Carl Michael Bellman (1740 - 1795) was a Swedish poet and composer. Bellman is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a very important influence in Swedish music, as well as in Scandinavian literature in general, to this day. His main two works are the Songs of Fredman ("Fredmans sånger") and the Epistles of Fredman ("Fredmans epistlar"), each including some 70 songs, many of which are about sociable drinking and or designed for the occasion of the same.