Cornelis Vreeswijk
A true legend in Swedish music history
Cornelis Vreeswijk was a Dutch‑Swedish troubadour, composer, and poet. Since his death, he has been regarded as one of Sweden’s greatest troubadours, alongside Carl Michael Bellman and Evert Taube.
See below for our best attempt at an English translation of today’s lyrics.
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Some walk with torn shoes
Say why is it so?
God Father who lives in heaven
Maybe wants it so
God Father who lives in heaven
Shuts his eyes and sleeps so well
Who cares about a pair of torn shoes
When you are old and tired
Who cares about how the days go by?
They wander as they please
Friend, in one hundred years
You'll no longer exist
Then somebody else have taken your place
You'll know nothing of it
You feel neither rain nor sun
Down in your dark grave
Who cares about how thе nights go by?
I don't care a bit
As long as I can keep my face
Buried in my lovе's hair
I am a doubtful character
Not good for much
Behind a corner death lurks
He takes me whenever he wants
Some walk with torn shoes
Until they have stopped walking
The devil who in hell lives
Gets a good laugh then
As a Dutch person I'm amazed you've even heard of this artist. Even though he gained more recognition in Sweden he had some succes in The Netherlands as well. I have all of his (Dutch) albums on vinyl still. His Swedish-Dutch accent makes him quite unique, one of a kind really. Love it!
There is a biopic, Cornelis from 2010. Vreeswijk contained multitudes. There are political songs, hedonistic songs like Nudist polka and songs about threesomes, and romantic songs like Veronica and Cecilia Lind.