Thomas Zidén - Stora Tåget

An interesting prog-rock song about the depopulation and exploitation of Norrland.
www.discogs.com/release/59576...
"Stora tåget" (The Big March) is Thomas Zidéns' first single. It was produced for the big marching demonstration in Sollefteå on Saturday the 7th of December 1991. This "Protesttåg" (march in protest) became a powerful manifestation of the people's goodwill for the community's future and development.
www.discogs.com/release/59576...
"On December 7, 1991, all of Sollefteå went out of their houses, and 12,600 people showed in an impressive demonstration that there must now be an end to exploitations of Sollefteå and the entire Ådalen. Instead, development was required and I 21 should remain. 60 years earlier - in 1931 - they demonstrated the demand to work (The Ådalen shootings). In a way, the same demand applied in 1991"
In August 2015, a proposal came from the County Council of Västernorrland to close down the maternity ward, emergency surgery, orthopaedics and gynaecology department in Sollefteå Hospital. The proposal upset the population of Ådalen, who made two public demonstrations with tens of thousands of demonstrators. On October 26, 2016, an official decision was made to proceed with the closure.
"By closing down childbirth, women's care operations and inpatient care at Sollefteå hospital, the county council estimated it would save SEK 15 million. This is in the same order of magnitude as the annual state support for the theatre Unga Klara in Stockholm"
This is the original version recorded from the vinyl record, there is also a "more modern" version of Stora Tåget made by the band Dara Dagger.
open.spotify.com/track/36vvjK...
Clips from
• 7:e Decemberdemonstrat...
Images from Sollefteå image database
som.kulturhotell.se
Lyrics (Doesn't really translate too well);
The big train leaves from Norrland
But there's no one coming home
And there is no one here to mourn
Because the church is empty and closed
Do you see the villages passing by
Once there were people living there
But soon it's just weeds
Which lives and thrives there
But Norrland is big and beautiful
Although no one lives there
Because apparently no one can survive
On hydropower, forests, and berries
The big train goes from Norrland, to my friend
The trains have stopped going up here
A long, long time ago
But there is a road bus every other day
Which you can ride with if you want
The big train runs through Norrland
Sees a cold and desolate world
But I also see all that love
With all of those who live there
Because Norrland is big and beautiful
Although no one lives there
Because apparently no one can survive
On hydropower, forests, and berries
The big train goes from Norrland, to my friend
And our forests become cheap paper
And a profitable export industry
While the roads just fall into disrepair
And is closed down off mile after mile
And there is no one here who can claim
That the Norrland farmer is rich
And the bosses just keep on
Shutting down factory after factory
But Norrland is big and beautiful
Although no one lives there
Because apparently no one can survive
On hydropower, forests, and berries
The big train goes from Norrland, to my friend
And our rivers produce
Cheap power and energy
To the factories in the south
But the ones who pay for it, are us!
The big train leaves from Norrland
But no one comes home
And there is no one left to mourn
Because the church is locked and closed
But Norrland is big and beautiful
Although no one lives there
Because apparently you can't survive
On hydropower, forests, and berries
The big train goes from Norrland, to my friend