The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia are only a week away and Norway is ready to score some medals! Are you ready to support Norway as they take gold?

Here are some fun facts about Ja, vi elsker dette landet, Norway’s national anthem:

- The song was a family affair with the lyrics being written by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson between 1959 and 1968 while the melody was written by Bjørnson’s cousin, Rikard Nordraak, in 1964.

- There are actually eight verses to the song, but only verses 1, 7, and 8 are commonly sung.

- In the original version of the song, there was a tribute written in the lyrics for King Karl IV of Norway and honoring the idea of a unified Scandinavia. In 1964 that idea was shattered and Bjørnson rewrote the lyrics.

- In 1905, during the separation of Sweden and Norway, Swedish socialists sang the song to show their support of the Norwegian’s right to secede.

- If you don’t know the lyrics you can at least hum the first short bit of the song…the first seven notes are the same as Deck the Halls.

Check back again soon for more information to get you ready to support Norway in the 2010 Winter Games…and get ready to sing!!