Húsavik Conquers Hollywood — Again!

March 17, 2021 - 4 minutes read

If you thought Húsavik’s 15 minutes of fame was over, think again. Because the photogenic little town on Iceland’s north shore has done it again, this time with an Oscar nomination for “Húsavik (My Hometown)” as Best Original Song of 2020.

Húsavik’s stepped onto the world stage last year when the Netflix movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga became pandemic lockdown sensation. 

Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdóttir (Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams) may not have won the movie version of Eurovision, but now they have a chance to snatch an even more coveted Academy Award.

They’re up against stiff competition: “Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7, “Io Sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead, “Speak Now” from One Night in Miami …, and “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah.

With music by Icelandic composer Atli Örvarsson and lyrics by the Swedish-American team of Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus, and Rickard Göransson, the Fire Saga performance of the song is among the movie’s most memorable moments.

Another high point was the fact that many of the scenes were filmed on location in Húsavik, which features as a port of call on the “Iceland Circumnavigation” cruise from Iceland ProCruises.

After a year’s hiatus because of the pandemic, the voyages are running again this summer, with four departures between early July and late August.

If you’re thinking of booking passage, check out the “Húsavik (My Hometown)” music video on YouTube — and learn the words to so you can sing along:

All by myself

With this great big world before me

But it’s all for someone else

I’ve tried and tried again

To let you know just where my heart is

To tell the truth and not pretend

All I needed was to get away

Just to realize that I was meant to stay

Where the mountains sing through the screams of seagulls

Where the whales can live ’cause they’re gentle people

In my hometown, my hometown

Thought I made it clear, do I have to say it?

It was always there, we just didn’t see it

All I need is you and me and my home

Vera með þér, með þér

Í Húsavík við Skjálfanda

Í heimabærinn minn

You want the world (Want the world)

All the neon lights and billboards

To be seen and to be heard (Heard)

And I followed you (Oh-ooh)

But now I know what makes me happy

And I can tell you feel it too

Where the mountains sing through the screams of seagulls

Where the whales can live ’cause they’re gentle people

In my hometown, my hometown

Where the northern lights burst out in colors

And the magic nights surpass all others

Það eina sem ég þrái er, að vera

Vera með þér (Vera með þér), með þér (Vera með þér)

Í Húsavík við Skjálfanda

My home, my hometown