Koleravise

Song Meaning

This song paints a darkly humorous picture of a funeral gone awry. The initial scene is set in "Koleraleind" (Cholera Land), where a "skinndau mæinn" (a seemingly dead man) is being buried. The mood is established by the mournful "U-U-U" and the nonsensical "Suderullala" refrain, which undercuts any genuine solemnity. The central tension arises from the deceased's unexpected revival. As the funeral procession reaches the churchyard, the "skinndaue kropp" (seemingly dead body) sits up and declares, "Je er itte død, nei, je lever ennu!" (I am not dead, no, I am still alive!). This abrupt shift from burial to resurrection creates a jarring, almost absurd, situation. The most striking element is the widow's reaction. Instead of relief or shock, she is indignant. She scolds the revived man, asking, "Åssen er det du bær deg, du vøL itte skam'?" (How can you behave like that, don't you have any shame?). Her primary concern isn't his miraculous return, but that he's disrupting the funeral and, more importantly, that he "veit dokter 'n hæin skjønne det bære hell du!" (knows the doctor understands it better than you!). This unexpected pragmatism from the widow is what makes the lyrics so effective. The song subverts expectations of grief and resurrection, focusing instead on a bizarre, almost bureaucratic, adherence to the established order. The humor comes from the man's inconvenient revival and the widow's insistence that he "legg deg nå pent nedi kista di nu" (lie down nicely in your coffin now), prioritizing the funeral's proceedings and perhaps the doctor's authority over the miracle itself.