We didn't really discover Arne Bendiksen until we moved into his former recording studio in Østerdalsgata at Vålerenga.
But when we did, we discovered that he wrote or produced classics like "La meg være ung" Wenche Myhre (1964) and "Oj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bli" Kirsti Sparboe (1969) in addition to recording his own hits like "Blå ballong" and "Davy Crockett". Some of them even in this very place.
Bendiksen has been a promoter of the good song that is easy to sing and remember. His own songs very often had a twist of humor and fun. He also translated many foreign hits into Norwegian, making them Norwegian hits. One of them was "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" or "Rudolf er rød på nesen" as Mr. Bendiksen chose to sing it.
15m wants to raise a glass at Christmas to the inspirational Mr. Bendiksen while we listen to his wonderful jolly song about Rudolf on the stereo in the very place it was recorded. Cheers!
Arne Bendiksen is still going strong, and in June 2006, at the age of 80, his all-new self-composed children's musical stage debuted in the small elementary school Fjellstrand Skole in Nesodden, Akershus.