Cornelis Vreeswijk

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swedish, singer-songwriter, folk, visor, trubadur… see all

Cornelis Vreeswijk (August 8, 1937 – November 12, 1987) was a singer-songwriter, poet and actor who was born in IJmuiden in the Netherlands but moved to Sweden with his parents in 1949, at the age of twelve. He trained as a social worker and hoped to become a journalist but became instead a musician whose idiosyncratic humor and social engagement are still gaining him new fans.

Cornelis Vreeswijk explained in one of his few interviews that he had taught himself to sing and play in the fifties by imitating his first idols Josh White and Leadbelly. His first album, Ballader och oförskämdheter (Ballads and Insults, 1964), was a hit which immediately gained him a large following among the emerging radical student generation. In this period he also played with Swedish jazz pianist Jan Johansson and his trio. His songs “Ångbåtsblues” (Steam Boat Blues) and “Jubelvisa for Fiffiga Nannete” (Cheering song for Ingenious Nannette) are classics from these recordings. His abrasive, frequently political lyrics and unconventional delivery were a deliberate break with what he was later to describe as a Swedish song tradition of pretty singing and harmless lyrics, “a hobby for the upper classes”. Influenced by jazz and blues and especially by the singing style and social criticism of Georges Brassens, Vreeswijk “speak-sings” his “insults”, and compels his listeners to pay close attention to the words.

1	Somliga går med trasiga skor	138
2	Turistens klagan	135
3	Brev från kolonien	97
4	Veronica	94
5	En fattig trubadur	82
6	Ångbåtsblues	76
7	Märk hur vår skugga	69
8	Balladen om herr Fredrik Åkare och den söta fröken Cecilia Lind	68
9	Personliga Person	67
10	Jag hade en gång en båt	59
11	Felicia - adjö	51
12	Polaren Per är kärlekskrank	49
13	Deirdres samba	48
13	Sonja och Siw	48
15	Dekadans	47

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Guldkorn från mäster Cees memoarer
Cornelis Vreeswijk
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Cornelis Vreeswijk
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Guldkorn
Cornelis Vreeswijk
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Ballader och grimascher
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rockjeanbrodie wrote:
7 days ago

lyssnar just på Nya gatan från Black Girl-albumet (2002).... ooooh vilket arr. & stämning den inspelningen har............! alltså, SÅ många bra låtar denne man hade, tolkade & gjorde........ det är bara att tacka & bocka Mäster Cee!! *:)

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nordquist wrote:
22 days ago

Det värsta med Cornelis är att han är död.

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kusete wrote:
last month

Hope somebody read this. can anyone please point me to the chords for Cornelis' Waar ga je heen song? I played this song once with chords I found @ chordie, but it seems they are not listed anymore.

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Emiljaa wrote:
June 2008

Vi i forna klass 9A 07/08 på Eneskolan i Järna gjorde en egen version av Brev från kolonien. Den var grrrrym.

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fist_fuck wrote:
June 2008

turistens klagan :D

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InterSeKtion wrote:
June 2008

What the hell is he talking about.

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Bastard1 wrote:
June 2008

Hejsan morsan, hejsan stabben :P

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Bergatroll wrote:
June 2008

I find it intresting that people who dont understand swedish still like his music since it's so focused about the lyrics, well at least on some of the albums.

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betoniarkax wrote:
April 2008

Could anyone please tell my what the song Veronica is about? My friend really likes it but we don't know the language and I can't find any English translation.

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Nasasie wrote:
March 2008

Somliga går med trasiga skor burde ju vara streamable för fan!

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Kimpaz wrote:
March 2008

Victol (lördag 28 juli 2007) Tänk att Mördar Anders inte är med på någon lista. :O Ja det är fan illa

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maledictu wrote:
March 2008

This guy is a genius, one of the greatest musicians ever!

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pauxcide wrote:
February 2008

I have not listened to him, but judging by his photo, he's probably a badass.

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DenONothi wrote:
January 2008

proleposition (Tuesday 17 July 2007) du var bäst i det du gjorde, synd bara att du inte finns kvar att kommentera dagens komiska tillvaro. vila i frid din tjockis. oj, det vare ju något att se och höra :D hoppas att han var inte den sista av sin sort...! (det här är kanske första gången i circa fyra år att jag skriver på svenska - jag hoppas att resultatet är inte för hämskt :D)

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HP3820 wrote:
January 2008

hoe spreek je z'n naam uit in 't zweeds? :-)

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zashay wrote:
January 2008

Haha, ofta att man sätter sämsta låtarna som lyssna nu-låtar, folk som inte hört får ju ett dåligt första intryck.

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remkojip wrote:
December 2007

iel

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aux wrote:
November 2007

Check out his dutch music: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=90034346&s=143452

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Victol wrote:
July 2007

Tänk att Mördar Anders inte är med på någon lista. :O

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defulagubbarna wrote:
July 2007

http://www.znapmusic.com/defulagubbarna/

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