Everybody in the comments seem to focus on Aurora - and by the gods, she deserves focus - but this is actually a Wardruna song! Do you guys even notice how awesome this band around Einar Selvig is, how absolutely amazing and powerful HIS voice is? As someone who was already in "Aurora's realm", i have to say that this act made me burn for Wardruna!!!
Proof that it doesn't have to be fast and loud to be powerful. It bores deep into you with its insistent rhythms. Aurora does a wonderful version of Bowie's Life On Mars and Into The Unknown from Frozen II.
Soooo pleased you reacted to this version guys... consistently gives me goosebumps! Certainly reaches into your soul and sends it spinning down the ages to a primeval place where the old gods dwell in fog haunted forests! Perfect for Samhain! Thank you!!!
With Wardruna its always interesting to know about the Lyrics. Helvegen is about the way to Hel, the norse godess of the death. It has nothing to do with the Christian concept of hell, its just the After-Life ( OK, a Part of it, the norse mythology ist not simple in this way) The Song is to sing a Soul to the other Side, leading the way, maybe easing the path. It was played at the funeral of an very beloved friend of Mine... She Loved this Song
@@MikeandGinger Helvegen (English translation) The path to Hel Who shall sing me, Into deathsleep sling me, When I on the path to Hel go, And this track I tread Is cold, so cold, so cold. I sought the songs, I sent the songs. Then the deepest well Gave me tears so harsh From the Slain-father's pledge. I know everything, Odin, To whom you gave your eye. Who shall sing me, Into deathsleep sling me, Whence I on the path to Hel go, And this track I tread Is cold, so cold, so cold. Early or in the day's end, The raven still knows if I fall. Once you stand at the gate to Hel And when you have to tear free, I shall follow you Over Gjallarbrú with my song. You will be free from the bonds that bind you, You are free from the bonds that bound you! "Cattle die, Friends die, So, too, must you die. Though one thing Never dies; The fair fame one has earned. Cattle die, Friends die, So, too, must you die. I know one, That never dies; Judgement of a dead man's life."
English Translation : Who will sing me Into the death-sleep sling me When I walk the road to Hel And the tracks I tread Are cold, so cold I sought the songs I sent the songs When the deepest well Offered drops so mighty Of Valfather’s pledge I know it all, Odin Where you hid your eye Early or in fading day Still the raven knows if I fall When you stand by the gate of Hel And when you must tear loose Follow you I shall Across the bridge of Gjöll With my song You will be free from the bonds that bind you You are free from the bonds that bound you Håvamål - The High Ones' Speech, Poetic Edda] Cattle die, kinsmen die You yourself will also die But the word about you will never die If you win a good reputation Cattle die, kinsmen die You yourself will also die I know one thing that never dies The reputation of those who died
As a mid level keyboardist playing around with a yamaha, I can confirm there are no such samples available on my keyboard! Really glad you enjoyed this. Wardruna is something that I put on when I have a rough day... it tends to speak to my soul and grounds my wandering mind. I don't nescessarily agree that the music is dark, but it is primal, and being in a different language, it can be left to your own interpretation for sure. Have your heard Lyfjaberg from them? The vocals of Einar and Lindy (the other singer that Mike refered to) feel like a cleanse to the soul. Thank you for the reaction and stay safe :)
You’re absolutely right. Dark was not the right word. I can see how it can be meditative. It really does feel like it’s speaking directly to your soul. - G
@@MikeandGinger Please don't consider that as criticism. It is all well and good for me to listen to something multiple times and forming an opinion, while you both do it on the first take without the benefit of a keyboard to act as a buffer to your thoughts. Appreciate your thoughts and opinions!
Another great reaction guys. This performance has been on my playlist since I first heard it a couple of years back. It always grounds me on those hectic days when the stress levels rise! 😁🤘✌
I heard you mention Eivør, ans she also does Helvegen with Wardruna. But you really like Aurora, and as a Norwegian, I have to recomend her performance from the show on Island. I will fond the link and put it out here. It’s a concert with fire songs, and a new side of her performance.
The last part with Einar is from Norse mythlogy - poetic Edda - The high ones speach (the god Odin) vers 77-78 Super nice reaction! Btw ... Einar has written a lot of songs for the serie Vikings and he has participated on the serie as well!
Please react to Aurora she is absolutely one of the most amazing artists out there. She puts a spell on you. Could you look at doing Wardruna (Einar's) song Voluspa with the orchestra beautiful
Reminded me of the times I devoured anything legendary Dead Can Dance produced and I endulged in that genre, only to re-discover and -appreciate it many years later again through acts like Heilung. Thanks for sharing this. Love how you can appreciate and expose good music, whatever the genre.
@@MikeandGinger Here's a few options to expand on this genre: Dead Can Dance, with exceptional vocalists Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry, who made a series of enchanting hard-to-categorise-folky albums in the 80s and 90s: ruclips.net/video/7iqxzURgQWg/видео.html (Their 90s albums proved very effective ease-your-mind medication to me, at the time.) Heidevolk, lower saxons reviving some raw germanic power through their folk-metal music: ruclips.net/video/KBpDom4QWHE/видео.html (Speaking of the urge to grab a battle-axe ... this more or less refers to the times the low countries pivoted in both the realm of Vikingdom and the development of the Hansa trade.) Heilung, perhaps the best known germanic/nordic music performers atm: ruclips.net/video/QRg_8NNPTD8/видео.html (Their neofolk just magically takes you back to the olden days.)
This is a wonderful reaction :-) As you pointed out in your video, this song has indeed historical roots. That goes for text, as well as for instruments and even the song techniques carries elements from the old times, creating the right atmosphere. A little mysticism and one can feel that this is taken seriously and not being joked about. This performance is surely no parody, but utterly sincere. For a moment we're brought into this the pre-Christian era. As other people might've commented before me, "Helvegen" is the way to the afterlife, the path of death ("Hel" is the Old Norse name of the Underworld and would equal to the original meaning of the English word "Hell", before Christians replaced its original meaning to what Hell represents today. The way to Hel is cold. Hel is also the name of the Norse goddess and ruler of Hel). The thematic for this song is the act of singing someone into their death-sleep at the end of their time, as one should do back then. In the song text the singer himself ask his God, Odin, who shall sing him into his own death-sleep, when he walks on the Path of Death? When he asks his God this question, one can wonder if there will be anyone there to make that act? I won't go much deeper into the interpretation of the text itself, as I might stumble. Friendship was highly valued at the time, as it still would be nowadays, but perhaps even more so back then, as really depending on that. Everybody shall die, but a good reputation never dies. The two verses done with absence of music, by the male singer, at the very end, would take some by surprise or even seem taken out of its context to those not understanding the words or the style. But is in fact the fundament of the song and closely linked to the lyrics of the song. Those two phrases are the authentic verses number 76 and 77 out of 164 verses, in the Old Norse poem Hávamál from the Viking Age. Which is a poem that both teaches people practical things about life, being a source of wisdom and representing the philosophy at the time of the Viking Age. Hávamál is "the speech of the High", the pagan God: Odin's speech to humans. While the first part of the song "Helvegen" is written by the band Wardruna in one of the two officially contemporary Norwegian languages New Norwegian, the second part that is spoken is kept in Old Norse in its original language, a language that modern Norwegian and Icelandic languages derives from. Icelandic language hasn't moved quite as much away from the Old Norse language as contemporary Norwegian language has. Iceland got populated by mainly Norwegians from the 800. Hávamál is to find in the poetic collection "Poetic Edda", and the oldest known written version of this collection of 32 poems, is to find in the book Codex Regius (Latin for the King's Book) from 1270, written down on Iceland, and the origin of these poems might've been brought there from mainland of Norway. Even if that is the oldest known, preserved written version, the poems themselves that were originally orally past down to new generations, dates much further back in time. This we know as the Viking Age, with its mythology, had for the most part been replaced by Christianity already two decades before the Codex Regius was written. The texts are believed to be at least as old as from the 900s. Another much discussed poem in the Old Edda is Völuspá, which is made into another song by Wardruna, worth listening to. I find it joyful to see skilled musician having interest in these old texts and its wisdom that is as good as any other current wisdom. Because Hávamál is above all about friendship, which was essential in the Viking society and it still is today. This English translation of the lyrics I picked up from the website genius.com : Helvegen Who will sing me Into the death-sleep sling me When I walk the road to Hel And the tracks I tread Are cold, so cold I sought the songs I sent the songs When the deepest well Offered drops so mighty Of Valfather’s pledge I know it all, Odin Where you hid your eye Early or in fading day Still the raven knows if I fall When you stand by the gate of Hel And when you must tear loose Follow you I shall Across the bridge With my song You will be free from the bonds that bind you You are free from the bonds that bound you [Håvamål - The High Ones' Speech, Poetic Edda] Cattle die, kinsmen die You yourself will also die But the word about you will never die If you win a good reputation Cattle die, kinsmen die You yourself will also die I know one thing that never dies The reputation of those who died
You will not regret exploring AURORA. My recommendation for her is The Seed. Either the video clip or her live performance at the Haik concert. She’s living art!
This performance always resonates in me through my Celtic roots... Isn't it marvellous and quite scary at the same time how some music (or magic?) can peel off instantly the thin layer of our civilized self and throw back our soul into the primal world of those who walked the earth long before us? Maybe mine it's just a romantic/naive view of the Past, but when I roam my woods in the autumn mist, when I see the Alpenglow at sunset, when a deer spots me and for a brief moment we find ourselves frozen in each other's eyes... I can't help myself thinking there's some spiritual legacy, an Ancients' Pledge connecting this Time with another one...⏳ Sorry for the rambling: sometimes it's not just my body wandering around aimlessly...😅😅😅🙆 👋🇮🇹🖖
I absolutely agree. I feel exactly the same way. It’s part of the reason I hike barefoot, and do cold water dips whenever I can. I want to be immersed in the old and the Earth. It’s utterly spiritual in a way that I am incapable of properly articulating - G
@@MikeandGinger Someone of the Nightwish Army once said :"Music is the language our feelings speak", obviously referring to the reach NW has to our souls, but the same phrase may be referred to Nature and to her "songs" (silence included) speaking to the ones willing to listen to her.
Some people have lived for generations in cities and dont seem to believe humans are some kind og aliens, disconnected from earth. They seem to be unable to really connect to this kind of music. To me, the earth is my ancestors, and my future. I love nature - and I love this song.
You gus are very good reacting together. I have seen a lot of your videoes and I love the chemistry you have. A flamboyant redhead and a bearded down to earth kind of guy both killing it. You react to this old and generic video different. But You both seem to like it. And I love the couple dynamics in your music reactions.
Real Music is when you don't know what the Lyrics about and it still touches your Soul! This is just magical. It makes me feel homesick to a place i have never been to.
Please do more AURORA reactions! The music video for "The Seed," as well as many songs from her live performances: which include the 2019 HAIK concert, the Nidaros Cathedral concert, her KEXP performance, LINDMO and others!
Love this band but would also love for the two of you to see more of Aurora, she sings in English as well as her own language. Check out her song "Runaway" & "God is a Women"(=Cover of Ariana Grande's.) Aurora covers "Teardrop" by Massive Attack too. Thanks to the both of you, have a great day!
Aurora herself has recommended "Runaway" as a starting point for her catalogue. Billie Eilish is quoted as having said that the video for that particular song was what made it possible for her to believe she could be an artist as well. The seed, forgotten love, I went too far, Animal, Running with the wolves, The river, Awakening, Apple Tree, Churchyard and Queendom are only a few of Auroras many great songs. I would recommend the Iceland KEXP concert from 2018. You could also do worse than checking out her Haik concert (in a forest). There's really to much material to mention. She's just great and one of the things that makes me proud to be a norwegian. She's got a quirky sense of humor too and this is her funniest interview, about 5 minutes long: ruclips.net/video/NeT3c1HbDX8/видео.html
Our thiny Queen have a strong and yet så soothing voice. Thanks for that. I hope you entering AURORAs Realm. I have suggested Nobel peace price Murder song 5,4,3,2,1 down below. That´s a good bridge to AURORA. Brilliant reaction to a powering song
They are dedicated to creating musical renditions of Norse cultural and esoteric traditions, and make significant use of Nordic historical and traditional instruments including deer-hide frame drums, flutes,kravik lyre ,tagelharp( the strings are made of horse hair) , mouth harp, goat horn, and Lur (longhorn)
Aurora, guys, you need to check as much as posible, all you can achieve in regards to this unique and talented 24 year old Norwegian, brilliant songwriter and storyteller, stunning performer and exceptional producer.....5 years under the spotlights now, not only she treats us with her beautiful music, bit also the meaning within, she is concerned of Nature and human relations, so above it all, she's a concerned and loving being we're so lucky to share our lifetimes with. so get your stuff together and begin the most gratifying quest.....find the sweet Viking Fairy Queen and there is plenty of her excellent music out there, either studio or live, her audio quality is always on point, check her interviews and you ´ll see the beautiful person behind the artist Any song you choose is a win win situation...so welcome to the Queendom, we Aurorians are Warriors and Weirdos and she's the Queen of Queens, the Best of the best.....trust me, and my brothers and sisters......Peace
@@hakanandersson1276 It's not my intention to talk so much but I do believe that the more people have access to aurora will make this a better world, and yes, it's getting warmer in my homeland we're in springtime now. Let's be in touch Brother H,it is always good to talk with you ..big hug!
@@hakanandersson1276 Hei! Jeg legger merke til hvor stor nestekjærlighet og vennlighet det er i enkelte kommentarfelt som har med Aurora å gjøre. Det er fascinerende å få ta del i en slags samtale mellom to fans som antakeligvis ikke kjenner hverandre «real life», men som kjenner hverandre igjen i kommentarfeltet til sin felles interesse. Jeg tror Aurora ville blitt veldig glad over å oppdage det samme. Det er helt i tråd med hva jeg oppfatter at hun står for og ønsker å formidle. Hadde bare lyst til å si at jeg syns du har gode kommentarer. Du får meg til å smile ❣️
@@hakanandersson1276 I’m so sorry I forgot to write in English! But you are Swedish? Maybe you understand anyway? If not let me know I will write in English
Aurora - It happened quiet (live at the current) is arguably 1 of the purest aurora performances and it also shows off the super talented background singer she has. Silja is a perfect match with aurora.
Hi from germany, this is a very old song from nordic germanic history, Odin and his Raven watching and knowing evrything because he gave his eye to be all knowing and it tells you how to get to Helheim ( Hel ) the place of the daughter of Loki, you have to cross the bridge over Gjöll ( the river of the dead ) which is the border river from the human world Midgard to the underworld of Helheim it is guarded by the giant Móðguðr, she belongs to the Jötun. If you reach the entry to Helheim the door is guarded by the hellhound Garm, which lets pass all who didnt die in battle, all who are convicted of murder, cheating or to bear false witness are going to the part of Helheim which is called Náströnd, It all is part of the Edda (nordic, germanic saga)
I'm impressed, you said Helvegen pretty good. I'll stop nagging you now, there is just so much good music I like to share. And you guys are so likable. Canadian=Nice. Even Stevie T!
HELVEGEN translation. Who shall sing me, Into deathsleep sling me, When I on the path to Hel go, And this track I tread Is cold, so cold, so cold. I sought the songs, I sent the songs. Then the deepest well Gave me tears so harsh From the Slain-father's[1] pledge. I know everything, Odin, To whom you gave your eye. Who shall sing me, Into deathsleep sling me, Whence I on the path to Hel go, And this track I tread Is cold, so cold, so cold. Early or in the day's end, The raven still knows if I fall. Once you stand at the gate to Hel And when you have to tear free, I shall follow you Over Gjallarbrú[2] with my song. You will be free from the bonds that bind you, You are free from the bonds that bound you! "Cattle die, Friends die, So, too, must you die. Though one thing Never dies; The fair fame one has earned. Cattle die, Friends die, So, too, must you die. I know one, That never dies; Judgement of a dead man's life."[3] The Orginal Text is over 900 Years old
You must remember that hell for Christians and Nordic people is 2 different things, for us that believe in the old, death is a gate, not the end. This song tell the tale.
you should check out "Heilung" !! ..sounds similar.. they try to achieve an authentic old nordic style in their music (sorry for the bad english i´m german)
Their music reminds me of one of my favorite bands back in the 60s-70s, Steeleye Span. They would take old English music from the Middle Ages and turn them into rock songs. Truly amazing work. Here's a sample of it.. All around my Hat (ruclips.net/video/3zzwbYyvWiU/видео.html)
I recommend people to look up the lyrics as it is a beatuful Norse poem about the lamentations of not dying in battle and suffering the dishonor of second place Hel, not Halvalla.
Some more Norse (Norwegian) Artists for you: Aurora Aksnes, Einar Selvik (Wardruna), Angelina Jordan, Sigrid Solbakk, Anne Nørdsti, Astrid Smeplass, are just some of them.
Please, please, please react to more Aurora! She is a very unique performer who writes, sings, plays piano, dances and produces much of her own music. She is best live, but she has some awesome music videos as well. I would suggest "Through the Eyes of a Child" (Live) - Stripped (Vevo UK LIFT) ruclips.net/video/CFzExUN1N8I/видео.html and her video of "The Seed" ruclips.net/video/_Mc_OM5oNA8/видео.html for starters. She also has done some wonderful covers; God is a Woman by Ariana Grande Life on Mars - David Bowie Believer - Imagine Dragon Across the Universe - John Lennon Teardrop - Massive Attack
It's dangerous to play Old Norse music to me, I might go berserk and invade England ;--) ps. Heilung is another band that does Old Norse music....... they are brilliant.... I listen them instead of mindfulness
Can hear the call of my ancestors ! Being from Norfolk in the uk ( north folk or Nor folk ) Viking is in the blood There is also a version with them singing in a natural rock face on a cliff worth a look in your own time
Everybody in the comments seem to focus on Aurora - and by the gods, she deserves focus - but this is actually a Wardruna song! Do you guys even notice how awesome this band around Einar Selvig is, how absolutely amazing and powerful HIS voice is?
As someone who was already in "Aurora's realm", i have to say that this act made me burn for Wardruna!!!
We love Wardruna. It’s definitely double plus good - G
Je m'en fou d'aurora, certes, elle a une belle voix, mais j'aime juste Wardruna et Einar Selvik
Aurora is cool, but Einar and Wardruna are Bragi incarnate!
Aurora - Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) Live at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. Absolutely beautiful, devastating performance.
Total agree. In my opinion it is important to take this special performance. The other performances is good but this one stands out
@@hakanandersson1276 Totally!
*grabs my chest*
Oh my heart😭😭😭
Breath taking performance.
Proof that it doesn't have to be fast and loud to be powerful. It bores deep into you with its insistent rhythms.
Aurora does a wonderful version of Bowie's Life On Mars and Into The Unknown from Frozen II.
Ooh! That sounds interesting! - G
A funeral dirge that is one of the most amazing and this is coming from a Christian. It is absolutely amazing.
Soooo pleased you reacted to this version guys... consistently gives me goosebumps! Certainly reaches into your soul and sends it spinning down the ages to a primeval place where the old gods dwell in fog haunted forests! Perfect for Samhain! Thank you!!!
Absolutely agree - G
With Wardruna its always interesting to know about the Lyrics.
Helvegen is about the way to Hel, the norse godess of the death. It has nothing to do with the Christian concept of hell, its just the After-Life ( OK, a Part of it, the norse mythology ist not simple in this way)
The Song is to sing a Soul to the other Side, leading the way, maybe easing the path.
It was played at the funeral of an very beloved friend of Mine... She Loved this Song
What a lovely way to see your way to the afterlife. ❤️ - G
@@MikeandGinger
Helvegen (English translation)
The path to Hel
Who shall sing me,
Into deathsleep sling me,
When I on the path to Hel go,
And this track I tread
Is cold, so cold, so cold.
I sought the songs,
I sent the songs.
Then the deepest well
Gave me tears so harsh
From the Slain-father's pledge.
I know everything, Odin,
To whom you gave your eye.
Who shall sing me,
Into deathsleep sling me,
Whence I on the path to Hel go,
And this track I tread
Is cold, so cold, so cold.
Early or in the day's end,
The raven still knows if I fall.
Once you stand at the gate to Hel
And when you have to tear free,
I shall follow you
Over Gjallarbrú with my song.
You will be free from the bonds that bind you,
You are free from the bonds that bound you!
"Cattle die,
Friends die,
So, too, must you die.
Though one thing
Never dies;
The fair fame one has earned.
Cattle die,
Friends die,
So, too, must you die.
I know one,
That never dies;
Judgement of a dead man's life."
Till Wahhala!
English Translation :
Who will sing me
Into the death-sleep sling me
When I walk the road to Hel
And the tracks I tread
Are cold, so cold
I sought the songs
I sent the songs
When the deepest well
Offered drops so mighty
Of Valfather’s pledge
I know it all, Odin Where you hid your eye
Early or in fading day
Still the raven knows if I fall
When you stand by the gate of Hel
And when you must tear loose
Follow you I shall
Across the bridge of Gjöll
With my song
You will be free from the bonds that bind you
You are free from the bonds that bound you
Håvamål - The High Ones' Speech, Poetic Edda]
Cattle die, kinsmen die
You yourself will also die
But the word about you will never die
If you win a good reputation
Cattle die, kinsmen die
You yourself will also die
I know one thing that never dies
The reputation of those who died
Good one guys. It's such a beautiful sounding song. Have heard a bit by Aurora and it's just great.
You see this is an amazing song. So emotional.
As a mid level keyboardist playing around with a yamaha, I can confirm there are no such samples available on my keyboard! Really glad you enjoyed this. Wardruna is something that I put on when I have a rough day... it tends to speak to my soul and grounds my wandering mind. I don't nescessarily agree that the music is dark, but it is primal, and being in a different language, it can be left to your own interpretation for sure.
Have your heard Lyfjaberg from them? The vocals of Einar and Lindy (the other singer that Mike refered to) feel like a cleanse to the soul. Thank you for the reaction and stay safe :)
You’re absolutely right. Dark was not the right word. I can see how it can be meditative. It really does feel like it’s speaking directly to your soul. - G
@@MikeandGinger Please don't consider that as criticism. It is all well and good for me to listen to something multiple times and forming an opinion, while you both do it on the first take without the benefit of a keyboard to act as a buffer to your thoughts. Appreciate your thoughts and opinions!
@@onslaughtx8309 not at all! Sometimes it takes a while to simmer, with me as well 😉 - G
glad you found them, my chill music..good one
regards c
Saw these guys live last year - it was soul moving
I bet! - G
Another great reaction guys. This performance has been on my playlist since I first heard it a couple of years back. It always grounds me on those hectic days when the stress levels rise! 😁🤘✌
This performance is so mesmerising!
Indeed - G
I heard you mention Eivør, ans she also does Helvegen with Wardruna. But you really like Aurora, and as a Norwegian, I have to recomend her performance from the show on Island. I will fond the link and put it out here. It’s a concert with fire songs, and a new side of her performance.
The last part with Einar is from Norse mythlogy - poetic Edda - The high ones speach (the god Odin) vers 77-78
Super nice reaction! Btw ... Einar has written a lot of songs for the serie Vikings and he has participated on the serie as well!
Great one! Love that you have this field for Norse sound.
Thank you, Lena! We definitely hope to visit your neck if the woods soon! - G
You should REALLY check out Aurora when she sings live, she is unique. I would call the music earthly, not dark.
Play it again! Great reaction to both artists! Subscribed!
Thank you, and welcome! 🙏🏻 - G
Please react to Aurora she is absolutely one of the most amazing artists out there. She puts a spell on you. Could you look at doing Wardruna (Einar's) song Voluspa with the orchestra beautiful
What a great reaction. I would recommend AURORA- the seed live Haik. She's amazing live
Reminded me of the times I devoured anything legendary Dead Can Dance produced and I endulged in that genre, only to re-discover and -appreciate it many years later again through acts like Heilung. Thanks for sharing this. Love how you can appreciate and expose good music, whatever the genre.
Thanks, Grumpy! We love that you’re enjoying it 😁 - G
@@MikeandGinger Here's a few options to expand on this genre:
Dead Can Dance, with exceptional vocalists Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry, who made a series of enchanting hard-to-categorise-folky albums in the 80s and 90s: ruclips.net/video/7iqxzURgQWg/видео.html
(Their 90s albums proved very effective ease-your-mind medication to me, at the time.)
Heidevolk, lower saxons reviving some raw germanic power through their folk-metal music: ruclips.net/video/KBpDom4QWHE/видео.html
(Speaking of the urge to grab a battle-axe ... this more or less refers to the times the low countries pivoted in both the realm of Vikingdom and the development of the Hansa trade.)
Heilung, perhaps the best known germanic/nordic music performers atm: ruclips.net/video/QRg_8NNPTD8/видео.html
(Their neofolk just magically takes you back to the olden days.)
Music that speaks to that inner Warrior soul. love Wardruna . And Aurora's voice just add to how amazing this song is
Wardruna just made perfect song and top it up with Aurora, we get THE masterpiece !!!
This is a wonderful reaction :-) As you pointed out in your video, this song has indeed historical roots. That goes for text, as well as for instruments and even the song techniques carries elements from the old times, creating the right atmosphere. A little mysticism and one can feel that this is taken seriously and not being joked about. This performance is surely no parody, but utterly sincere. For a moment we're brought into this the pre-Christian era. As other people might've commented before me, "Helvegen" is the way to the afterlife, the path of death ("Hel" is the Old Norse name of the Underworld and would equal to the original meaning of the English word "Hell", before Christians replaced its original meaning to what Hell represents today. The way to Hel is cold. Hel is also the name of the Norse goddess and ruler of Hel). The thematic for this song is the act of singing someone into their death-sleep at the end of their time, as one should do back then. In the song text the singer himself ask his God, Odin, who shall sing him into his own death-sleep, when he walks on the Path of Death? When he asks his God this question, one can wonder if there will be anyone there to make that act? I won't go much deeper into the interpretation of the text itself, as I might stumble.
Friendship was highly valued at the time, as it still would be nowadays, but perhaps even more so back then, as really depending on that. Everybody shall die, but a good reputation never dies. The two verses done with absence of music, by the male singer, at the very end, would take some by surprise or even seem taken out of its context to those not understanding the words or the style. But is in fact the fundament of the song and closely linked to the lyrics of the song. Those two phrases are the authentic verses number 76 and 77 out of 164 verses, in the Old Norse poem Hávamál from the Viking Age. Which is a poem that both teaches people practical things about life, being a source of wisdom and representing the philosophy at the time of the Viking Age. Hávamál is "the speech of the High", the pagan God: Odin's speech to humans. While the first part of the song "Helvegen" is written by the band Wardruna in one of the two officially contemporary Norwegian languages New Norwegian, the second part that is spoken is kept in Old Norse in its original language, a language that modern Norwegian and Icelandic languages derives from. Icelandic language hasn't moved quite as much away from the Old Norse language as contemporary Norwegian language has. Iceland got populated by mainly Norwegians from the 800. Hávamál is to find in the poetic collection "Poetic Edda", and the oldest known written version of this collection of 32 poems, is to find in the book Codex Regius (Latin for the King's Book) from 1270, written down on Iceland, and the origin of these poems might've been brought there from mainland of Norway. Even if that is the oldest known, preserved written version, the poems themselves that were originally orally past down to new generations, dates much further back in time. This we know as the Viking Age, with its mythology, had for the most part been replaced by Christianity already two decades before the Codex Regius was written. The texts are believed to be at least as old as from the 900s. Another much discussed poem in the Old Edda is Völuspá, which is made into another song by Wardruna, worth listening to. I find it joyful to see skilled musician having interest in these old texts and its wisdom that is as good as any other current wisdom. Because Hávamál is above all about friendship, which was essential in the Viking society and it still is today.
This English translation of the lyrics I picked up from the website genius.com :
Helvegen
Who will sing me
Into the death-sleep sling me
When I walk the road to Hel
And the tracks I tread
Are cold, so cold
I sought the songs
I sent the songs
When the deepest well
Offered drops so mighty
Of Valfather’s pledge
I know it all, Odin
Where you hid your eye
Early or in fading day
Still the raven knows if I fall
When you stand by the gate of Hel
And when you must tear loose
Follow you I shall
Across the bridge
With my song
You will be free from the bonds that bind you
You are free from the bonds that bound you
[Håvamål - The High Ones' Speech, Poetic Edda]
Cattle die, kinsmen die
You yourself will also die
But the word about you will never die
If you win a good reputation
Cattle die, kinsmen die
You yourself will also die
I know one thing that never dies
The reputation of those who died
You will not regret exploring AURORA. My recommendation for her is The Seed. Either the video clip or her live performance at the Haik concert. She’s living art!
This performance always resonates in me through my Celtic roots...
Isn't it marvellous and quite scary at the same time how some music (or magic?) can peel off instantly the thin layer of our civilized self and throw back our soul into the primal world of those who walked the earth long before us?
Maybe mine it's just a romantic/naive view of the Past, but when I roam my woods in the autumn mist, when I see the Alpenglow at sunset, when a deer spots me and for a brief moment we find ourselves frozen in each other's eyes... I can't help myself thinking there's some spiritual legacy, an Ancients' Pledge connecting this Time with another one...⏳
Sorry for the rambling: sometimes it's not just my body wandering around aimlessly...😅😅😅🙆
👋🇮🇹🖖
I absolutely agree. I feel exactly the same way. It’s part of the reason I hike barefoot, and do cold water dips whenever I can. I want to be immersed in the old and the Earth. It’s utterly spiritual in a way that I am incapable of properly articulating - G
@@MikeandGinger Someone of the Nightwish Army once said :"Music is the language our feelings speak", obviously referring to the reach NW has to our souls, but the same phrase may be referred to Nature and to her "songs" (silence included) speaking to the ones willing to listen to her.
Some people have lived for generations in cities and dont seem to believe humans are some kind og aliens, disconnected from earth. They seem to be unable to really connect to this kind of music. To me, the earth is my ancestors, and my future. I love nature - and I love this song.
You gus are very good reacting together. I have seen a lot of your videoes and I love the chemistry you have. A flamboyant redhead and a bearded down to earth kind of guy both killing it.
You react to this old and generic video different. But You both seem to like it.
And I love the couple dynamics in your music reactions.
Thank you 😊 - G
Real Music is when you don't know what the Lyrics about and it still touches your Soul!
This is just magical.
It makes me feel homesick to a place i have never been to.
Same ❤️ - G
Please do more AURORA reactions! The music video for "The Seed," as well as many songs from her live performances: which include the 2019 HAIK concert, the Nidaros Cathedral concert, her KEXP performance, LINDMO and others!
That was epic :D WARDRUNA is always epic !
That's really a nice song, especially this version
Love this band but would also love for the two of you to see more of Aurora, she sings in English as well as her own language.
Check out her song "Runaway" & "God is a Women"(=Cover of Ariana Grande's.)
Aurora covers "Teardrop" by Massive Attack too.
Thanks to the both of you, have a great day!
We definitely will. I absolutely loved her voice - G
Check out Wardruna's new song "Kvitravn". It is so good!
We did a reaction to that. But it’s blocked to 76% of our audience. - G
Oh my! Anyway - it's my favourite song at the moment! Greetings from Germany
@@stephsteph4574 we both really loved it, too. ❤️ - G
Aurora herself has recommended "Runaway" as a starting point for her catalogue. Billie Eilish is quoted as having said that the video for that particular song was what made it possible for her to believe she could be an artist as well.
The seed, forgotten love, I went too far, Animal, Running with the wolves, The river, Awakening, Apple Tree, Churchyard and Queendom are only a few of Auroras many great songs. I would recommend the Iceland KEXP concert from 2018. You could also do worse than checking out her Haik concert (in a forest). There's really to much material to mention. She's just great and one of the things that makes me proud to be a norwegian.
She's got a quirky sense of humor too and this is her funniest interview, about 5 minutes long:
ruclips.net/video/NeT3c1HbDX8/видео.html
Our thiny Queen have a strong and yet så soothing voice. Thanks for that. I hope you entering AURORAs Realm. I have suggested Nobel peace price Murder song 5,4,3,2,1 down below. That´s a good bridge to AURORA. Brilliant reaction to a powering song
Will definitely be doing that soon - G
They are dedicated to
creating musical renditions of Norse cultural and esoteric traditions,
and make significant use of Nordic historical and traditional
instruments including deer-hide frame drums, flutes,kravik lyre ,tagelharp( the strings are made of horse hair) , mouth harp, goat horn, and Lur (longhorn)
Aurora - Teardrop cover
I really like your reactions team, Skål from 🇦🇺
Thank you 😊- G
Love Warduna, Einar's voice is amazing, 👏👏👏
Anilah - Warrior (2015 rework) It has Einar on backing vocals and it's one of the most beautiful songs ever created in my humble opinion
Aurora, guys, you need to check as much as posible, all you can achieve in regards to this unique and talented 24 year old Norwegian, brilliant songwriter and storyteller, stunning performer and exceptional producer.....5 years under the spotlights now, not only she treats us with her beautiful music, bit also the meaning within, she is concerned of Nature and human relations, so above it all, she's a concerned and loving being we're so lucky to share our lifetimes with. so get your stuff together and begin the most gratifying quest.....find the sweet Viking Fairy Queen and there is plenty of her excellent music out there, either studio or live, her audio quality is always on point, check her interviews and you ´ll see the beautiful person behind the artist
Any song you choose is a win win situation...so welcome to the Queendom, we Aurorians are Warriors and Weirdos and she's the Queen of Queens, the Best of the best.....trust me, and my brothers and sisters......Peace
Hello. You are getting more and more text in your comment. That's good my friend. Is summer coming. 😉😉
@@hakanandersson1276 It's not my intention to talk so much but I do believe that the more people have access to aurora will make this a better world, and yes, it's getting warmer in my homeland we're in springtime now. Let's be in touch Brother H,it is always good to talk with you ..big hug!
@@panchiolarranaga1616 You are so right. But i think it is good to write a lot.
@@hakanandersson1276 Hei! Jeg legger merke til hvor stor nestekjærlighet og vennlighet det er i enkelte kommentarfelt som har med Aurora å gjøre. Det er fascinerende å få ta del i en slags samtale mellom to fans som antakeligvis ikke kjenner hverandre «real life», men som kjenner hverandre igjen i kommentarfeltet til sin felles interesse. Jeg tror Aurora ville blitt veldig glad over å oppdage det samme. Det er helt i tråd med hva jeg oppfatter at hun står for og ønsker å formidle. Hadde bare lyst til å si at jeg syns du har gode kommentarer. Du får meg til å smile ❣️
@@hakanandersson1276 I’m so sorry I forgot to write in English! But you are Swedish? Maybe you understand anyway? If not let me know I will write in English
Aurora - It happened quiet (live at the current) is arguably 1 of the purest aurora performances and it also shows off the super talented background singer she has. Silja is a perfect match with aurora.
That male singer Einar Selvik w/Trevor Morris. You guys should check out that performance. Full orchestra 🙂
Their recent video "Kvitravn (White Raven)" is really good too.
We did a reaction to that one last week, but it got copyright blocked to 76% of our audience 😑. Sorry - G
Hi from germany, this is a very old song from nordic germanic history, Odin and his Raven watching and knowing evrything because he gave his eye to be all knowing and it tells you how to get to Helheim ( Hel ) the place of the daughter of Loki, you have to cross the bridge over Gjöll ( the river of the dead ) which is the border river from the human world Midgard to the underworld of Helheim it is guarded by the giant Móðguðr, she belongs to the Jötun. If you reach the entry to Helheim the door is guarded by the hellhound Garm, which lets pass all who didnt die in battle, all who are convicted of murder, cheating or to bear false witness are going to the part of Helheim which is called Náströnd, It all is part of the Edda (nordic, germanic saga)
I'm impressed, you said Helvegen pretty good. I'll stop nagging you now, there is just so much good music I like to share. And you guys are so likable. Canadian=Nice. Even Stevie T!
🤣 Thank you. I don’t like hockey, or maple syrup. So I’m afraid I’m not a very good Canadian 🤣🤣🤣 - G
HELVEGEN translation.
Who shall sing me,
Into deathsleep sling me,
When I on the path to Hel go,
And this track I tread
Is cold, so cold, so cold.
I sought the songs,
I sent the songs.
Then the deepest well
Gave me tears so harsh
From the Slain-father's[1] pledge.
I know everything, Odin,
To whom you gave your eye.
Who shall sing me,
Into deathsleep sling me,
Whence I on the path to Hel go,
And this track I tread
Is cold, so cold, so cold.
Early or in the day's end,
The raven still knows if I fall.
Once you stand at the gate to Hel
And when you have to tear free,
I shall follow you
Over Gjallarbrú[2] with my song.
You will be free from the bonds that bind you,
You are free from the bonds that bound you!
"Cattle die,
Friends die,
So, too, must you die.
Though one thing
Never dies;
The fair fame one has earned.
Cattle die,
Friends die,
So, too, must you die.
I know one,
That never dies;
Judgement of a dead man's life."[3]
The Orginal Text is over 900 Years old
Aurora is amazing beautiful talent. She sings from her soul and it’s amazing to watch her.
You must remember that hell for Christians and Nordic people is 2 different things, for us that believe in the old, death is a gate, not the end. This song tell the tale.
Suggestion: Heilung. Any of their songs.
you should check out "Heilung" !! ..sounds similar..
they try to achieve an authentic old nordic style in their music (sorry for the bad english i´m german)
i came here to your channel because ALIP BA TA, and now you react to wardruna helvegen omgggggggg
Ginger you look superclassy for this one! love your reactions mates, though it is partially because we seem to like the same kind of songs ;)
Their music reminds me of one of my favorite bands back in the 60s-70s, Steeleye Span. They would take old English music from the Middle Ages and turn them into rock songs. Truly amazing work. Here's a sample of it.. All around my Hat (ruclips.net/video/3zzwbYyvWiU/видео.html)
I recommend people to look up the lyrics as it is a beatuful Norse poem about the lamentations of not dying in battle and suffering the dishonor of second place Hel, not Halvalla.
Hope You enjoyed, I certainly did :)
Viking honor is remembered
wardruna is the best
Some more Norse (Norwegian) Artists for you: Aurora Aksnes, Einar Selvik (Wardruna), Angelina Jordan, Sigrid Solbakk, Anne Nørdsti, Astrid Smeplass, are just some of them.
Thank you! - G
Ginger just a beautiful reaction.
Thank you! - G
=) from Norway
👋🏻 - G
enabling CC on this source video yields the lyrics in English, BTW.
If you like wardruna you should try heilung!
Please, please, please react to more Aurora! She is a very unique performer who writes, sings, plays piano, dances and produces much of her own music. She is best live, but she has some awesome music videos as well. I would suggest "Through the Eyes of a Child" (Live) - Stripped (Vevo UK LIFT) ruclips.net/video/CFzExUN1N8I/видео.html and her video of "The Seed" ruclips.net/video/_Mc_OM5oNA8/видео.html for starters. She also has done some wonderful covers;
God is a Woman by Ariana Grande
Life on Mars - David Bowie
Believer - Imagine Dragon
Across the Universe - John Lennon
Teardrop - Massive Attack
Hi, please react to
Sandra - Around My Heart
Welcome to the nordic culture :)
I love it 🥰 - G
Pls react to aurora live @KEXP.. Plssssssssssss 😍🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💔💔💔
One day north Americans will discover the subtitles button on the RUclips player.
Who needs subtitles? There’s this thing called soul-speak.
It's dangerous to play Old Norse music to me, I might go berserk and invade England ;--)
ps. Heilung is another band that does Old Norse music....... they are brilliant.... I listen them instead of mindfulness
Yess I love heilung so much! My favorite is in maidjian. One listen and I'm taking over england 😂
Guys you really should react to Kvitravn by Wardruna, i really hope you will, this song is a masterpiece
We did that one when it first came out, but got blocked to 70% of our audience. We agree. It was amazing
@@MikeandGinger that's soo sad, i really wanted to see that
Please check out Aurora and Angelina Jordan
Here it is: ruclips.net/video/P_XguuxLo10/видео.html Enjoy😊
Well... traditional instruments from Norway.....🤔... then someone have dug deep...
Maybe you should open your eyes man
Can hear the call of my ancestors ! Being from Norfolk in the uk ( north folk or Nor folk ) Viking is in the blood
There is also a version with them singing in a natural rock face on a cliff worth a look in your own time