
Photo: Tore Sætre · CC BY-SA 4.0 · credits
Ole Paus
Person · male · Norway · Oslo · born 1947 · died 2023 · recording since 1970
Norwegian recording artist; musician, songwriter (1947–2023)
official homepageofficial homepagestreamingstreamingstreamingdatabasedatabasedatabasedatabase
Listen on SpotifyYouTube Music
Also known as Ole Christian Paus · 奥勒·鲍斯
Timeline
1940s
1970s
· Debut release
Debut release: Der ute – der inne
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Biography
Biography
Ole Paus (9 February 1947 – 12 December 2023) was a Norwegian singer-songwriter and poet, widely regarded as one of the most innovative Norwegian musical figures of the 20th century and "Norway's most significant troubadour at the time of his death." Emerging during the Norwegian ballad revival (Norwegian: visebølgen), Paus was instrumental in defining the genre's direction. Over a career spanning five decades, he released around 40 albums, authored novels, poetry collections, and travelogues. His works spanned from protest songs and satirical ballads to deeply reflective hymns and love songs. He was seen as not merely a musician but a cultural provocateur, using song as a vehicle for political and philosophical exploration. Paus was known for his distinctive individualism, social criticism, and rebellious stance, standing "fearlessly up for the weakest against the powers that be." Often called Norway's "national troubadour," his song "Mitt lille land" became a unifying anthem after the 2011 Norway attacks.
Born in Oslo into an aristocratic family with close ties to Henrik Ibsen, Paus grew up as the son of a general in a sometimes dysfunctional family marked by loss, anxiety, upheaval, and emotional distance. After his mother's early death he was raised by his grandmother Ella, who had come to Norway as a Jewish refugee from Vienna in 1938. In 1967, he started performing as a singer-songwriter in Oslo, a profession that "did not exist at the time," and was discovered in 1969 by Alf Prøysen and Alf Cranner.
His recording debut came in 1970 with Der ute – der inne, featuring 18 songs about urban life in Oslo. Encouraged by Prøysen, he published the poetry collection Tekster fra en trapp the following year. His early albums blended influences from folk, jazz, and rock, characterized by sharp social critique and deep empathy for society's outcasts, marginalized, and lonely—"all of us who couldn't cope with existence," as expressed in songs like "Jacobs vise," "Merkelige Mira," "Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende
Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørendeSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracksA1Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende4:07A2Skammens fontene3:43A3Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende (instrumental)1:02A4Merkelige Mira3:21A5Havari2:07A6Idioten2:05A7Blomsten0:37B1Timen før daggry2:04B2Når du kommer hjem2:30B3Blues i råtten G‐dur2:17B4Fly fugler fly2:02B5Speildansen2:03B6Da tåken lettet2:45B7Ruben bærer lyset3:04," and "Kajsas sang." Throughout the 1970s, he collaborated with notable artists, including Jens Bjørneboe and Ketil Bjørnstad, creating works that transcended traditional genres. His biting satire found a platform in the Paus-posten series, cementing his reputation as a cultural provocateur.
In later years, Paus focused on more contemplative and spiritual themes. His collaborations with the Church Cultural Workshop produced notable hymn interpretations, and his song "Innerst i sjelen" became a Norwegian classic. Working alongside his son, classical composer Marcus Paus, he ventured into opera, oratorio, and avant-garde music. Alexander Z. Ibsen—of no relation—noted that "Ole Paus held a unique position among Norwegian artists. The songs he wrote touched many, ranging from contemplative hymns to satirical ballads. In light of his many active years and his genre-crossing work, he must be considered Norway's most significant troubadour at the time of his death," while Håvard Rem called him Norway's first singer-songwriter. His posthumously published memoir For en mann (2024) reveals an artist whose life and work defied easy categorization.
Background
A member of the Paus family, Ole Paus was born in Oslo in 1947 and was the son of General Ole Paus. He was the father of composer Marcus Paus. He was a close relative of Henrik Ibsen. On Ibsen, Paus said: "I am fascinated by the mix of being a complete rebel and utterly bourgeois in Ibsen. He speaks both the language of the high bourgeoisie and the anarchistic language without an accent. Impressive."
Paus died in Drammen on 12 December 2023, at the age of 76.
Career
Ole Paus debuted as a singer-songwriter in 1970 and as an author the following year, after he was discovered by Alf Cranner and Alf Prøysen, respectively. He was one of the central figures of the so-called visebølgen i Norge, i.e. troubadours in the tradition of Evert Taube, Cornelis Vreeswijk and others.
His works are marked by critical and socially conscious songwriting. His works often commented on political and societal issues. As a young adult, Ole Paus initially had a clear affiliation with the political right, but eventually adopted a more independent stance in the cultural landscape of the 1970s. Paus was often perceived as a "bourgeois anarchist" who challenged authority and societal norms from the unique position of being both insider and outsider in Norway's "establishment". Jon-Roar Bjørkvold described him as "the bourgeoisie's scolder and tireless enfant terrible." Bjarne Markussen referred to Ole Paus as "the last bohemian," noting that he shared with Jens Bjørneboe a mix of radicalism and conservatism, speaking against state power and defending vulnerable and marginalized individuals. During the 1970s and 1980s, Paus was known for his biting social commentary, especially in his ironic and sometimes libellous "musical newspapers" in the form of broadside ballads in a series of albums titled "The Paus Post". His social and political commentary aimed at both left and right in the political spectrum and Paus was described as a man whose satirical lyrics managed to enrage both communists and Christian conservatives.
His later works become known for a softer and more lyrical style, and include songs such as "Innerst i sjelen" and "Engler i sneen". He has often collaborated with Ketil Bjørnstad, notably on the "modern suite" Leve Patagonia; he has later collaborated with Kirkelig Kulturverksted on several projects, and with his son, the classical composer Marcus Paus, notably on the children's opera The Witches, Requiem and several later works. One of his songs, "Mitt lille land", gained wide popularity after the 2011 Norway attacks and was described as "the new national anthem". He has been described as the Norwegian counterpart of Bob Dylan and as the "voice of the nation." Paus was discovered by artists Alf Cranner and Alf Prøysen, and was mentored by André Bjerke, Jens Bjørneboe and Henny Moan. Paus is noted for his consistent use of Norwegian and has been eager for other Norwegian musicians to switch from English to Norwegian.
Hans-Olav Thyvold stated that Paus "became, par excellence, the best Norwegian lyricist" and the leading figure in the Norwegian ballad revival. Thyvold also said that Paus, like Wergeland, was "a Norwegian artist held back by being Norwegian, and had he, a man of such talent, been born into the French or English language tradition, Ole Paus would have been a global name on par with Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, and Bob Dylan." Thyvold further remarked that Paus' significance for Norwegian-language music cannot be overstated and that he created the space in which "the four great" rock bands—DumDum Boys, Jokke & Valentinerne, deLillos, and Raga Rockers—operated: "Ole Paus challenges you to do it in your own language, but at the same time, he sets the bar very, very high." Thyvold stated that Paus' abilities as a lyricist have, to some extent, overshadowed the fact that he is also a great melodist, and that his songs have a universal appeal beyond their Norwegian context.
Albums
(For peak charting positions, see NorwegianCharts.com)
Der ute - der inne (1970)
Garman (1972)
Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende (1973)
Ole Bull Show (with Gunnar Bull Gundersen) (1973)
Zarepta (1974)
Lise Madsen, Moses og de andre (with Ketil Bjørnstad) (1975)
I anstendighetens navn (1976)
Paus-posten (1977)
Nye Paus-posten (1977)
Sjikaner i utvalg (1978)
Kjellersanger (1979)
Noen der oppe (1982)
Bjørnstad/Paus/Hamsun (with Ketil Bjørnstad) (1982)
Svarte ringer (1982)
Grensevakt (1984)
Muggen manna (1986)
Stjerner i rennesteinen (1989)
Salmer på veien hjem (with Kari Bremnes og Mari Boine)(1991)
Biggles' testamente (1992)
Mitt lille land (1994)
Hva hjertet ser (1995)
Stopp pressen! Det grøvste fra Paus-posten (1995)
To rustne herrer (with Jonas Fjeld) (1996)
Pausposten Extra! (1996)
Det begynner å bli et liv(1998)
Damebesøk (with Jonas Fjeld) (1998)
Den velsignede (2000)
Kildens bredd (with Ketil Bjørnstad) (2002)
Tolv rustne strenger (with Jonas Fjeld) (2003)
En bøtte med lys (2004)
Sanger fra et hvitmalt gjerde i sjelen (2005)
Hellige natt - Jul i Skippergata (2006)
Den store norske sangboka (2007)
Paus synger Paus (2009)
Dugnad for Haiti – Live fra Operaen (2010), with other artists
Mitt lille land (2011), with other artists
20 av de beste sangene, vol 1 (2013)
Avslutningen (2013)
Frolandia (2015) with Ketil Bjørnstad
Sanger fra gutterommet (2016)
Hvis helsa holder - The Album (2016) with Jonas Fjeld
Så nær, så nær (2020) with Motorpsycho and Reine Fiske
Songs
"I en sofa fra IKEA"
"Innerst i sjelen"
"Mitt lille land" (Peaked at #4 in VG-lista Norwegian Singles Chart)
Honours and awards
Spellemannprisen, Årets Viseplate (This Year's Folk Song Album), 1976
Gammleng-prisen, 1995
Spellemannprisen, Juryens Hederspris (The Jury's Honorary Award), 1998
Lytterprisen, 1999
Alf Prøysens Ærespris, 2001,
Spellemannprisen, Årets Spellemann (Spellemann of the Year), 2013
Commander of the Order of St. Olav, 2022
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 16 | 74.5th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 40 | 92.7th |
| Studio albums | 29 | 98.1th |
| Awards recorded | 11 | 99th |
| Timeline events | 42 | 98.3th |
| Recording span (years) | 50 | 90.9th |
| Genres | 4 | 84.7th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (40 release groups · 29 studio albums)
Albums · 29
1970 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 18 tracks · 32:03
A1Inger Lise danser samba2:03A2Drankeren2:06A3Timen er kommet2:21A4Gamle haiens vise1:57A5Det var fint at du kom1:33A6Der ute – der inne2:36A7Sorgenfri1:48A8To sekunder og byen1:24A9Regle1:00B1Rhoderick Nilsen2:09B2Fredagsmorgenvise2:36B3Den arme maidag1:35B4Nattmennesker1:38B5Kom inn1:08B6Linn2:22B7Opus i turkis? 8½0:58B8Mortens vise1:17B9Amøben Mikkjel Hildebrand1:321972 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 41:09
A1Fra først av2:03A2Nå kommer jeg og tar deg2:03A3Leieboer3:17A4Jacobs vise3:07A5Harde tider2:12A6Sett deg ned2:57A7De elendiges baron4:53B1Du kaller det vakker musikk3:02B2Som en sommerfugl2:37B3Damen i dalen4:01B4Trøstevise i ren A-dur2:04B5Født på et fjell2:45B6Balladen om Ole P. og Bente L. (med en senere anm. om Astrid Å.)3:42B7Ingen ting å være redd for2:261973 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 39:52
A1aEt lite stykke poesi1:49A1bOg en for vilde1:23A1cSkål1:17A1dSyng en sang om frihet1:13A1eDen gang skikkeligheten kom til byen2:38A2Vise om årstidene1:46A3Rapport til G. Wallace1:51A4Now Is the Time4:36A5Ved en avskjed2:24B1aLilja1:57B1bTåken lettet2:25B1cRett til å bære gevær2:33B2Blues for en blind multiinstrumentalist14:00Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende
1973 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 33:47
A1Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende4:07A2Skammens fontene3:43A3Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende (instrumental)1:02A4Merkelige Mira3:21A5Havari2:07A6Idioten2:05A7Blomsten0:37B1Timen før daggry2:04B2Når du kommer hjem2:30B3Blues i råtten G‐dur2:17B4Fly fugler fly2:02B5Speildansen2:03B6Da tåken lettet2:45B7Ruben bærer lyset3:041974 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks
1Morgensang2Herr Lothringtons maskin3Brostein4Vind5Dukken Barbara – en skillingsvise6De siste dagers progressive – eller takk og pris for Moss Allison7Vuggesang8Samba Tristeza9Hustavle10Ganske vanlig Sherry, simpelthen11Blåmann12Kajsas sang13Fedrelandssang1976 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 29:40
A1Industridepartementets rag1:43A2Vibeke Løkkeberg2:51A3Sosietetsnytt4:16A4CIA på Jæren2:25A5Major Svein Blindheim2:36B1Satan lever2:55B2Kronikk2:01B3Antonio Gomez Fernandez2:34B4Reiseskildring1:46B5Den enbente fader2:57B6Nytt fra Bergen politi3:361977 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 26:36
1Berge Furre Boogie Woogie3:522Tigris O'hoi2:223Folk Og Røvere I Tromsø By2:044Sommer I Sarons Dal1:505Balladen Om Arne Bendiksens Tapte Ære3:146Gråt, Bare Gråt, Argentina3:297Balladen Om L. J. Dorenfeldt3:588Sladder1:589De Liker Det! De Liker Det!2:0010God Jul, Gledelig Jul1:491977 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 25:40
A1Balladen om politiinspektør Rynning-Tønnesen og sekretær Andreassen ved Bergen politikammer1:55A2Viser vedr. den nu så bekjendte og i alle skikkelige menneskers omdømme afskylige bombeeksplosjonen i bokhandelen oktober i Tromsø by2:08A3Balladen om Sylvia Rafael og herr Annæus Schjødt2:27A4En sand vedr. konserthuset i Oslo2:23A5En sørgelig historie fra virkeligheten om en akvariefisks tilværelse3:27B1Show-down i nøtterøy. En kommunal western3:06B2Et stev om herr Lars Gule, Larvik1:40B3Balladen om fru Gunvor Galtung Haavik5:05B4Vise vedrørende Brigitte Bardots opphold i Alaska og herr Brian Davis' dyreshow samme sted1:42B5Morgensang fra redaktøren 13. juni om morgenen1:471979 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks
1Enebarn2Manns kvinne3Elverum4Bak står et barn og ser5Utro tjener6Lang dags ferd mot natt7Fyrige Felix8Gomera9Sara Lisa10Fugl Fønix11Bad Connection12Disponenten er full1982 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks
1I live tross Nyhavn2Nok en sang om morgenregn3Glade gutter4Nerven i min sang5Hva i helvete... (den gamle historien)6På innsiden7Bergen, Bergen8Ingen liker herr Schmidt9Efter så mange år10Grå mann11Myrk framtid – eller inga12Constance1982 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks
1Hvem er den mannen2Lystig purk på picnic3Askepott4Åh, Sonja5Så mange lys6Selv sopere har et hjørne i himmelen7Smil til meg8Hvor er du i natt9Alt var mye bedre under krigen10Bare11Utgangssalme1984 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks
1Store gutter gråter ikke for sånt2Utro3En million japanere4To må man være5Alt om en dobbeltseng6Kvinnen i meg7Min barndoms fylliker8Samantha9Trampfart10Grensevakt1986 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks
1Kald kaffe2Sort og hvitt3Farvel til mamma4Mæsjen og Påsjen5Alene6Ny tid7Svarte penger8Tønnesen9Emigrant10Gutenberg11Enkebyen12Nelly Nylon1989 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 36:25
1Jeg Er Ikke Redd Mer4:172Den Tøffeste Gutten I Himmelen2:183Chilentina3:204Stjerner I Rennesteinen2:475Vals For Små Bjørner2:536Veiskillet3:137Vi Overlever Alt3:548Minner3:159Vuggevise1:4210Veierland3:1411Helge Nordahl2:2712Seil Avsted3:051992 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 37:13
1Biggles1:442Lumumba3:033Det gjør'ke meg noe4:064Det er noe ved meg2:385Grønland / Epilog4:506Biggles encore1:477Rød ku3:068Ålreit2:429Ikke gjør som mora di sier3:1410Utslitt-utslått3:5711Sinbad3:2112En sang igjen2:451995 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 34:32
1Innerst i sjelen4:002Engelen3:403Tito min venn3:134Lokomotivet og havet4:065Seierherrene (Sangen)2:236Når som helst du vil3:017De grønne bussene2:488Ord av savn4:309Ingen2:2410Mer enn nok mirakel1:4111Hva hjertet ser2:461996 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 43:07
1Søster drift3:042Kitty har forelska seg (igjen)3:043Tordensky4:024Fremmed i paradis4:245En helt vanlig kveld3:016Preik om det (hvis du vil)3:557På trynet (den lille Gro-sangen)2:318Susanne5:009Kong Kaos3:5110Ensom krig3:0211Det blåser over Romsundet i natt3:1512Klink edru3:58Det begynner å bli et liv – det begynner å ligne en bønn
1998 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 6 tracks · 41:38
1Jeg ser deg, søte lam, at stå – Det begynner å bli et liv6:322O hellig ånd, mitt hjerte – Som en storm5:413O du min Immanuel – Den første timen6:034Når mitt øye, trett av møye – De hadde ventet8:545Syng hjerte, syng en aftensang – Lovsang4:006Den store hvite flokk – Du er vinden10:282000 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 45:04
1Den velsignede I2:502Støvet som glir over jorden3:423Øynene4:134Hvis du tror at jeg har glemt deg4:145Hva skal man gjøre med mennesker som meg3:176Den siste reise4:417Livet og jeg5:308Vi skal mose dem, elskede3:519Gratulerer Med Dagen3:4010Brevet til Evert2:4511Den velsignede II6:212003 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 52:15
1Atlantis3:122Dansegalla i en andedam4:073En omstendighet for tidlig, en tilfeldighet for sent3:264Stygg sak3:175Hjalmar Johansen4:186Den som juger1:497Født i Drammen4:588Så vakker du er2:409Hyrden4:2810Det høres som torden4:4911Nedover elva4:1512En gang i livet4:3513En sang står tilbake4:0714Underlig trygt2:142004 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 42:42
1Klassefesten3:442En bøtte med lys3:253Mannen i parken5:204Ballroom2:565Så nær deg3:266Alltid en dråpe igjen2:107En for veien1:388Dronningens gate4:329Trollmor og stjernene3:3910Rivning3:4611Far, jeg har tenkt på deg i natt8:06Sanger fra et hvitmalt gjerde i sjelen
2005 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 47:31
1En liten ouverture til dommedag4:102Skyer rundt et fjell4:033For eksempel Spania2:584Det eneste menneske på jorden4:005Nettverk3:006Post Woodstock3:527Tinky Winky4:018Willy Moreno3:099Derfor3:2310På et hvitmalt gjerde i sjelen4:0811Mærradalen3:5812Halleluja6:49Hellige natt - jul i Skippergata
2006 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 42:36
1I denne søte juletid2:132Hellige natt4:093Sang fra en lys morgen2:174Stille natt4:065Det kimer nu til julefest4:196I en steingrå vinter3:277Du grønne glitrende tre2:478Den lille stjernen4:009Et lite barn så lystelig3:0810Jerusalem1:5811Her kommer dine arme små3:2312Bred dine vide vinger2:4913Deilig er jorden4:002008 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 48:24
1Vandringsvise3:462Manda' morra blues4:473Jeg hadde tenkt2:564La oss leve for hverandre4:075Sjømannsvise3:016Splitter pine4:227Syng og vær glad0:288Ellinors vise3:099En grønnmalt benk i haven4:2010En spennende dag for Josefine3:3411Kokken Tor4:3312Den som var en løvetann3:2113De nære ting3:2714Øl2:332009 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 51:41
1Blåmann3:092Si farvel til mamma4:013Merkelige Mira4:004Det begynner å bli et liv3:275Stjerner i rennesteinen3:016Kaias sang2:447Store gutter gråter ikke3:558Jeg reiser alene2:309Mæsjen og påsjen3:3310Mitt lille land3:2211Alltid en dråpe igjen2:3312Damen i dalen3:5913Selv sopere har et hjørne i himmelen4:3314Som en storm3:3415Ruben bærer lyset3:202013 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 34 tracks · 1:47:01
Disc 11Festsang ved feiringen av 7-årsjubileet for Oslosenteret for fred og menneskerettigheter3:052Dagbladet 1.3.-19.3.20132:153Surrogatiti surrogatitei1:574Den siste krigsseiler går fra borde3:165Fjols nr. 1-52:296Jeg tar ansvar3:407Overveiingeniørens triste sang3:118En lystig vise om Ola Borten Moe2:399Nathan, velkommen hjem3:1210Oppgjøret2:47Disc 21Den lange veien5:082Hvor langt, hvor lenge4:393Hel ved3:574Bror4:305Judee ruler i himmelen3:166Så kom sangen3:517Nattbussen3:308Folk som oss4:259Omfavnelsen4:2110Shetland3:46Disc 31Abrakadabra3:172På solsiden av vulkanen3:053Bare stol på meg2:374Sune4:135Balladen om Bente L.4:006For alltid2:267Nytt land for gamle menn3:068Reist3:219Kom hjem3:0610Avslutningen2:3911Introduksjon av bonusspor0:2712Unnskyld at jeg bråkte1:0313Broen2:1814Men du va'kke der1:292016 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 29 tracks · 1:00:44
1En skål i heimbrent2:362Hvem spør3:093Født på et fjell2:364Nå kommer jeg og tar deg2:155Trøstevise i ren A-dur2:046Sett deg ned2:127Langt inn på Skoga2:058Rått parti3:239Unnskyld1:0610Harde tider1:4711Småprat på gutterommet1:2212Broen2:2113Kitty tråkker rundt I ringen2:0514Idioten1:5215Baronen synger2:1916Som en sommerfugl2:2917Du kaller det vakker musikk2:1718Til helvete med alt2:4019Det går folk rundt i byen1:5520Men du va'kke der1:2921Speildansen1:5822Jakobs vise2:2723Leieboer2:2524To gamle damer2:0625Samba om morgenen1:5926Lei deg ved din hånd, mitt barn0:5927Keiseren av Kina0:4128Jeg åpner vinduet1:3029Gi faen i hva jeg heter2:372020 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 52:05
1Hvitt lys (Dolphins farvel)5:122Klaus og Livet4:433Gud bevare landsbyen min4:354Vardøger5:485Ingenmannsland3:586Helt tilfeldig2:517Fest i hovedstaden4:378Tvillingen4:449Blonde beist2:0910Ruinbyen13:28— · studio album
Album · 9
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Ekte PausSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 15 tracks · 35:49A1Det var fint at du kom1:36 A2Rhoderick Nilsen2:13 A3Balladen om Ole P. og Bente l.3:43 A4Leieboer3:17 A5Drankeren2:08 A6Nå kommer jeg og tar deg2:06 A7Du kaller det vakker musikk3:01 B1Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende4:12 B2Født på et fjell2:48 B3Og en for vilde1:25 B4Ingen ting å være redd for2:28 B5To sekunder og byen1:27 B6Harde tider2:12 B7Trøstevise i ren A‐dur2:05 B8Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende (instrumental)1:08 | Compilation | 1975 | |
| 1976 | I anstendighetens navnSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 14 tracks1Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt 2Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende 3Slektens gang 4Heilo 5Ganske vanlig Sherry simpelthen 6Fornuten er på ferie 7Rainy Day 8Smygeren 9Damen i dalen 10Hilmar Fergeman 11Det driter du i 12Samba tristeza 13Brostein 14Ruben bærer lyset | Live | 1976 | |
| 1994 | Jeg kaller det vakker musikkSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 48 tracks · 2:33:23Disc 1 1Jeg reiser alene2:26 2Det er noe ved meg2:37 3Inger Lise danser samba2:05 4Ingenting å være redd for2:27 5Selv sopere har et hjørne i himmelen3:05 6Lystig purk på picnic3:28 7I en sofa fra IKEA (Nytt fra norsk film)1:21 8Merkelige Mira3:24 9Grensevakt3:40 10Lang dags ferd mot natt3:15 11Blåmann3:05 12Gamle haiens vise2:01 13Rhoderick Nilsen2:10 14Leieboer3:16 15Emigrant3:16 16Store gutter gråter ikke for sånt3:52 17Glade gutter står i kor1:50 18Alt var mye bedre under krigen3:33 19Åh Sonja4:11 20Damen i dalen4:00 21Jeg er ikke redd mer4:21 22Margrethe Munthes revival2:41 23Vi overlever alt4:00 24Ruben bærer lyset3:04 25En sang igjen2:44 Disc 21Mitt lille land5:16 2Nå kommer jeg og tar deg2:02 3Ikke gjør som mora di sier3:15 4Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende3:39 5Jeg er så glad i dyr2:34 6Bergen, Bergen3:08 7Enkebyen3:20 8Si farvel til mamma4:22 9Trøstevise i ren A-dur2:03 10Hvem er den mannen3:20 11Chilentina3:23 12Jeg stikker4:53 13Kajsas sang2:31 14Mæsjen og påsjen2:44 15Nok en sang om morgenregn2:44 16Den tøffeste gutten i himmelen2:17 17Stjerner i rennesteinen2:52 18Tønnesen3:18 19Sinbad3:21 20Veierland3:20 21Grønland / Epilog4:50 22Elverum3:56 23Nærmere deg min Gud4:23 | Compilation | 1994 | |
| 2002 | MørketidSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 14 tracks · 54:161Sangen om gleden4:31 2Nattergalene3:45 3Hester er ålreite dyr2:46 4Vi vandrar saman3:15 5Kviskre ditt navn4:16 6Tordensky4:00 7Livets lyse side3:38 8Soldatens kortstokk3:43 9Dans med meg3:07 10En arm å hvile på3:15 11Kvelden lister seg på tå4:12 12Vintersang7:08 13Drømmeland3:47 14Nytt fra arbeidsmarkedet2:53 | Compilation | 2002 | |
| 2009 | Stopp pressen! Det grøvste fra Paus-PostenSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 26 tracks · 1:07:331Sladder1:59 2Et stev om herr Lars Gule, Larvik1:41 3Berge Furres boogie woogie3:52 4Sosietetsnytt4:17 5CIA på Jæren2:25 6Antonio Gomez Fernandez2:33 7De liker det! De liker det!1:58 8Balladen om Sylvia Rafael og herr Annæus Schjødt2:29 9Tigris o’hoi2:23 10Folk og røvere i Tromsø by2:06 11Viser vedr. den nu så bekjendte og i alle skikkelige menneskers omdømme afskylige bombeeksplosjonen i bokhandelen oktober i Tromsø by2:09 12En sørgelig historie fra virkeligheten om en akvariefisks utrygge tilværelse3:29 13Balladen om politiinspektør Rynning-Tønnesen og sekretær Andreassen ved Bergen politikammer1:58 14Nytt fra Bergen politi3:36 15Balladen om fru Gunvor Galtung Haavik5:06 16Vibeke Løkkeberg2:51 17Gråt, bare gråt, Argentina3:29 18Vise vedrørende Brigitte Bardots opphold i Alaska og herr Brian Davis' dyreshow samme sted1:42 19En sang vedr. Konserthuset i Oslo2:23 20Sommer i Sarons Dal1:49 21Industridepartementets rag1:44 22Satan lever2:56 23Den enbente fader2:58 24Reiseskildring1:47 25Kronikk2:02 26God jul, gledelig jul1:51 | Compilation | 30 March 2009 | |
| 2012 | Sjikaner i utvalg (eller Paus‐Postens beste)Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 21 tracks · 59:361Et stev om herr Lars Gule, Larvik1:44 2Show‐down i Nøtterøy3:11 3Benny norsk festmarsj2:03 4En sang vedr. Konserthuset i Oslo2:26 5Vibeke Løkkeberg2:55 6Sommer i sarons dal1:53 7Industridepartementets rag1:47 8Reiseskildring1:50 9Balladen om fru Gunvor Galtung Haavik5:09 10Siste vals på Sunnanø2:22 11Byssam, byssam gamle far3:02 12Vise vedr. eksplosjonen i oktober cafe2:12 13Berge Furres boogie woogie3:56 14Balladen om Arne Bendiksens tapte ære3:18 15Balladen om Sylvia Rafael og herr Anneus Schjødt2:33 16Gråt, bare gråt, Argentina3:33 17Sosietetsnytt4:20 18Tigris o’hoi2:27 19Balladen om l. J. Dorenfeldt4:03 20Satan lever2:59 21Sang for morgenen den 13. juni1:53 | Compilation | 29 February 2012 | |
| 2013 | 20 av de beste sangene (Volume 1)Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 20 tracks · 57:561Inger Lise danser samba2:06 2Ingenting å være redd for2:27 3Merkelige Mira3:24 4Lang dags ferd mot natt3:15 5Blåmann3:05 6Gamle haiens vise2:01 7Rhoderick Nilsen2:10 8Leieboer3:16 9Damen i dalen4:00 10Margrete Munthes Revival2:41 11Ruben bærer lyset3:04 12Nå kommer jeg og tar deg2:02 13Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende3:39 14Trøstevise i ren A‐dur2:03 15Kajsas sang2:31 16Elverum3:56 17Der ute - der inne2:39 18Fyrige Felix2:58 19Du kaller det vakker musikk2:59 20Balladen om Ole P. og Bente l.3:40 | Compilation | 1 January 2013 | |
| 2019 | 1970-talletSearch SpotifySearch YouTube Music | Compilation | 2019 | |
| — | 1980-talletSearch SpotifySearch YouTube Music | Compilation | — |
Single · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | VandringsviseSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 1 track · 3:461Vandringsvise3:46 | 26 November 2007 |
EP · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Big-5: Ole PausSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 5 tracks · 18:101Mitt Lille Land3:22 2Blåmann3:09 3Jeg Reiser Alene2:30 4Splitter Pine4:22 5Manda' Morra Blues4:47 | 26 November 2010 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Ole Paus head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 16 | 74.5th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 40 | 92.7th |
| Studio albums | 29 | 98.1th |
| Awards recorded | 11 | 99th |
| Timeline events | 42 | 98.3th |
| Recording span (years) | 50 | 90.9th |
| Genres | 4 | 84.7th |
Awards & honours
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Spelleman Folk music Award | won | |
| 1998 | Jury Honorary Award in Spellemannprisen | won | |
| 1999 | Norwegian radio listeners' Society's prize | won | |
| 2002 | Lyricist Fund Award | won | |
| 2012 | Leif Justers Award | won | |
| 2013 | Booth Award | won | |
| 2013 | Spellemann Award of the year | won | |
| 2014 | Solprisen | won | |
| 2018 | Anders Jahre's Art and Culture Prize | won | |
| 2021 | Q131674106 | won | |
| 2022 | Commander of the Order of St. Olav | won |
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| To rustne herrer(band) | — | present | |
| Geilokameratene(band) | — | present |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ole_Paus_Kongshaugfestivalen_2019_%28222958%29.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9e51895c-9414-4935-9367-f7a74ab02016discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9e51895c-9414-4935-9367-f7a74ab02016core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1771939genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1771939seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ole_Pausbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ole_Paus
Why this artist is in the database
- List of Norwegian musicians
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Tore Sætre · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q1771939 · MusicBrainz: 9e51895c-9414-4935-9367-f7a74ab02016
Similar artists
Browse every Tier 3 artist →Ranked from this record's own data: shared genre tags (rarer tags weigh more), era, home country and comparable fame. Every card lists the signals that placed it — no editorial picks.

Lillebjørn Nilsen
Norway · Person
visa
1 shared genre tag · debut 1971, 1 year apart · from Norway
14 wikis

Halvdan Sivertsen
Norway · Person
visa
1 shared genre tag · debut 1973, 3 years apart · from Norway
9 wikis

Kim Larsen
Kingdom of Denmark · Person
visa
1 shared genre tag · debut 1973, 3 years apart
16 wikis

Jan Eggum
Norway · Person
visa
1 shared genre tag · debut 1975 · from Norway
11 wikis

Kari Bremnes
Norway · Person
visa
1 shared genre tag · from Norway
16 wikis

Olle Adolphson
Sweden · Person
visa
1 shared genre tag · debut 1963
9 wikis

Stefan Demert
Sweden · Person
visa
1 shared genre tag
6 wikis

Jófríður Ákadóttir
Iceland · Person
visa
1 shared genre tag
8 wikis