Singer removed word 'God' from Christian hymn

A SWEDISH-SONGWRITER removed references to God from a 19th-century hymn she performed on a television programme in the country.

Malin Foxdal, 43, performed Zacharias Topelius’ 1887 Christmas song Julvisa on the annual Christmas season television programme Luciamorgon, which was broadcast on SVT and airs every year on December 13 in celebration of Lucia Day. But the singer decided to change the lyrics to the song by removing references to God. She instead replaced that with slightly more vague references to terms including “love” and “light.”

Foxdal attempted to justify the choice of words by claiming the hymn resonated better with her in this way.

This is just another example of the secularisation of Christmas, and, without references to God, the hymn becomes “a prayer without a recipient who can answer.

The prayer addressed to my Lord and King has been replaced by asking love to be a guest.

SVT explained that it allows only small changes to word processing where individual words have been changed.

The broadcaster's project manager Marion Jernrada defended the performance but argued singers “are allowed to put their stamp on words and tone, just like in all other music programmes"..

She added the changed lyrics “relate in a beautiful, innovative and respectful way to Topelius’ original text from 1887".

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