Povel Ramel (1922-2007) was a huge presence in Swedish entertainment for half a century from his first hit song, “Johansson’s Boogie Woogie Waltz”, in 1944. Here’s a song of his from 1968, performed by the beloved comedienne Birgitta Andersson (born in 1933). As it spoofs Gothic horror, it will be interesting to see how my high school pupils react to it as part of our horror fiction course. Chances are they aren’t familiar with either Povel Ramel or Gothic horror.
The Ballad of One-Eyed Elin
[Original lyrics]
Da-di-dum in a raven-black night
Da-di-dum the sombre tower la da-di-dum
Hmm na poor Elin there
Upon her remaining eye doth swear
Da-di-dum her lover and brother
Da-di-dum proud Sir Oscar di-dum
Da-di-dum squarely in his breast
Blood oh hmm everywhere
Da-di-dum hem of her gown
Hmm na-na never to wake again
Da-di-dum little daughter Sophie
Golden chalice whoops oh no with hydrochloric acid
Na na rosy lips hmm da-di-dum as if in a trance
Raven-black night
Horrors
Da-di-dum desecrating the tomb
Hmm na na white bones in a da-dum-di-dum
Da-di-da-di cranium whoopsie hey
Crawling little maggots doodie day
Hmm hmm resting in unhallowed ground
Da-di-da-di-dum… da-di humpback
Safe in his cell… da-di-dum
And eczema… And migraine
In the deepest of the vaults da-di-da
The chest na na di-da silver and gold
Guarded tralala by a slavering vampire
Raven-black night
Horrors
Da-di-dum the great big axe la-di-da
Dum-di-dum oh my dismember his mother
Na-na legs and arms doobedy straight across the throat be-doo
Hmm lala a shiny black box
Suddenly pestilence spread de-da-di hmm in our little village
Leaden pustules da-di-dum…
Aardvarchaeology - by Dr. Martin Rundkvist 
Lol! 🙂
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Ah, yes, I recall that song ….
QI series P episode 13 (see Youtube) has “phenomena” as theme (“Scooby-dooby doo, where are you”) .
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Mary was not beheaded with a single strike. The first blow missed her neck and struck the back of her head. The second blow severed the neck, except for a small bit of sinew, which the executioner cut through using the axe.
That scenario was replicated more or less in Shenzhen some years ago when a female criminal was executed. The first shot from a military assault rifle to the back of her head was bungled and didn’t do the job, and she lay on the ground pleading with the executioner to kill her.
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Thank you, John. Whenever we’re feeling down, you’re always there to cheer us up 😉
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