CV Jørgensen* – Tidens Tern

Early promotional copies came with a poster . . .

Forget about Kim Larsen. As good as he may have been; the real genius of Danish beat music is CV Jørgensen.

The real beauty of Tidens Tern is that the current right wing government in Denmark in its’ quest to define art with Kulturkanonen (a list of essential Danish cultural heritage enacted in 2004) had to list Tidens Tern as one of ten essential albums in danish music history. Man, it must have been a mouthfull officially to applaud cv's songs about danish simple mindedness, intolerance, nationality, and outright ugliness.

Chances are they never really notice them, though. The track Costa Del Sol became a huge radiohit in the early 80’ties even if it sallutes retiring danes moving to Spain and making a neo-nazi community there … with their state pension as back-up. To this day I double-dare you to find a dane that doesn’t know this song.

Likewise, I’m sure Middelmandens Bunker was a big sing-along hit in the very neo-conservative suburbs it denounces. None can claim Mr. Jørgensen’s insisting, almost whiny voise goes undetected, yet, he gets away with anything. Then again when the same voice offers lullabyes such as Sæsonen Er Slut or Amor & Den Sidste Pil anyone with a beating heart will forgive and forget. As closing track the latter even sort of makes peace with the country is has just bashed. Perhaps that is his secret. His tolerance.

Mentioning tracks is redundant, though. As Danish producer Kasper Winding has stated if Mr. Jørgensen had sung in english he would have become world famous. Voice, music, lyrics, everything comes together.

Alas, thank you right wings for acknowledging this essential danish heritage. Now start reading them lyrics!