Collaborations & More

[.namnlös]

Is there an up to date list anywhere that tracks Jocke's side projects, collaborations and guest appearances? Or even a Spotify playlist? It would be kinda cool to listen to some of the non-Kent songs he's written.

[stjärnor]

I think there was an attempt to make a thread in the Swedish forum about all the non-kent collaborations (all of the band, not just Jocke), but not sure it was that successful

Great idea, though....

(I actually logged on to the forum to search for something along the same lines... I may reply again if I don't find what I came on for..)

[jazzpurist]

Is there an up to date list anywhere that tracks Jocke's side projects, collaborations and guest appearances? Or even a Spotify playlist? It would be kinda cool to listen to some of the non-Kent songs he's written.

Funnily enough, wikipedia is pretty comprehensive in this case: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joakim_Berg

I was trying to write a longer reply, but then I realised you are only interested in Jocke's projects, so I deleted everything by Sami, Martin and Markus.

Here is the list from wikipedia, with some comments:

• Paus (Paus) (1998) - Jocke does not sing on this album, but Peter Svensson does, the only Paus song Jocke sings on is the cover Kärlekens tunga
• Titiyo (Come Along) (2001)
• Plura Jonsson (Kärlekens Tunga) (2001) - not written by Jocke, but a cover version is performed by him on the album (under the project Paus)
• Lisa Miskovsky (Fallingwater) (2003) - for the LM albums, not all songs are written by Jocke, but you can browse the wiki to see which he worked on with LM and which are not (co-)written by him
• Freddie Wadling (Drömmarna) (2005)
• Lisa Miskovsky (Changes) (2006)
• Downloading Nancy (Into My Arms) (2008) - Jocke sings in this one
• Olle Ljungström (Nåt För Dom Som Väntar) (2008) - not written by Jocke, but a cover version is performed by him on the album
• Andreas Tilliander (Arlanda) (2009) - there is an alternate version of this song under the name "Skavsta", Jocke sings in both versions
• Bilar 2 (Det Känns Perfekt) (2011) - not written by Jocke, but a cover of a song by a band called The Cars, the original title is You might think. Jocke sings the lyrics translated to Swedish. I have the single version of it, but I have seen it released on an album with selected Disney songs as well.
• Erik Hassle (Mariefred Sessions) (2011)
• Adrian Lux (All I Ever Wanted) (2012) - Jocke sings in this one
• Morten Harket (Lightning) (2012)
• Morten Harket (Just Believe It) (2012)
• Petra Marklund (Händerna Mot Himlen) (2012)
• Petra Marklund (Sanningen) (2012)
• Alina Devecerski (Ärligt Talat) (2012)
• Alina Devecerski (Krigar Precis Som Du ) (2012)
• Christel Alsos (Let's Pretend) (2013) - Jocke sings backing vocals in this one
• Happiness (All Apologies) (2014)

The new song with Lisa Nilsson is not listed, and also Ida Redig's Ghost which he co-wrote.

Other projects:
- Jocke was recording a song with Adam Baptiste, but I haven't been tracking the progress of that one, so no idea when that will come out (I believe it will be on AB's album). There is a sample on instagram which you can listen to, here: https://instagram.com/p/v55cdXANCk/
- Jocke was working together with Avicii as well, but as far as I know their songs (Stars and Liar Liar) never made it to the album and have no idea what happened to it and if they are ever planning to release. There are some "live" recordings on youtube if you search for Avicii Jocke Berg

Jocke was also supposed to do something together with Rebecca and Fiona, but the girls made a no-show to their meeting which they (in really bad taste) boasted about in the media, so I'm not sure anything will come out of that (also not sure if I want anything to come out of that either).

[stjärnor]

It was actually the Christel Alsos song I was on about. That's a pretty good list- thanks for posting.
I think Avicii had quite a few people record the same songs (or write lyrics for the same songs, something like that), and he never went with the Jocke versions was what I heard.

Edit: all the collaborations should be in the bio at kent.nu (it's too late for me to be reading so much Swedish!)

[.namnlös]

Ah man, thanks so much! I am just interested to listen to the (now large) list of non-Kent tracks that Jocke has made just out interest in the bands downtime. Thanks so much for taking the time to post that, last time I checked Wikipedia the list was much shorter than that.

I am especially interested in Jocke's writing, but I do also listen to some M.Sköld tracks from time to time on his soundcloud.

[jazzpurist]

It was actually the Christel Alsos song I was on about. That's a pretty good list- thanks for posting.
I think Avicii had quite a few people record the same songs (or write lyrics for the same songs, something like that), and he never went with the Jocke versions was what I heard.

Edit: all the collaborations should be in the bio at kent.nu (it's too late for me to be reading so much Swedish!)

I skimmed through the bio in a few quiet moments at work. The first collab reference is to Tuna 350 by Martin and Markus and the last is to the Ettor&Nollor score project, which was probably the last one at the time of the latest update of the bio. So there is a few missing there. Kentjunkie has a list of side projects but that list is not up to date either, the Lisa Miskowksy collab is the last listed there. Even if you put the two together, you will be missing out on a lot of the projects, like the Avicii songs, Arlanda/Skavsta, Christel Alsos, Nåt för de som väntar etc.

[Kurvitz]

Thanks for the transition, I was just about to make a topic about Nat För Dom Som Väntar. Jocke´s cover (though the original is of course quite magnificent too)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlcHzPoDPSQ

It´s just utterly, utterly gorgeous isn´t it? I mean who on earth could find one thing wrong with it? I would go as far as saying it´s "profound". The word does not sound cheap to me in this context. Just have a look at that text - I mean, that is ONE HELL OF A TEXT. Thematically not far from (and technically on par with) Cohen´s "Waiting For A Miracle To Happen". And oh does Jocke deliver it well. It was recorded when his voice was just about to lose that luster of youth he had up to Tillbaka, that magic kent vocal, but it´s still there... just cracking, like the surface of some old painting, into what he sounds like now. And then in the second verse the delivery just swells, becomes foreboding even, like he has never sounded before or after. Especially the "incomparable beaches" part. And the instrumentation too, crystalline, so very understated. With just the smallest hint of rock guitar at the end. I think it´s one of his very best moments as a musician. Perfect, perfect. It hits an extremely rare mid point between horror and sweetness.

If I could say just one more thing about it it would be - late at night, in another life

But enough of me extolling it´s virtues. Actually, I came here to request a proper english translation. Anyone?
I think it really, really deserves a good translation. I mean, c´mon: "In your breast / Is an eerie machine / It has a voice" What an opening line. And then the chorus begins with: "God, invent something new".

Here´s the entire text:


I ditt bröst
Finns en kuslig maskin
Den har en röst
Och slukar dyrbar bensin
Den producerar hopp
Och kastrerar drömmar ibland
När den säger stopp
Så känner du just ingenting

Vi som krossas
Krossar och går på
Små späda barn
Med hjärtan som elefanter

Gud uppfinn nåt nytt
Som gör det lätt att hålla ut
Nåt för dom som väntar
Dom som orkar vänta
Mer

Gud uppfinn nåt nytt
Som gör det lätt att hålla ut
Nåt för dom som väntar
Dom som orkar vänta
Mer

Mitt hjärtas röst
Kan nog va ostämt ibland
Instängd i ett bröst
En ambasad som saknar sitt land
Men för blommor
Hjärtan ängar
Makalösa stränder
Föll ensamrätten rätt i
Christer Sjögrens händer

Vi som krossas
Krossar och går på
Små späda barn
Med hjärtan som elefanter

Gud uppfinn nåt nytt
Som gör det lätt att hålla ut
Nåt för dom som väntar
Dom som orkar vänta
Mer

[stjärnor]

What is quite strange (for me, anyway) is that while I KNOW these songs exist, many I haven't actually heard more than a clip of, or heard at the time of release and then forgot about, probably because they weren't easy to purchase at the time of release. I came across the Olle Ljungström cover on Amazon yesterday, but haven't bought it yet.

I'd quite happily have a go at the translation, but it will probably be up in a few days. I've never see the lyrics before, or know the song, so need a bit more time on it.

I've done a translation of Innan vi faller, and just need Soldans to double-check it for me.

EDIT- have just downloaded Nåt för dem som väntar at Amazon. Here's the link if anyone else wants it.

[jazzpurist]

Thanks for the transition, I was just about to make a topic about Nat För Dom Som Väntar. Jocke´s cover (though the original is of course quite magnificent too)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlcHzPoDPSQ

It´s just utterly, utterly gorgeous isn´t it? I mean who on earth could find one thing wrong with it? I would go as far as saying it´s "profound". The word does not sound cheap to me in this context. Just have a look at that text - I mean, that is ONE HELL OF A TEXT. Thematically not far from (and technically on par with) Cohen´s "Waiting For A Miracle To Happen". And oh does Jocke deliver it well. It was recorded when his voice was just about to lose that luster of youth he had up to Tillbaka, that magic kent vocal, but it´s still there... just cracking, like the surface of some old painting, into what he sounds like now. And then in the second verse the delivery just swells, becomes foreboding even, like he has never sounded before or after. Especially the "incomparable beaches" part. And the instrumentation too, crystalline, so very understated. With just the smallest hint of rock guitar at the end. I think it´s one of his very best moments as a musician. Perfect, perfect. It hits an extremely rare mid point between horror and sweetness.

If I could say just one more thing about it it would be - late at night, in another life

But enough of me extolling it´s virtues. Actually, I came here to request a proper english translation. Anyone?

I am not a native speaker of either Swedish or English, so it is more likely a massacre than a translation (and very very far from good), but as I am less self-conscious about massacring lyrics when they are not by Jocke - even tho I have a huge respect for Olle Ljungström -, I gave it a shot over my morning coffee. (That's when I usually practice Swedish anyways.) I'm really open to adjusting it based on recommendations from native speakers or just deleting it when someone does a proper translation and posts it here. I tried to give back the meaning rather than being true to the exact words, but leave it as open to interpretation as the original was without leading you at the same time. I did not cross-translate (I didn't do a Swedish-my language-English chain, just went straight from Swedish to English), so every mistake is my lack of skills in both langauges. Here it is:

In your breast
There's an eery machine
It has a voice
And devours expensive fuel
It creates hope
And castrates dreams sometimes
When it says stop
Then you feel nothing at all

We who get destroyed
Destroy and go on
Small, delicate children
With hearts like elephants

God, invent something new
That will make it easier to carry on
Something for those who are waiting
Those who have the strength to keep on waiting

God, invent something new
That will make it easier to carry on
Something for those who are waiting
Those who have the strength to keep on waiting

My heart's voice
Can be out of tune sometimes
Locked up in a breast
An embassy missing its land
But for flowers
Hearts, meadows
Perfect beaches
The exclusive right fell straight into
Christer Sjögren's hands (1)

We who get destroyed
Destroy and go on
Small, delicate children
With hearts like elephants

God, invent something new
That will make it easier to carry on
Something for those who are waiting
Those who have the strength to keep on waiting

(1) I'm not sure the original lyrics have this negative connotation of something falling into someone's hands, in fact I'm pretty sure it doesn't and just indicates this happening by chance, but as I am not a big fan of Christer Sjögren's type of music and have no idea how to best put it in English without straying too far away from the original lyrics, I will leave it as it is until someone can chime in with a better option.

[jazzpurist]

What is quite strange (for me, anyway) is that while I KNOW these songs exist, many I haven't actually heard more than a clip of, or heard at the time of release and then forgot about, probably because they weren't easy to purchase at the time of release. I came across the Olle Ljungström cover on Amazon yesterday, but haven't bought it yet.

I'd quite happily have a go at the translation, but it will probably be up in a few days. I've never see the lyrics before, or know the song, so need a bit more time on it.

I've done a translation of Innan vi faller, and just need Soldans to double-check it for me.

Ah dang, just saw that you already volunteered to translate. Do you mind if I leave mine up until you post yours so I can at least have it torn apart by people who are actually good at Swedish and English so I can learn from it?

[stjärnor]

Hey, I don't mind at all that you've done one already (currently covering the screen up with my hand, so I don't read yours before I attempt mine!)

When I get around to putting mine up, leave yours too, that way everyone can see differences in how others interpret songs/ word/ phrases. It might even lead to discussions about the use of words, etc, that way we all learn.

As a side-note: there's a word in Innan vi faller: snålt, which in my translation I've put as 'stingy'- as it can mean, 'mean' as in miserly, rather than nasty, and when I'd used mean (as miserly) in the past, it wasn't quite understood as that meaning, and read as nasty.
Got that? Too many means for me there!

I just enjoy doing translations as self-Swedish practice, and I haven't done nearly enough of that recently!

[.namnlös]

Made a playlist yo! This is most of what I could find in the Spotify machine. Not everything is there, I just picked the singles off the Lisa Miskovsky records because otherwise it would be mega long; but otherwise this is my playlist so far.....

[jazzpurist]

Hey, I don't mind at all that you've done one already (currently covering the screen up with my hand, so I don't read yours before I attempt mine!)

When I get around to putting mine up, leave yours too, that way everyone can see differences in how others interpret songs/ word/ phrases. It might even lead to discussions about the use of words, etc, that way we all learn.

As a side-note: there's a word in Innan vi faller: snålt, which in my translation I've put as 'stingy'- as it can mean, 'mean' as in miserly, rather than nasty, and when I'd used mean (as miserly) in the past, it wasn't quite understood as that meaning, and read as nasty.
Got that? Too many means for me there!

I just enjoy doing translations as self-Swedish practice, and I haven't done nearly enough of that recently!

Thanks, but unless there will be a discussion going on about mine at that time which would be rendered meaningless if I took it off, I will remove it. Let's face it, you are a native English speaker who will have a native Swedish speaker (assuming the person who proofs your other translation is Swedish) to proof your translation that you are going to spend days on. I am not a native speaker, spent 30 mins over my morning coffee with the translation and noone proofed it. I only put it up to have an available rough translation until someone comes forward with a proper one. So we can safely say that my translation will be pretty much sub-par to yours.

I know both meanings of mean but I usually go with the one the context suggest. Tho in Innan vi faller, the context doesn't make it clear either which mean you mean (sorry, couldn't resist). However, from my point of view, stingy will be esthetically off in your translation, miserly would fit in better. But if it doesn't hurt your sense of esthetics, go with stingy by all means, it's your translation.

I don't usually do translations as practice, mainly because there is no audience to it and also because I lack the artistic skills to pull off a proper translation. I think other than the Styleby interview, this is my first kent-related translation. Translating an interview is easier tho, because you only have to give back the facts. When translating lyrics, it is like translating a poem for me. You have to give back the meaning plus the esthetics and the athmosphere which as you will see when you read my translation later, I am unable to pull off. I have a friend who is translating young adult books (from English to our language) and also proofs translations, and we sometimes discuss about these kind of stuff. In my view, for a proper translation, you need proficiency in both languages, a bit of an artistic streak to pull off the esthetics or at least a way with words and a huge vocabulary. I have maybe a tiny bit of artistic streak and lack the rest, so I am not even attempting a translation on Jocke's lyrics, I don't want to abuse them.

[stjärnor]

Here's a translation of the lyrics of 'Innan vi faller' (with a little help from Soldans, tack!) if anyone is interested.

We move closer to the edge of the world
You throw a stone into the steaming water

Halfway, but we are nowhere
We are lost again, we just go with the flow

What we swore to remember, we forgot
What we should forget, we remembered
If there is any point in hiding
Is it that we can disappear in to dreams about when

We had everything
Once upon a time where all this was ours
Before we fall into each other's arms
Will we fall apart

We laid a small rose on her grave
And remembered how she said:
"The new Sweden is cruel and stingy and ugly"
But life is short, too short to squander away
Leave hatred to the vultures

Everything we should have saved, we threw away
Everything we should have learned, we repressed
And everything we should have talked about, we hid
Everything we should remember, we forgot

Who had everything
Once upon a time where all this was ours
Before we fall into each other's arms
Will we fall apart

We had everything
Once upon a time where all this was ours
Before we fall into each other's arms
Will we fall apart

We had everything
Once upon a time where all this was ours
Before we fall into each other's arms
Will we fall apart

[namokab]

So which is the best non-Kent song with Jo(c)ke involvement?
Poll time? Titiyo, Miskovsky and Nilsson are strong candidates, although I like the Alsos and Ljungström songs too.