Ulla! min Ulla! Säj får jag dig bjuda

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Ulla! min Ulla! säj får jag dig bjuda is a famous Swedish song by Carl Michael Bellman, published in 1790 as part of Fredman’s Epistles (No. 71). It is a light, romantic serenade in a pastoral style set in Stockholm’s Djurgården area, with the muse Ulla Winblad as the beloved.

What the song is about
- The narrator, Fredman, sits on horseback outside Ulla’s window at Fiskartorpet on a sunny day. He invites her to share his love through food and drink: red strawberries with milk and wine, a fresh carp, or water from a spring.
- The scene blends nature and pleasure. Bells, parks, meadows, and the sparkling summer air are described as heavenly. The mood shifts between bold desire and gentle admiration for the countryside.
- Each verse is followed by a refrain in which Ulla responds with brief, meditative words. The erotic energy grows from verse to verse, culminating in a vivid last image.

Form and music
- The song has three eight-line verses. The refrain is ten lines long.
- The music is written in a lively 24-time, Allegro ma non troppo. The verses are in a bright major key, while the refrain moves toward a more reflective minor mood.
- The tune is likely Bellman’s own and, unlike many other Epistle tunes, can’t be traced to an outside source. It features da capo endings that give a spacious, expansive feel.

Context and themes
- Bellman was a central figure in Swedish ballad tradition, known for his vivid pictures of 18th-century Stockholm. His Epistles mix realistic street life with rococo, classical imagery.
- Ulla Winblad, the “nymph” of the piece, appears in a sequence of songs set in the Djurgården park, often linked with cheerful, nature-loving pastoral scenes.
- The song balances elegant, high-style poetry with the rough, humorous world of Fredman and his companions.

Dedication and legacy
- The Epistle is dedicated to Mr. Assessor Lundström, a friend of Bellman who helped finance the publication.
- It’s regarded as one of the high points of Bellman’s pastoral songs, celebrated for its breezy summer mood and playful romance.
- The piece has been widely recorded and translated, and is often cited alongside other Djurgården pastorales. It’s been performed by famous Bellman interpreters and translated into English, helping keep Bellman’s vivid world alive for new audiences.