Rumour Says is a single by the Norwegian comedy duo, Ylvis â brothers BĂĽrd and Vegard YlvisĂĽker. Specs Released : 2001 Chronology : âRumour Saysâ â âKjempeformâ 2004 Genre : Pop / Boy Band Length : CD Tracks Track 1 â 3:20, Track 2 â 2:18, Track 3 â 1:16, Track 4 â 1:05, Track 5 â 3:20 Music : Jan Eggum (Ylvis version arranged by?) Lyrics : Jan Eggum/Vegard and BĂĽrd YlvisĂĽker Label : Spotlight Produksjoner Background Rumour Says is a cover of the Norwegian song âRyktet Fortellerâ by Jan Eggum, one of Norway's most well known singer-songwriters, born 1951 and active since 1975. It is also a parody of boy bands. This musical number was part of their 2000 debut theatre show Ylvis â En Kabaret (A Cabaret). The CD was produced as part of the show and not for release to the general public. There isnât a music video as such, but they performed it on the TV programme âAbsolutt Norskâ (host â Rune Larsen) as one of their first TV appearances. Also on the show was Jan Eggum, who played a bit of his original version, and Christian Ingebrigtsen, the Norwegian member of the British/Norwegian boy band A1 (they were active 1998-2002, 2009-present and their debut single was âBe the First to Believeâ). Analysis Rumour Says is not only a parody of how literal translations of foreign language lyrics into English often do not make sense (lost in translation, if you will) and how many lyrics are just random bits of rhyming sentences strung together, but mainly of the boy band genre that became popular in the 1990s/early 2000s. Their white clothes are copied from, for example, âI Want It That Wayâ by the Backstreet Boys. The chair routine is from âAs Long As You Love Meâ, also Backstreet Boys, only funnier because theyâre tiny kidâs chairs. BĂĽrdâs spoken verse and Vegardâs breaking loose at the end are also typical boy band characteristics. They mimick the exaggerated hand gestures used by many boy bands, up to the point where they are using sign language and singing like the hearing impaired speak. By no means are they making fun of deaf people, but rather of the ridiculousness of the hand gestures! Music There are five tracks on the CD, the original as well as four variations, which are parodies within themselves. Track 1 Radio Edit ⢠This is the main version. The lyrics differ slightly near the end and they donât do the sounding like the hearing impaired thing. A radio edit is to modify a song to be more suitable for airplay - for length, profanity, subject matter, instrumentation or form. Radio edit can also refer to a single, a song that is released separately from an album. Typically these are the songs from album that are released separately for promotional purposes and are expected to be the most popular. Track 2 Millennium Party 2000 Mix 126 BPM ⢠This version is probably a nod to Millennium, the second album of the Backstreet Boys (the cover of which features the band in their white clothes) and to the fact that everyone was taking advantage of the turn of the century to create party mix celebration music. 126 BPM (beats per minute) is the speed of the song (the original is about 92 BPM), which is a typical speed in the ranges of house or trance music. It is also a popular speed for music to accompany running or exercising. Track 3 Stena Line Entertainment Edit ⢠This is probably a parody of the type of music played on cruiseferries, specifically Stena Line, which is one of the world's largest ferry operators. The Stena Saga is the cruiseferry operated mainly on their route connecting Oslo, Norway to Frederikshavn, Denmark. One of the bands that play on the Stena Saga is Rainbow, a Norwegian danceband formed in the 1960s. Their 1984 hit was âBye Bye Baby Goodbyeâ (lyrical easter egg?!). Another of their songs, more typical of the danceband genre, is âGod Morgen Norgeâ(Good Morning Norway). Track 4 Zamfir Emotional Dub Mix ⢠This is probably a kind of homage to Gheorghe Zamfir (born 1941), a Romanian pan flute musician, who pioneered modern pan flute playing in the 1970s. He is also known as âMaster of the Pan Fluteâ, because he is one of the most technically and emotionally proficient pan flute musicians. One of his most famous pieces, âThe Lonely Shepherdâ 1977, has been featured on a few soundtracks including Quentin Tarantino's 2003 film Kill Bill: Volume 1. Another one of his most recognisable songs, âSummer Loveâ, reached no 9 in South Africa in 1976. What makes this version so hilarious is that they use plain old, squeakily played, recorders instead of a pan flute! Track 5 Instrumental ⢠The self explanatory instrumental version or as we like to call it â the karaoke version! Lyrics ⢠Writers : Jan Eggum â Norwegian, Ylvis â English translation ⢠Lyrical Easter Egg? : Is BĂĽrdâs âI donât believe!!!â a tribute to âThe Girl Is Mineâ by Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney? Original Norwegian Lyrics Ryktet forteller at du elsker meg. En venn har hørt det fra sin bror. Det ligger nĂŚr ĂĽ anta det var deg, som sendte kort fra Gud vet hvor. No vet eg at du vokter mine steg, for ĂĽ se om du har satt spor. Men eg blir ikkje varm av solstrĂĽler som falt i fjor. Ryktet forteller d'e meg du vil ha, at skaden ikkje har gjort deg klok. Du sender brev om at du har det bra, men eg tror ditt sinn e i kok. Eg hadde sansen for ĂĽ gi og ta, eg sĂĽ deg som en ĂĽpen bok. Men du fikk aldri noen kvittering da, for det eg tok Farvel, farvel. Farvel, farvel. Ryktet forteller at du stadig gĂĽr og venter pĂĽ min kjĂŚrlighet. Eg ser tilbake og eg minns en vĂĽr eg ga deg all oppmerksomhet. Eg sĂĽ en helgefryd bli hverdagsgrĂĽ. Eg skulle sett det eg no vet. Eg skulle latt deg komme unna dĂĽ, men det var for sent. Farvel, farvel. Farvel, farvel. Ylvis English Translation For Skit Rumour says that Iâm in love with you A friend has heard it from his mum And itâs quite obvious to believe that you Are sending cards from God knows where But now I know youâre watching me To see if I am here to stay But thereâs no happiness in sunshine from yesterday Rumour says that Iâm the one for you That heartbreak didnât make you wise You send me letters saying youâre okay But I think youâre about to fragmentize I always like to give and take Read you like an open book I didnât give you a receipt back then, for what I took Goodbye, goodbye Goodbye, goodbye You know, baby, Iâve heard some rumours that youâre going to leave my life. And Iâm so sad, but you know, I know deep inside of me, that one day, you will come back for me. And that day, honey, Iâll sing for you, that day, Iâll sing, baby, âI donât believeâ. And I always like to give and take And read you like an open book. I didnât give you a receipt back then, for what I took Goodbye, goodbye Câmon everybody! Clap your hands! Goodbye, goodbye We love you [Modulaaaaaaaytion!!!] Goodbye, goodbye Goodbye, goodbye Weâll miss you Goodbye, my love. Goodbye, my baby. x 4 Ylvis English Translation For CD Rumour says that Iâm in love with you A friend has heard it from his mum And itâs quite obvious to believe that you Are sending cards from God knows where But now I know youâre watching me To see if I am here to stay But thereâs no happiness in sunshine from yesterday Rumour says that Iâm the one for you That heartbreak didnât make you wise You send me letters saying youâre okay But I think youâre about to fragmentize I always like to give and take Read you like an open book I didnât give you a receipt back then, for what I took Goodbye, goodbye (goodbye, my love, goodbye, my baby) Goodbye, goodbye You know girl, Iâve always loved And all the peace and happiness in the world and in Africa in your heart will always be ? Cause I will never be till the end of time And I always like to give and take And read you like an open book. I never gave you a receipt back then, for what I took Goodbye, goodbye (goodbye, my love, goodbye, my baby) Goodbye, goodbye I say goodbye although I really, really love you I say goodbye although I never wanna leave you You know, girl, Iâve heard some rumours that youâre going to leave my life. And Iâm so sad, but you know, deep inside, I will always love you and one day, Iâll come back for you. Goodbye See more stuff on Rumour Says on our Facebook page â Ylvis For Afrika! http://m.facebook.com/ylvisforafrika/
