{{Short description|Traditional Swedish drinking song}} {{more citations needed|date=June 2014}}
A '''snapsvisa''' (Swedish for "snaps shanty", plural: '''snapsvisor''') is a traditional Scandinavian drinking song, which is often sung before drinking a small shot of sprit that is called a ''snaps''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://spritmuseum.se/en/home-page/drinking-songs/drinking-songs-2/ |title=Drinking songs « Spritmuseum |access-date=2016-12-23 |archive-date=2016-12-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224030700/http://spritmuseum.se/en/home-page/drinking-songs/drinking-songs-2/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
A typical snapsvisa is a short, vigorous song; its lyrics usually tell of the delicacy and glory of the drink, or of the singer’s craving for snaps. Snapsvisor are short, bright, and easy to learn. The most well-known snapsvisa in Sweden is Helan Går.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelocal.se/galleries/other/3352/|title=Sweden's top eight drinking song lyrics|website=Thelocal.se|date=13 August 2013|access-date=27 November 2021}}</ref>
Snapsvisor are an important part of traditional and family festivities in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and among Swedish-speaking Finns.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.norwegianamerican.com/food/snaps-visa-a-song-for-aquavit/|title=Snaps Visa: A song for aquavit|website=Norwegianamerican.com|date=29 July 2016}}</ref> The singing of these drinking songs is also a lively part of Scandinavian student culture. They are also widespread among monolingually Finnish students in Finland, although they are rarely met with elsewhere in Finnish drinking culture.
== See also ==
* {{annotated link|Drinking culture}} * {{annotated link|Drinking song}} * {{annotated link|Snaps}} * {{annotated link|Helan går}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links== *[https://archive.today/20090303112750/http://www.aurora.komvux.norrkoping.se/Pedagogical_Web/web_2006/utb7/swedish/Drinking_song.htm Drinking song – snapsvisa] *[http://www.vinosprithistoriska.se/?id=887 Drinking songs at The Historical Museum of Wines and Spirits]
Category:Drinking songs Category:Alcohol in Sweden Category:Swedish folk songs Category:Songs about alcohol