I’ve been almost apologetic about how often Terje Gravdal appears in NMC but have to reiterate again that his assorted philosophies deserve all the attention they can get.
He tackles a wide range of subjects in his songs, from socio-economic and political affairs to family matters and even if your style isn’t Nordic Americana (or Nordicana as it is sometimes expressed) any budding songwriter would be well recommended to study his work closely.
The last time he was here, with the album track ‘Under the Snow’, he put down a marker for much of the rest of that album, ‘Songs of Witness’, hinting strongly that is where you will find buried all the things you aren’t supposed to know about, the perfection of its glistening white fall hiding the murky secrets of society, especially the political and big business ones that are scrutinised in other songs.
Now he turns his attention back to family with ‘Dad knows’, and of course ‘Dad’ always does, which is why the kids hate him for his superior understanding and worldly wisdom. And it doesn’t help their cause when Pop’s got a grizzly baritone voice like Terje’s that oozes authority and means business.
But there’s another side to the equation; the importance of listening, offering guidance, and allowing children to find their own way. That isn’t a concept we haven’t encountered previously, in fact it is exactly the same as the one in the Italian/Dane Vince Chinaski’s ‘Eat your peas!’ which we reviewed back in 2023.
“Being a father doesn’t mean knowing everything. Sometimes the most important thing we can do is simply to be there, especially when someone needs a light in the darkness,” says Terje. He should be a social worker.
He cleverly sketches out the changing needs of children as they become young adults, from Dad “fixing whatever’s broken, with his hands and with his heart” to when the now 15-year old “stops listening anyhow/ you swear he just don’t get it” (which can cut both ways of course) to the day when “you reach to call him/to ask what you should do/but the number keeps on ringing/to a sky you can’t get through…”
Again you can interpret those last lyrics in different ways. It could mean that the child is now a man and perhaps a Dad himself and can’t find the time to help the old fella in his moment of need. Or that the man-child still seeks Dad’s authoritative compassion but he has moved on to where no phone line can reach.
I recall that in the past I’ve gone so far as to compare Terje with Bob Dylan but I’ll go further tonight. This is genius songwriting and exactly what half the American population wants to listen to on their 1000 public radio stations as they mosey on down to Walmart to stock up on rations for the week.
If this song doesn’t find its way to agent or A&R man over there I swear I’ll do the bloody job myself.
(Continues after the Spotify link).
The song is part of ‘Songs of Relations’, a 2027 forthcoming series exploring family, love, vulnerability, and the connections that shape our lives.
Find him on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terjegravdalmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terjegravdal/
