Tom: Not even a spectacular sign language interpretation could save Magnus Carlsson’s old-school schlager number at Melodifestivalen. But that’s not stopping him: here’s an English version of Möt mig i Gamla Stan.
Tom: Now literally, this should be translated as “Meet Me In Gamla Stan”, which is Stockholm’s Old Town. And I can see why they’ve not made it a literal translation — but “downtown tonight” doesn’t scan nearly as well — and it’s not nearly as punchy. GAM-la STAN has two perfectly stressed syllables: down-TOWN to-NIGHT changes the pattern and weakens the whole chorus.
Tim: Hmm, I see where you’re coming from, though I don’t feel it as badly as you seem to – still four syllables, and the worst he’s doing is lessening the stress on ‘down’. ANYWAY, this is getting dull.
Tom: Also, “hijack a train”? That may be the least practical suggestion for travel. A car? Maybe. But a train? Good luck with that. Entertainingly, that’s actually a direct translation from the original Swedish.
Tim: Hmm. You say that, and then I wondered if it might have been based on something that actually happened; probably not directly, but I did discover that in 2013 a cleaner accidentaly stole a subway train and drove into a house.
Tom: But despite all this: can we agree that, regardless of which language this is in, it’s a brilliant bit of retro pop? Yes, it’s a bit too cheesy, but it’s got enough charm and enthusiasm to it that I can’t help but smile.
Tim: No-one can, Tom, no-one can. It’s why the subtitling guy ended up dancing like that, and it’s exactly why, having completed in nine different Melodifestivalens, he’s made the final a full nine times. That man knows what he’s doing, and he does it very well.