Once upon a time Montney was famous, or maybe infamous, for its dances. Originally, I remember them as community dances that were held every two or three weeks. I learned to dance at an early age because, with my dad usually up on stage playing, my mom needed someone to dance with. At that time there was no such thing as dancing with the same person all evening. In fact, the bands would play “sets” of three. Three polkas, three foxtrots, three waltzes, and so on. At the end of each set the gentleman would walk his partner to her seat and then, if he still felt like dancing, he would go ask someone else. I remember my “duty” dances with my mom’s friends, and I also remember the awkward slow-dances with Montney girls a year or two older than me that I had crushes on.

As years went by the dances became more and more popular. Lots of people, especially young people, started coming out from “town” to attend. Younger bands, like “Danny and the Comets” played what I’d call a great mix of country-rock and the dance floor would hop.  Sadly, the three song “set” went by the wayside and sometimes the dancing was interrupted by trips outside to watch a fight or to go have a drink in someone’s pick-up truck.

It was during the latter era that my Norwegian grandmother’s dance lessons stuck in my head. With that amazing accent of hers she would remind me to “never pump my left arm up and down” or “stick my bum way out” while dancing. She taught me how to “lead”. She also taught me the difference between a waltz and an old-time waltz.

Now the rest of the story…

When my family travelled to Norway in 1967 we came home with a 45 rpm record that had Dad bought. He’d heard a certain song played by a local band at a community dance in the Jostedal valley so he shopped around until he found the original. The record was made by a band called the “Hep Stars” and the two songs (one on each side for you younger folk) were “Jag Vet” (I Know) and “I Natt Jag Drömde” (Last Night I Dreamed). Dad had fallen in love with the second song, so had my grandmother, and so… so did I.

Back in Canada, my gramma (or “Bestamor” in Norwegian) played “I Natt Jag Drömde” over and over while we danced in her living room. It is a classic old-time waltz, she’d say. My left arm would stay still as her hand rested in mine, my “bum” would be perfectly in line with my shoulders, and, because it is an “old-time” waltz, I’d be on my toes at the end of each step.

For many years I believed that both the song and the band were Norwegian. Several years later I found out I was wrong. Both are Swedish. The Hep Stars included Björn Ulvaeus who went on to Abba fame, and the song, while sung in Swedish, was actually written by U.S.-born, naturalized Canadian folk singer Ed McCurdy. It had been an anti-war favourite in the 60’s.

It basically takes three chords on the guitar, so I’ve played it many times over the years. I still only know the first verse and sing it in what I hope is my very best Norwegian/Swedish.

This story took, what I believe to be, a really interesting, exciting and cool turn last month. Deb and I were having dinner and drinks at the wonderful Crow & Gate Pub with our friends from Alberta, the Donovans. As has become a bit of a tradition there, Simon, Jimy and I were playing some tunes in the back room. Jimy and Simon play the newer stuff, sing harmonies and know all the words while I play older stuff and mumble the first verses.

Just as we were thinking it was time to pack up the guitars, a group of guys walked by us and went up to the bar to order their dinner. Someone, and I can’t remember who it was, mentioned they were musicians who were in town for the folk festival and, by the way, some of them were from Sweden. Normally my worst fear is to have real musicians show up while I’m playing, but as I’m not getting any younger and I’ve sworn to try new things, when Jimy suggested I play my “Norwegian” song, I did. Soon after I started to play and sing the first verse of “I Natt Jag Drömde”, I saw one of them (it turned out to be Erik, the drummer) look over his shoulder and smile. He spoke to the others and soon they were singing along in Swedish. I kept strumming and they sang the whole song!

 

What happened after that will always be special to me. We created, what Jimy refers to as, a “moment”. The boys (I’m an old guy so they are “boys”), Adam and Martin Dimpker played and sang with us until closing time. We were also joined by Sam Lewis from Nashville who writes songs like a Townes Van Zandt.

(To try and describe how good these guys are wouldn’t do them justice. Please check out their music by clicking on these: Dimpker Brothers , Sam Lewis)

A highlight of the evening for me was when I sat with Adam and Martin to sing ‘I Natt Jag Drömde” one more time. I know I stepped on their toes but they humoured me. I mentioned my history with the song and how proud I am of my Scandinavian heritage. Adam and Martin promised they would call me “Lars” in the future.

 

A few days later we attended the Vancouver Island Folk Festival in Duncan. We saw the Dimpker Brothers Band (Adam, Martin, Erik Lundin and Sam Collmar) on stage, bought their CD, got it signed, and had the chance to say good-bye.

 

 

Deb is still talking about us going to Sweden to see one of their shows the next time we travel to Norway.

Bottom line… I’m sure glad Dad bought that Hep Stars record in 1967 and that Gramma and I listened to it so much. I look forward to old-time waltzing with my granddaughters to the very same tune.

Post Script:  Here are the words to I Natt Jag Drömde in English

 Last night I had the strangest dream
I ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war
I dreamed I saw a mighty room
The room was filled with men
And the paper they were signing said
They’d never fight again

And when the papers all were signed
And a million copies made
They all joined hands and bowed their heads
And grateful prayers were prayed
And the people in the streets below
Were dancing round and round
And guns and swords and uniforms
Were scattered on the ground

Last night I had the strangest dream
I ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war