Ola Tveiten

Song Meaning

The narrator, Ola Tveiten, introduces himself as a working man who owns a tractor and himself, doing his best. Unlike a bear hibernating, he's been clearing a road all winter. This road, he boasts, is the finest he's ever seen, a far cry from a mere animal trail. He even swears to eat his hat if it doesn't last forever, punctuated by the nonsensical, yet emphatic, "suddelida suddelidei!" and a plea to fill his empty mug. The lyrics paint a stark picture of hard labor and longing. Ola recounts hauling gravel and stone, admitting to missing his wife and home, and enduring weeks of living in barracks. The days were long and dark, the work tough and unforgiving, a sentiment he expresses with a string of curses and a wish to be miles away. This period of intense work, from October to January, is presented as a true test of a man's mettle. A sharp contrast emerges between the laborers and the figures who will later claim credit. Ola anticipates a ribbon-cutting ceremony with important people and a proud contractor taking the spotlight, while the workers themselves will be invisible. The lyrics express a cynical weariness with this familiar cycle, where the laborers are forgotten amidst the fanfare and the contractor gets all the glory. The narrator's parting shot to these people is a dismissive "Nei du kan be dei dra tel moss" (No, you can tell them to go to hell). Ultimately, the song serves as a defiant assertion of the working man's contribution. Ola asks listeners to spare a thought for the "arbeidslag" (work crew) when they're driving on the roads they built. He emphasizes that every meter of that road represents cost and struggle, and while they've built it for others to enjoy, they offer a blunt ultimatum: if you don't like the road, "Lykt til helvete kan du dra" (Go to hell). The repeated call to "fyll opp mitt tomme krus" (fill my empty mug) underscores a desire for recognition and perhaps a drink to wash away the weariness.