Larsson was born June 8, 1880, in Gylle parish near the town of
Trelleborg in
Skåne. He died June 30, 1937, in
Mjölby. A Swedish
bondkomiker (rustic comic) and lyricist, his professional name was
Skånska Lasse (Skåning Lasse). He worked as a cabinetmaker in
Malmö, then for a short time in Stockholm before moving to
Östergötland, where he found employment at a furniture factory in
Mjölby. It was during his time there that Larsson embarked on his course as an entertainer. He often performed in a long coat with a flowery vest while playing the accordion. Married twice, he was the father of eleven children, several of whom also became entertainers. Another of his compositions,
Josefin mä symaskin (Josephine with the sewing machine), crossed the
Atlantic in a version by Bert Leman. There is one song above all others for which Lasse is remembered,
Bonnjazz (Country dance), which he recorded in 1924. The song, one of the best-known works in
Swedish popular music, has gone by many names, including
Jazz på landet (Dance in the country) and
Johan på snippen (Johan on the snippet of land). In
America it was recorded by
Lydia Hedberg in 1925 and
Olle i Skratthult in 1927. ==Johan på snippen==