Sköna Maj

On the last evening of April a group of men serenade the populace as they go from street corner to street corner singing the lovely Swedish song Sköna Maj, (Pronounced Whena My—Beautiful May). Residents frequently invite them in for coffee and refreshments. The pictures below were taken on the evening of 4/30/03 as the Sköna Maj singers went from place to place in Stanton.

In the hall we were welcomed by Mrs. Olson.

Ross Rossander and Marti Attoun, freelance writer for American Profile

Marti Interviewing the Sellergrens and Donald Lantz

Rehearsal in the Kirkeberg Room

Darland Sellergren at the Rehearsal

First Stop, The Stanton Care Center

Greeting the Residents

Marti Visiting with 95-Year-Old Irene Lindner Watching Singers at Intersection

The Street North of Mamrelund Church

Halland Village Stop

Lunch at Halland Village

This is the article that was published in American Profile.

This is the song that they sing in Swedish:

Sköna MAJ

I marschtakt J. L. Runeberg L. M. Been

Skö-na Maj, väl-kom-men till vår bygd i-gen!
Skö-na Maj, väl-kom-men, vå-ra le kars vän!
Kåns-lans gu-da-flam-ma väck tes vid din ljus ning.
Jord och sky-ar stam-ma kär-lek och för tjus ning.

Sor-gen flyr för vå-ren, glåd-je ler ur tå-ren, tåren.
Nu ur lun-dens skö-te och ur blom-mans knopp

sti-ga dig till mö-te gla-da of-fer opp.
Blott ditt lov de su-sa des-sa ro-sen-häc kar,

till din ä-ra bru-sa vå-ra sil-ver båc kar.
Hör! Med tacksam tung-a tu-sen fåg-lar sjunga lik-som vi,
lik-som vi: Väl-kommen, skö-na Maj, vål-kommen sko na Maj!

Second Part (Harmony)

Kåns-lans gu-da-flam-ma

(Starts on "ma" of "flam-ma" in third line)
Jord och gyll-ne sky-ar stam-ma kär-lek, säll het och
för-tjus-ning, dyst-ra sor-gen flyr för va rån,
(Starts with "Jord", 4th line; ends with "va" of "våren" on

"ren" of 5th line)

Nu ur lun-dens skö-te och ur blom-mans knop-par sti ga dig till
vän-ligt mö-te gla-da of-fer opp. Blott ditt lov de sak ta su sa,
de-sa fris-ka ro-sen-häc kar, till din ä ra mun tert bru sa.
(Starts with "Nu", 6th line; ends with "bru" of "brusa" on "sa"
of "brusa" in 9th line.)

(Courtesy of the Viking Printing Co., Stanton, lowa)

This is the English translation of the first verse:

Beautiful May! Welcome to our countryside again!

Beautiful May, welcome, our playful friend.

Feeling your godly flame, awakening with your light,

Earth and sky shout love and enchantment.

Sorrow flees before spring. Glad smiles rise out of tears.

Now, out of the forest's bosom and out of the flower's bud comes much delight.

The rose hedges whisper only your praises;

To your honor rises our silver creek.

Hear! With thankful tongues a thousand birds sing like us, like us!

"Welcome, beautiful May! Welcome, beautiful May!"

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Maintained by Wayne Donohue @ Stanton@mchsi.com

Last Revised: 12/17/06

Article added 3/1/06