Album Review: Det Finns Millioner Europa Non Stop by Grethe (1960)
Alright, buckle up, folks. We’re diving into a slice of Norwegian pop history that’s equal parts charming and delightfully quirky. The album? Det Finns Millioner Europa Non Stop. The artist? Grethe. Yes, just Grethe—like Beyoncé or Cher, but Scandinavian-style. Released in 1960 under Columbia Records, this little gem is like finding an old vinyl at a flea market: it might look dusty, but once you give it a spin, it blows your socks off.
First things first, let’s talk about the team behind this magic. You’ve got Carsten Kloumans Orkester laying down some serious orchestral vibes, which makes sense because nothing screams “1960s Euro-pop” quite like strings and brass. Oh, and Åsta Hjelm on songwriting duty? Hats off to her. She somehow managed to craft lyrics catchy enough to stick in your head without making you want to throw the record out the window after three listens. Impressive stuff.
Now, onto the tracks themselves. Let’s zoom in on two standouts: the title track, “Det Finns Millioner,” and its sibling, “Europa Non Stop.” Spoiler alert: these songs are why I’m sitting here typing instead of napping.
“Det Finns Millioner” kicks things off with a jazzy flair that feels like sipping coffee in a smoky Oslo café. It’s upbeat yet smooth, kinda like when you try to act chill but secretly geek out over something awesome. Grethe’s voice has this playful confidence that makes you think she could sell refrigerators to penguins if she wanted to. And those horns? Absolute ear candy. This tune sticks with you because it’s impossible not to hum along—even if you don’t speak Norwegian. Trust me, I’ve tested this theory while pretending to be productive.
Then there’s “Europa Non Stop,” which sounds exactly how Europe felt in the ‘60s: full of hope, ambition, and maybe a touch of existential crisis. There’s a certain swagger to this one—a mix of big band energy and Grethe’s effortless charm. Imagine James Bond deciding to take a vacation in Scandinavia; this would be his theme song. The melody bounces around so much that you half-expect someone to burst into tap dancing mid-listen. Honestly, it’s infectious enough to make even the grumpiest person crack a smile.
So, what’s the verdict? Well, Det Finns Millioner Europa Non Stop isn’t perfect, but who cares? It’s fun, it’s nostalgic, and it’s proof that good music doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel—it just needs heart. Plus, listening to it feels like stepping into a time machine where everything was simpler… except for maybe figuring out how to use rotary phones.
Final thought: If aliens ever invade Earth and demand we hand over our best example of human creativity from 1960, I’d slip them this album. Sure, they might not understand Norwegian, but they’d definitely get the vibe—and isn’t that what music’s all about?
Oh, and one last thing—if anyone knows where I can snag a copy of this on vinyl, hit me up. My turntable misses albums like this.
