"Julbocken", with the opening lines "En jul när mor var liten",[b] is a Christmas song written by Alice Tegnér. The lyrics describe a time when the Julbocken (Yule goat or Christmas goat) was still a more popular Christmas gift-bringer in Sweden than the Jultomten (Christmas elves or gnomes)[c] or Santa Claus. The lyrics describe the goat giving presents, a doll for "Mother" when she was a child, who was frightened when the goat jumped; and for her brother, a drum and a trumpet. When the goat is old, he returns to "Mother", who now has children of her own.

"Julbocken"
Song
LanguageSwedish
Published1913 (1913)
Genrechildren, Christmas
Songwriter(s)Alice Tegnér
The song describes when the Christmas goat still brought the presents[a]

Publications

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Recordings

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A recording was done by Alice Babs in Stockholm in November 1963.[2] Another recording was done by pupils from Stockholms musikgymnasium and Stockholms musikklasser on the 1972 album God morgon, mitt herrskap.[3] The song was also recorded by Anita Lindblom on her 1975 Christmas album Jul med tradition.[4]

References

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Footnotes
  1. ^ 19th century Swedish Christmas card, God Jul by Jenny Nyström
  2. ^ "One Christmas when Mother was small"
  3. ^ Cf. Brownie (folklore)
Sources
  1. ^ Alice Tegnér (1913), "Sjung med oss, mamma!" [Sing with us, Mom!], Små visor (in Swedish), 6, Skoglund
  2. ^ "Sjung med oss mamma Vol. 2 / Babs, Alice" (in Swedish). Svensk mediedatabas. 1963. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  3. ^ "Godmorgon mitt herrskap : Lucia-, advents- och julsånger / elever ur Stockholms musikgymnasium och musikklasser" (in Swedish). Svensk mediedatabas. 1972. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  4. ^ "Jul med tradition / Lindblom, Anita" (in Swedish). Svensk mediedatabas. 1975. Retrieved 17 May 2011.