Songs from the close milieu
Here You Are came out at a chaotic time coloured by the oil crisis, the battle of the sexes and the Vietnam war, a time when the art world was abuzz with clumsy slogans and elevated political agendas. Kim Larsen chose to reject this and gaze out on the world from the close milieu of Copenhagen's Christianshavn district, where he managed to express something universal, drawing inspiration from the quarter's diversity and wealth of offbeat characters.
Kim Larsen wanted to strike a blow for solidarity and the community spirit, achieving this aim through simple songs using uncomplicated, straightforward language. "Nanna with the red mouth/and long black nails/ she's a drinker and a bit silly/so she's happy/It's so sad, so sad, they say," is the text of "Nanna" ("Nanna") - a song which knocks the era's fixation with efficiency and regimentation mantras.
Revolt and tradition
But Here You Are is also a youth record. The songs express a need for revolt and a belief in a better world, that is a part of being young as well as at the same time brimming over with curiosity for life and love. Take for example the number "Maria" ("Maria") with lines such as "Love at first glance/a little bag of candies/a film we never got to see/as we lay there on the floor."
But Here You Are also looks back. Kim Larsen is inspired here by Denmark's folk music tradition - from ballads all the way through folk music to folk high school songs.
In a similar way later generations of musicians have sought inspiration in Kim Larsen. This was obvious in 2005 when the whole of Here you are was re-recorded under the title Here you are 2(Vaersgo 2) by many younger artists including Nephew, Ataf and Tue West.
Peter Elsnab is a music journalist and Jesper Nykjaer Knudsen is a culture journalist.
Drawing of Kim Larsen. Drawing by Rasmus Meisler/ Spild af Tid ApS.