Nu Är Det Jul Igen - It's Christmas in Sweden

We start off the Jul season with an old Jul song appropriately called "Nu Är Det Jul Igen" or Now it's Christmas Again.  So how do I know this old song?  Bergman.  Until just a few years ago, there was only one Bergman movie I knew anything about, Fanny and Alexander.  I grew up watching Fanny and Alexander every Christmas.  It is easily Bergman's most upbeat movie...with all the strange and creepy stuff you expect from Bergman.  And to be part of the Ekdahl life was the greatest way to spend four hours (or six, if you had the made for television version).  So if you haven't already, dust off your copy of Fanny and Alexander, or go buy it if you don't have a copy and start the Jul season with the Ekdahls, dancing around their massive apartment singing Nu Är Det Jul Igen.

Nu är det Jul igen och nu är det Jul igen

Och Julen varar väl till Påska.

 Nu ar det Jul igen och nu ar det Jul igen

Och Julen varar väl till Påska.

Det var inte sant och det var inte sant,

För där emellan kommar fasta.

Det var inte sant och det var inte sant,

För där emellan kommar fasta. 

(Now it's Christmas again and now it's Christmas again

And it's Christmas all the way to Easter

Now it's Christmas again and now it's Christmas again

And it's Christmas all the way to Easter

That isn't true and that isn't true,

For in the middle it is Lent

That isn't true and that isn't true,

For in the middle it is Lent) 

To sing this song successfully you must squish the words together in such a way that it sounds more like...

Nuyjuliyen, o Nuyjuliyen

Click here for a small taste of Fanny and Alexander and Jul with the Ekdahl family.

{via Criterion}