Tegomass: Tanabata Matsuri, A Swedish Song!

I've written about the wonderful pop duo Tegomass here, back in 2006, and they seem to continue to enjoy a special link to Sweden. Their new song Tanabata Matsuri is in Japanese but it was originally written as a folk music/bluegrass hit for Hasse 'Kvinnaböske' Andersson, who was very surprised when the Sydsvenskan newspaper in Malmö called him and asked him how he felt about being "Big-In-Japan".

Hasse's greatest hit back in the 1990s was Får man ta hunden med sig in i himlen, a sad and caring song, titled something like "May I bring my dog with me to heaven (when I die)" touching the hearts of many in Sweden, where old people often have to spend their last years alone, or at least just with a beloved pet. Could be a big hit in Japan too, where the ageing society in many areas is not without its similarities to regions of Sweden.

I like this video! 七夕祭り　(Tanabata Matsuri) is the special festival earlier in July, and now in August we have other events, especially firework festivals 花火祭り (Hanabi Matsuri) before お盆 (Obon), the Buddhist holiday to honour the ancestors.

The Tegomass karaoke version on Youtube has Japanese lyrics as well as English translation. Note the tanabata wishes in the end: peace and - smile.



Music/Lyrics by Johan Bejerholm, Anderz Wrethov and Elin Wrethov.

(Tack Johan för tipset! Brev till familjen är på väg, grattis allihopa!)

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