Just a note on this one... to really do this very cute song justice, I'd need to rewrite it all, including Pastor Jackson's lines. But that would be stretching my license too far I feel. So, in the verses, I have instead kept his lines as is, changing the women's lines to make the 'play-on-words'- English versus mispronounced/misunderstood English. The chorus translation is basically still quite literal.

2.8 TÄNK ATT MÄN SOM HAN KAN FINNAS (Think That Men Like Him Exist) 4:18

The immigrants have reached the wharf at Stillwater. It's dark and cold and nobody understands them. They're abandoned, the locals fear they may carry cholera, like many of the new arrivals do.
Baptist priest Pastor Jackson appears like a light from the darkness. He offers the little group a room for the night, warmth and food.
The women wonder : can such a man exist! Henry Jackson can't understand Swedish, and the company doesn't speak English - imagine the confusion of tongues.

Pastor Jackson i Stillwater, Minnesota tar sig an de vilsna invandrarna
[Pastor Jackson in Stillwater, Minnesota gives of himself to the lost immigrants]
som om de varit hans käraste och närmaste anhöriga. De får inte besväras
[as if they had been his nearest and dearest relatives. They don't have to trouble]
med någon syssla, inte hämta vatten eller ved. Han passar upp dem som
[with any household duties, neither fetching water nor wood. He passes them up as]
om han varit deras piga.
[if he had been their servant.]

KRISTINA, ULRIKA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Tänk att män som han kan finnas

(Think, that men like him can exist)

Lätt är handen som en kvinnas

(With a woman's hand - not a fist)

När han rör sej genom huset

(When he works around the house he)

Fyller kruset, tänder ljuset

(Seems just like a gentle church-mouse)

Allt ska göras, allt ska hinnas

(All women's chores are on his list)

Tänk att män som han kan finnas

(Think that men like him can exist)

En sån ädelmodig karl

(One such generous fellow)

Ja, han gav oss husrum i natten

(Yes, he gave us his rooms tonight and )

En hjälpande hand

(A helping friend's hand)

På främmande strand

(In a foreign, land)
 

Får vi hjälpa er diska och städa! Vi ber!

(Can we do the dishes? Any chore we will bare!)

PASTOR JACKSON:

Not a beer I'm afraid in store

ULRIKA:

Ja, jag står här sysslolös det gör mej ledsen

(I don't stall, it's just that your chores we would lessen)

PASTOR JACKSON:

Lesson from me, what for?

KRISTINA, ULRIKA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Har ni får? Ja, vi klipper dem gärna åt er

(Well, us four! Shall we wash over there? ...over (h)ere? )

PASTOR JACKSON:

Nothing wrong with my ear! Not at all!

FINA-KAJSA:

Har ni ål?! Så låt oss laga den tillsammans!

(Is that all? My friend, I'll even make you supper! )

Där är grytan, nu sätter vi fart!

(Where's the frypan, is it near or fart! )

PASTOR JACKSON:

Fart ?!

KRISTINA, ULRIKA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Barska förmaningar, och klander, fick vi av Brusander

(Rough adminitions and such harsh criticisms that's what we always got from Dean Brusander)

ULRIKA:

Här kan vi se en präst som lever som han lär

(Here can we see a priest who practiced what he preached)

KRISTINA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Du har rätt, i det där

(You are right, about that)

PASTOR JACKSON:

In Our Lord I trust

KRISTINA, ULRIKA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Talar han om en trast?

(Did he say we'd be trussed? )

PASTOR JACKSON:

Don't you know we must ?!?

KRISTINA, ULRIKA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Om en trast i en mast!?!

(We'd be trussed to a mast!?! )

KRISTINA, ULRIKA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Tänk att män som han kan finnas

(Think, that men like him can exist)

Lätt är handen som en kvinnas

(With a woman's hand - not a fist)

När han rör sej genom huset

(When he works around the house he)

Fyller kruset, tänder ljuset

(Seems just like a gentle church-mouse)

Allt ska göras, allt ska hinnas

(All women's chores are on his list)

Tänk att män som han kan finnas

(Think that men like him can exist)

En sån ädelmodig karl

(One such generous fellow)

Ja, han gav oss husrum i natten

(Yes, he gave us his rooms tonight and )

En hjälpande hand

(A helping friend's hand)

På främmande strand

(In a foreign, land)

PASTOR JACKSON:

If you're hungry there's more of the deer that I caught

ULRIKA:

Han är kåt!

(Go to court! )

KRISTINA, ULRIKA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Va!?!

(Steal!?!)

KRISTINA:

Eller kär ... ?

(No, we'll share...! )

PASTOR JACKSON:

Oh, I want to share what little I can offer

KRISTINA, ULRIKA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Offer!?! Vad är det här?!?

(Offer us up!Right here?!?  )

PASTOR JACKSON:

Well, your hair is so pretty and I'm getting bald

ULRIKA:

Ni är båld, kära vän, ni har mod

(You are bold !, friend are you "in the mood"?  )

PASTOR JACKSON:

In the mood for dancing, and I would've liked to ask you,

but I know that I'd never dare [sounds like Swedish - 'där' (= there)]

FINA-KAJSA:

Var?!?

(Where?!?)

KRISTINA, ULRIKA OCH ELIN :

Barska förmaningar, och klander, fick vi av Brusander

(Rough adminitions and such harsh criticisms that's what we always got from Dean Brusander)

FINA-KAJSA:

Jackson predikar bibelns rätta innebörd

(Jackson preaches the Bible's true inner meaning)

KRISTINA, ULRIKA OCH ELIN :

Må han röst, bliva hörd

(May his voice, become heard)

PASTOR JACKSON:

There's a trust we can earn

KRISTINA, ULRIKA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Nu är trasten en örn!?!

(Now we're trussed to an urn!?! )

PASTOR JACKSON:

And get trust in return 

FINA-KAJSA:

Nu fick trasten en törn!?!

(Then you're trussed ? It's your turn!?!  )

KRISTINA, ULRIKA, ELIN OCH FINA-KAJSA:

Tänk att män som han kan finnas

(Think, that men like him can exist)

Lätt är handen som en kvinnas

(With a woman's hand - not a fist)

När han rör sej genom huset

(When he works around the house he)

Fyller kruset, tänder ljuset

(Seems just like a gentle church-mouse)

Allt ska göras, allt ska hinnas

(All women's tasks are on his list)

Tänk att män som han kan finnas

(Think that men like him can exist)

Varje hushållsgöromål, blir en symbol

(Every dreary household chore, is a symbol)

För här alla likar, är vad han predikar kvinna lika god som man

(For here all are alike, that's what he is preaching, women here are as good as men)

Man känner att han ger av sitt hjärta

(You can feel that he gives with his heart and)

En hjälpande hand

(A helping friend's hand)

På främmande strand

(In a foreign, land)

<<<<BACK        NEXT>>>>
-Songlist-
HOME
 
1