This is your archivist speaking: Sailor in Swedish

[Fluks, H.W.]

Stefan wrote:

> I was very much involved in this project... I seem to 
> remember writing at 
> length about it on this list a couple of years ago. Maybe 
> someone who knows 
> how to dig it out can find that message, in case anyone is 
> interested.

Maybe no-one is interested, but here's that message anyway (is that almost 3
years ago already?):

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Date: 	Sat, 11 Jul 1998 03:14:40 +0200 (MET DST)
From: Stefan Diös
Subject: Swedish Screaming-Sighing Cowboy-Sailor

As to Anders Chr. Sivebaek's inquiry about "The Screaming Cowboy", I feel
compelled (and, as we shall see, uniquely qualified) to add something about
the Swedish version.

The Swedish text is very similar to the Danish (about a sailor rather than a
cowboy), another indication that Swedish and Danish translators over the
years glanced at each other more than they might want to admit. Remarkably,
even when the story was reprinted with new dialog in 1970 (after first
having been published in 1952), the song was still about a sailor. And quite
similar to the older version, too.

Just like in Denmark, the given lyrics are well known by Donaldists of most
generations, even though preferences may vary between the older and newer
text versions. Personally, having grown up around that time, I find the 1970
lyrics closest to my heart. Without reservation, I regard this as the
authentic and correct version of the song. Isn't it natural that Donald, the
song's author,  would want to improve on his text for later publication?


In fact, this song has a very special place in Swedish Donaldistic history.
In 1978, while still at high school in Bromma, Stockholm, some young
Donaldists actually set out on an expedition to Duckburg in order to find
the music and the full lyrics to this musical masterpiece. After many heroic
adventures, they became the first known humans to return alive from
Calisota. And indeed, they had been able to retrieve the sought-after
treasure: the complete "Screaming Cowboy"... or rather, "Den suckande
sjomannen", with Donald Duck's own musical score and Swedish lyrics for all
three stanzas.

Shortly thereafter, the ballad was performed in Nya Elementar Senior High
School as a Musical History project. The orchestration included piano,
cornet, guitar, harmonica, and, of course, vocals. According to spectators,
the performance was "very sad, a real tragedy". Quite appropriate, since the
song is nothing if not melancholic.

Soon, the newly founded Donaldist association NAFS(k) adopted "Den suckande
sjomannen" as its national anthem. To this day, it is still sung at
ceremonious occasions within the club, although one should note that we
rarely find an occasion quite so ceremonious as to justify such an
extremity. And we never, never execute the song close to any overhanging
masses of snow.


Music and lyrics were published in NAFS(k)uriren #4 (1978), and I seem to
recall that the lyrics were reprinted in Der Hamburger Donaldist. I hope
they delighted all German Donaldists who could read Swedish; or those who
couldn't.

Let me also reveal the identities of those famous adventurers who hunted
down the fabled treasure back in '78: The incommensurable Greger Nässén
found most of the music, while my own humble self found most of the text.
Without any doubt, this feat will forever remain the single most momentous
and prominent piece of research in Donaldistic history.

That should cover everything anyone needs to know about this subject.

Stefan Dios, H.O.T.A.  (Hero Of The Anthem)
Malmo, Sweden

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--Harry, H.O.T.A. (Hero Of The Archive)
Leidschendam, the Netherlands