Great songs: Ole Paus - Mitt Lille Land

"Mitt lille land" by Ole Paus is one of the most beautiful songs about Norway I know. It's something quintessential Norwegian about it. The music through the use of the Hadingfele (fiddle), but most of all the amazing lyrics. It says something about the small, strange, great and beautiful little things in life and how it is to come from this "Mitt lille land"- "My little country". For the news on Norwegian TV2 the singer Kurt Nielsen has also made a very good cover that is accompanied by very Norwegian images.

(Intense response to this post after the 22th of July 2011. I am glad I can help and humble.)

Here is the original version and this is the Kurt Nielsen version.





Mitt lille land
Et lite sted, en håndfull fred
slengt ut blant vidder og fjord

Mitt lille land
Der høye fjell står plantet
mellom hus og mennesker og ord
Og der stillhet og drømmer gror
Som et ekko i karrig jord

Mitt lille land
Der havet stryker mildt og mykt
som kjærtegn fra kyst til kyst

Mitt lille land
Der stjerner glir forbi
og blir et landskap når det blir lyst
mens natten står blek og tyst

Mitt lille land
Et lite sted en håndfull fred
slengt ut blant vidder og fjord

Mitt lille land
Der høye fjell står plantet
mellom hus og mennesker og ord
Og der stillhet og drømmer gror
Som et ekko i karrig jord

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My little country
A little place, a handful of peace
thrown out among mountain plateau and fjords

My little country
Where high mountains are planted
among houses, people and words
Where silence and dreams grow
Like an echo in barren earth

My little country
Where the sea pats mild and soft
like it's caressing from coast to coast

My little country
Where stars glide by
and becomes landscapes when it gets lighter
while the night stands there - bleak and silent

My little country
A little place, a handful of peace
thrown out among mountain plateau and fjords

My little country
Where high mountains are planted
among houses, people and words
Where silence and dreams grow
Like an echo in barren earth