Description
About NORGE I RØDT, HVITT OG BLÅTT (cited from Wikipedia with some changes):
“NORGE I RØDT, HVITT OG BLÅTT” is one of Norway’s most famous national songs. It is widely used on May 17th. The song is from the occupation period (1941), with lyrics by Finn Bø, Bias Bernhoft and Arild Feldborg. The melody was composed by Lars-Erik Larsson, originally as the “Obligationsmarschen” with the text of Alf Henrikson – ordered by the Swedish state.
The song would stimulate the sale of so-called defense bonds. The revenues were intended to strengthen the Swedish defense, for example by «gjuta kanoner» and «ladda patroner» (“throwing guns” and “loading cartridges”) as it says in the text.
The following year the march came to Norway and was turned into a show tune titled “It will light again over the city”. The text was almost identical to the current version of “NORGE I RØDT, HVITT OG BLÅTT”, with the exception of the title and the third verse.
The show, called Trangviksrevyen, went off the record as planned, but without the final number “It will light again over the city”. Instead, the tune continued to live its own life, now as illegal flyers. Among other things, titles like “Flagget vårt” and “Rødt, hvitt og blått”
From show tune to national celebration
During celebration of the end of the Second World War in May 1945 the tune resurfaced in the show, Det smaker av fugl. In one of the numbers, the legendary show actor Lalla Carlsen came on stage, dressed in red, white and blue, and sung the version of NORGE I RØDT, HVITT OG BLÅTT known today. The show was no longer a veiled hope for peace, but a symbol of the national celebration of peace and independence.
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