carry you here to my room
Dark to one spark and I have your heart
But as quick as you come, you're always gone so soon, soon, soon
Gone so soon, soon, soon
Gone so soon, soon, soon
Always gone so soon
So soon

Why does no flame here last for long?
Oh no, no spark rides dark for long
Oh no
A thousand kisses are no Judas kicking in to stop me
From trying to start a fire
Start the fire
Start the fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire
Deep down in me

I will let this speak for itself. ~~Also, song based on H.C Andersen tale, +10 nerd points to me.~~

Side B - Sweden

1. Får Jag Ej Vandra - Eter

(Translated from Swedish)

If I may not wander
As everybody else have wandered
Then I shall find the paths
That no one else have found

And your hands
And snow-white loins
And your pretty mouth
Each hair that hangs down to your shoulders
They shine to me like reddest gold

Sweden leaves, but does not forget.

2. Where are the Angels - Eivør Pálsdóttir

We saw that crazy king again, with his lies and fears and shame
He was talking about genocide and learning everybody’s name
Has he really always been this way, full of hopeless tomorrows
He’s stolen the sacred key and locked men in sorrow

Where are the angels
Where are the angels

This old dirt road, this grey sky day
Sometimes the world gets old and I feel so insane
Then you whisper in my ear “It’s OK my friend”
And our love is given and our hearts will mend

Moving away from the past and its hostile rulers.

3. Mera Önska Myckit Få - Ranarim

(Translated from Swedish)

That’s how it still is;
The one who gets much wants more
Such it is with love;
Wish for much and get a lot
Who is ever satisfied with
The joys of sweet love?

You lose your sight
And still know the pain of love
You lose both words and voice
Still keep love in your chest
Even those who do not hear
Die from the sorrows of love

(Miri it is while sumer ilast
With fugheles song
Oc nu neheth windes blast
And weder strong

Ey, what this nicht is long
And ich, with wel
Michel wrong…)

One old and grey
Still desires love
The one who’s had a lot
Says it is so good
That he must have more
Before he is laid down

Despite the centuries that have passed, some things refuse to be buried.

(This song is really talking about old age, of course, but I figured it worked just as well for "long time". It's a traditional song from the 17th century, with some random Middle English thrown in, so the translation is rather simple. But at least what it fundamentally is about hasn't been lost.)

4. One Chance - Modest Mouse

We have one chance.
One chance to get everything right.
We have one chance, one chance.
And if we're lucky we might.
My friends, my habits, my family, they mean so much to me.
I just don't think that it's right.
I've seen so many ships sail in,
just to head back out again and go off sinkin'.

I'm just a box in a cage.
I'm just a box in a cage.

There is safety in the life Sweden has built up; not to mention, sometimes you can't just leave the things and people you love to pursue other of the same kind.

5. Tú Ert Alt - Eivør Pálsdóttir

(Translated from Faroese)

You are all
You’re the sunlight
You are all
You’re the dark night
You are all
You’re the sweetness
All that is shining
And all that fades out

You are all
You are sadness
You are all
You are tears that run from my eyes
All that is shining
All that is fading
You’re the beginning
And the ending

You are all
You are summer
You are all
You are winter, spring and fall
You are all
The heart wants to cherish
You are all
The heart wants to perish

Lyrically, a pretty good song for Sweden's split feelings about Denmark, I think. Even if it is terribly, terribly sappy. Wanted to use the English version of the song, then I realised I don't have it. xD

THIS OLD ROAD - mp4 files, 51 MB, .zip, at Mediafire

I'd be rather grateful if you tell me if you snag and/or like this. Besides the fact that comments are always fun, it'd be nice if someone shares my slightly unusual taste in music. XD

X-posted to