Jag vill leva i Europa
| "Jag vill leva i Europa" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| song by Jan Hammarlund from the album Järnvägsräls | ||||
| Released | 1982 | |||
| Genre | progg | |||
| Label | Silence | |||
| Writer(s) | Jan Hammarlund | |||
| Composer(s) | Jan Hammarlund | |||
| Language | Swedish | |||
| Järnvägsräls track listing | ||||
| ||||
Jag vill leva i Europa is a song written by Jan Hammarlund, recorded by him on the 1982 album Järnvägsräls.[1]
Arja Saijonmaa recorded the song on her 1987 album Högt över havet[2] and her recording charted at Svensktoppen for 14 weeks between 17 May-1 November 1987, peaking at second position.[3] In 1987 it was also recorded by Jan Hammarlund in French, as "Je veux vivre en Europe".[4]
Kenneth Lindholm also recorded the song in 1987.[5]
Euskefeurat has also recorded the song, with other lyrics, called "Jag vill städa i Europa".[6]
Theme
The song lyrics, dealing with the universal message of peace, describe four tourists from Sweden travelling by car across various states in Europe.
Version 1
When the original version came out in 1982, the world was living in the shadows of the Cold War. A threatening nuclear weapon war was the main theme.
Version 2
A 1991 Jan Hammarlund version was changed, to better fit in the era, with a Europe where several communist governments had been overthrown. At the time, shatterings and civil war's between ethnical groups and religions affected Europe.. Refugee streams became a main theme.