''Kungssången''
(''The King's Song'') is the
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
royal anthem
The anthem for a person, office or rank is music played on formal or ceremonial occasions in the presence of the person, office-holder, or rank-holder, especially by a military band. The head of state in many countries is honored with a prescribe ...
. It is also known by its first line, ''Ur svenska hjärtans djup en gång'' ('' en, Once from the depths of Swedish hearts''). Although sung on such occasions as the
King's birthday, the annual opening of the
Riksdag
The Riksdag (, ; also sv, riksdagen or ''Sveriges riksdag'' ) is the legislature and the supreme decision-making body of Sweden. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been a unicameral legislature with 349 members (), elected proportionally and se ...
and the
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...
ceremony, the song is not considered the
Swedish national anthem. ''
Du gamla, Du fria'' is the ''de facto'' national anthem of Sweden, but has never been officially recognised.
The lyrics were written by
Carl Vilhelm August Strandberg and the music composed for four part male chorus by
Otto Lindblad. ''Kungssången'' replaced the previous royal anthem, ''
Bevare Gud vår kung
''Bevare Gud vår Kung'' (Swedish for "God Save Our King") was the first royal anthem of Sweden. Written in 1805 by Abraham Niclas Edelcrantz (1754–1821) to honor King Gustaf IV Adolf, it was set to the melody of the British anthem "''God Sa ...
'', which was sung to the melody of the British royal anthem, ''
God Save the King
"God Save the King" is the national and/or royal anthem of the United Kingdom, most of the Commonwealth realms, their territories, and the British Crown Dependencies. The author of the tune is unknown and it may originate in plainchant, b ...
''. It was first performed in
Lund on 5 December 1844 at a party arranged by the
University
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
to celebrate the accession of King
Oscar I, and was officially adopted in 1893.
Lyrics
Only the first and fifth stanzas are normally sung (and only the first if the
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
is present). The other three are very rarely ever heard.
See also
*
Gustafs skål
References
External links
Sound file (mp3)Sound file (midi)Lyrics
Royal anthems
National symbols of Sweden
Swedish monarchy
European anthems
{{Song-stub