Comments on: A Santa Lucia Day Song and Saying, plus why it’s a Festival of Light

By: Sar Sar

Sar Sar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:19:11 +0000

Have anyone heard of any an English version containing words similar to these? I sang them when I was a kid but I forgot most of the words. I am hoping to find the complete song.

“See where the stars of eve, beam gently wonder. See where from wave to wave, …

By: Martha Kubala

Martha Kubala — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:27:36 +0000

Can anyone tell me what the lyrics to the kid’s version of the English translation of Santa Lucia is? The English lyrics I have seen cannot easily be sung to the melody of the song.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:07:12 +0000

This song isn’t from America. It’s from Sweden. Though the tune to the song comes from an Italian song called “Santa Lucia”.

By: sami

sami — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:57:31 +0000

I love the music. I think it sounds great even if I do not understand it being from America. But I love Sweeden. I wish I was there instead of a dry deseret.

By: anika

anika — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:05:47 +0000

That version of Santa lucia is an alternitive, but not very famous. I am swedish,
~Anika

By: All Downhill From Here » Happy Santa Lucia Day

All Downhill From Here » Happy Santa Lucia Day — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:14:16 +0000

[...] Last night Little Runner and I made special buns and this morning she woke Soccer Boy and Hubby up with a plate of buns and a travel mug of tea, while I carried the flashlight. Traditionally she’s also to wear a wreath of lit candles, but the flashlight worked nicely. We’re supposed to sing a song, too, but I don’t remember much of it, so we played a Youtube version of it that I found on Mama Lisa’s World Blog. [...]

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:34:07 +0000

That’s funny! Thanks for the explanation.

I curious about the version they’re singing on YouTube at:

Saint Lucia in Sweden

I believe this is the Swedish text of that version…

Sankta Lucia, ljusklara hägring,
sprid i vår vinternatt glans av din fägring.
Drömmar med vingesus under oss sia,
tänd dina vita ljus, Sankta Lucia,
tänd dina vita ljus, Sankta Lucia.

Kom i din vita skrud, huld med din maning.
Skänk oss, du julens brud, julfröjders aning.
Drömmar med vingesus, under oss sia,
tänd dina vita ljus, Sankta Lucia.
tänd dina vita ljus, Sankta Lucia.

Does anyone know if this version is well-known? Would anyone like to provide an English translation?

Thanks in advance for any help! I’m trying to provide one place where people can find the different versions of the Santa Lucia songs.

-Mama Lisa

By: Lars Celander

Lars Celander — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:17:14 +0000

Hi!

I am from Sweden. The lyrics beginning with “Sankta Lucia, skänk mig en tia” is simply an irreverent version, usually sung by kids tired of the very beautiful but also boring singing.

The full lyrics fragment sung is as follows:

Sankta Lucia, skänk mig en tia
Inte en femma, det har jag hemma

Roughly translated:

Sankta Lucia, give me a tenner
not a fiver, I got that at home

(tenner = ten crown bill, fiver = five crown bill)

The fun being that it sounds exactly like the proper version.

Cheers,
Lars

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:03:56 +0000

Thanks for writing "frog with a blog"! FYI: "Frog with a blog" is referring to a post on his blog about Sankta Lucia. Since he speaks Swedish, I was asking him a question about the translation of the first line of the Sankta Lucia song. I'm not familiar with "Sankta Lucia, skänk mig en tia". Could you send me the lyrics to it - or a link where I could find it? Of course, I wouldn't complain about an English translation either. Glad to have discovered your blog too. I was rolling on the floor watching your Learn French in 5 minutes and 36 seconds video! -Mama Lisa

By: frog with a blog

frog with a blog — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:43:57 +0000

Hi and thank you for your message on my blog. Yes you are right, I’m French but I speak Swedish, love Sweden and especially love Sankta Lucia. Natten gar tunga fjät (i don’t have all the Swedish letters on my French keyboard) is a tricky sentence. I would say just like you that it’s the night that comes with heavy steps although you should know that most Swedes don’t actually know what “fjät” means. But they sing it happily anyway. There are lots of alternative versions to the lyrics, the most famous being “Sankta Lucia, skänk mig en tia”. Can you translate this one?
Happy to have discovered your blog.