SWEDEN'S 300 MOST ESSENTIAL SONGS. Today: #6 & 5. More tomorrow.

 

Caffè Lattè pays tribute to Sweden, a country that has been punching above its weight for decades. The country that spawned ABBA, Max Martin, Avicii and Roxette has served the planet some of the best Europop. The criteria: songs in English by Swedish born/ based acts.

 

THE 300 ALL-TIME

MOST ESSENTIAL

SWEDISH SONGS

Hear the songs on the regularly updated Spotify playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0vjW3VPs9giX5Alp2ecRlr?si=d4f45374aea84b81

🇸🇪6

IT MUST HAVE BEEN LOVE Roxette

Roxette was not a successful duo when the original version of this power ballad was issued in 1987. The song started life as a seasonal single entitled “It Must Have Been Love (Christmas For the Broken Hearted)”. In Sweden, the disc reached #4. Roxette broke through internationally in 1989. “It Must Have Been Love” was re-tweaked. The references to Christmas were omitted and the song was used in the 1990 hit film ‘Pretty Woman’. This massive exposure resulted in a chart-topping hit in America, Canada and Australia. It peaked at #3 in Europe and the UK.

🇸🇪5

FERNANDO ABBA

ABBA was at its peak of global domination when “Fernando” was released. The group had just unleashed ‘Arrival’. In Australia, pressings of that 1976 album managed to include the new track. Frida Lyngstad delivers one of her best lead vocals. She had recorded the original (Swedish-language) version in 1975 for a solo album. ABBA’s remake was immensely successful, reaching #1 in Britain and many European countries. In Australia, the disc broke the record for longest reign at the top of the charts: a staggering 14 weeks. ABBA held that record until 2017. It was that country’s highest selling single until 1997.