- Source: Var e vargen
Var e vargen (also stylized: Var é vargen, colloquial spelling of Swedish: Var är vargen, “Where's the wolf”) is a Swedish post-punk song by Swedish rock band Imperiet, released as a single in 1986.
History
The song was already recorded in 1985 under the name Den vilda världen (“The wild world”). Covers for both 7" and 12" singles were pressed but as the band were not satisfied with the final mix, the release was canceled and the covers were destroyed.
The first release of the song on record was instead the English translation “The Wild World”, albeit with different lyrics to the Swedish version, which was released as the B-side of the vinyl single Peace on April 2, 1986. It was not until May 7 that the Swedish original was finally launched, now under the new title Var e vargen (“Where's the wolf”).
The song is one of the most widely released songs in Imperiet's history; no less than seven different versions exist on disc, three of which are the English version The Wild World.
After the breakup of Imperiet in 1988, Joakim Thåström during his solo career and during the period with Peace, Love & Pitbulls performed Var e vargen on several tours.
Interpretation
One interpretation of the text is that it refers to the return of the wolf in Scandinavia, as the grey wolf had previously gone extinct in Scandinavia in the early 20th century, but later re-established itself when Finnish and Russian wolves migrated into Sweden and Norway during the late 1970s and then got puppies in the early 1980s.
Lyrics
Releases
1986 – Var e vargen (7" single) Mlrs 48
1986 – Var e vargen (12" single) Mlrmz 7
1986 – Peace (7" single) Mlrs 49
1986 – Peace (12" single) Mlrmz 49
1988 – Imperiet (Album) Mlr 61
1988 – Imperiet (Album, collection) Mlr 64/65
1988 – Kickar (Album, collection) Mlr 79
1995 – C.C. Cowboys (Promo CD-single) Mnwpr9505
1995 – Greatest Hits (Album, collection) Mnw279
2002 – Alltid rött, alltid rätt (Album, collection) Mnwcd2005
2007 – Klassiker (Album, collection) Mnwcd2031
2009 – Silver, guld & misär (Box, collection) Mlrcd115
2017 – Silver, guld & misär (Vinylbox, collection) 060255732809
Versions
"Original version" (Mlrs 48, Mlrmz 7, Mlr 79, 060255732809)
"Unreleased version" (Mlr 64/65, 060255732809) – the original version: Den vilda världen, from 1985
Remix -95 (Mnwpr9505, Mnw279, Mnwcd2005, Mnwcd2031, Mlrcd115)
Vargen Dub (Mlrmz 7, 060255732809)
The Wild World (Mlrs 49)
The Wild World remix (Mlrmz 49)
Wild World (Mlrs 49)
Covers
1996 – Var är vargen, by Ulf Lundell; B-side to the single Upp
2014 – Var e vargen, by Martin Rubashov; also included on the EP Silvae.
2024 – Var e vargen, by Saga