When
Nils Hellström wrote lyrics in
Swedish in 1935, its lyrics were changed and the song was turned into a
Christmas song: "När ljusen tändas där hemma". The
lamp in the lyrics in English was replaced by
candles. "När ljusen tändas därhemma" ("When the candles at home are lit)", which describes an old/lonely man/woman sitting, when the darkness of the evening arrives, and dreaming of his/her childhood and old home, became a popular Christmas song in Sweden during the 1930s and 1940s. It's not mentioned in the song lyrics, but many people associate the song with the
emigration from Sweden to the United States during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century and Sweden being the
state where the
childhood and home is. The word
Christmas is never mentioned in the song lyrics, but the word "ljus", which is Swedish for light/candle, is strongly associated with
Advent and Christmas in Sweden. The opening words of the first verse, "Var gång skymningen stilla sig sänker" ("Every time when the dusk slowly falls") often refers to December as the darkest month of the year on the
Northern Hemisphere. In English, the song has 4 verses, and 2 in Swedish. The song has also got lyrics in
Norwegian, as "Når lysene tennes der hjemme" (meaning the same as in Swedish) and
Finnish, as "Kodin kynttilät" (Candles of the Home). The song became immensely popular in Finland during the
Winter War, as the Finnish lyrics can be interpreted as a soldier's longing to home and his loved ones. The song has also been translated into other languages, with other themes. When the Swedish "
dansband",
pop and
country singer
Kikki Danielsson covered the Swedish language version of the song on her 1987 Christmas album "
Min barndoms jular", the lyrics was changed a little, and she sang about being "lonely" instead of "old". The second verse opening lyrics "Jag är gammal och sitter och drömmer om min barndom som snabbt rann förbi" ("I am old and sit and dream of my childhood, which fast passed") was replaced with the re-written lyrics "Jag är ensam och sitter och drömmer om min barndom som snabbt rann förbi" ("I am lonely and sit and dream of my childhood, which fast passed"). Swedish dansband
Sten & Stanley has also recorded this song with "ensam" lyrics version. ==Johnny Reimar version==