Elva kvinnor i ett hus
Encyclopedia
Elva kvinnor i ett hus released on December 1, 1975, was the 5th and last full-length solo album in the Swedish language
by Swedish
pop
singer and ABBA
member Agnetha Fältskog
.
made her Swedish number one album Frida ensam
- and both were recorded between sessions and a very busy promotion schedule for the ABBA
albums Waterloo
and ABBA
. Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus was originally slated for release in 1973 but following Agnetha's pregnancy that year and later the unexpected success with ABBA it was postponed and not released until late 1975. By then, four years had passed since the release of her last Swedish solo-album, När en vacker tanke blir en sång
.
Fältskog composed all songs herself with lyrics by Swedish writer, journalist and lyricist Bosse Carlgren. The only exception was the Swedish version of the ABBA song "S.O.S.
" which was written by Benny Andersson
, Stig Anderson
and Fältskog's husband at the time, Björn Ulvaeus
. Fältskog's record company Cupol insisted on including a Swedish version of an ABBA song to increase album sales.
After two recordings in 1973, "Elva kvinnor i ett hus" marks the first time that Agnetha produced an entire album herself.
"Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus" was first released on CD in 2004 as part of the "Agnetha Fältskog De Första Åren
" 6 CD boxed set. It also appeared on the Agnetha Faltskog edition of Original Album Classics, part of a larger series of identically named box sets issued by Sony Music during the late 2000s.
The melodies on "Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus" are generally seen as more complex and more influenced by contemporary pop and rock than on Fältskog's earlier albums, which had been in the fairly lightweight schlager
genre, and Bosse Carlgren's poignant, ironic and humorous lyrics make up small stories in themselves - some even including slightly risqué content. "Och han väntar på mig" describes an adult woman being courted by an eager teenage boy, and the track "Doktorn!", about someone trying to give up smoking, famously includes the line "I've tried candy instead, but I get as fat as a pig." The final track on the album, "Visa i åttonde månaden" (Song In The Eighth Month) was however written from a very personal perspective; it was composed during Fältskog's pregnancy with daughter Linda, early in 1973.
Fältskog's vocal performances on "Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus" are considered technically superior when compared to her earlier solo output, most likely as a result of the vocal coaching she had started when ABBA began to make a name for themselves. Music critics have also noted that the production values on the album are noticeably higher than on previous efforts.
" and "Tack för en underbar, vanlig dag" on the Swedish Sommarnöjet TV show. Even if ABBA already were a number one act in Sweden at this time, and although the album was a considerable critical and commercial success, it failed to reach the Top 10 on the Swedish album charts, peaking at no 11, even with the inclusion of her Swedish version of "SOS". Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus however spent a respectable 53 weeks on the charts, and three of the eleven tracks entered the important radio chart Svensktoppen
, with "S.O.S." becoming another number one for Fältskog. The Swedish language "SOS" single also reached #4 on the singles chart in January 1976.
in 1973, then called "Disillusion" with lyrics by Björn Ulvaeus, in effect making it the only ABBA recording to be composed by Fältskog. It also makes it one of just two ABBA tracks during their whole career not to be composed by the Andersson/Anderson/Ulvaeus team, the other being a medley of American folk songs, issued as the B-side of 1978 single "Summer Night City
".
Following the victory with "Waterloo" in the Eurovision Song Contest
in 1974 Fältskog was approached by the minor British label Embassy who wanted to launch her as a solo artist on the UK market. This resulted in her recording an English language version of "Gulleplutt", "Golliwog", released as a single in the summer of 1974 backed with a version of the 1972 track "Tio mil kvar till Korpilombolo", retitled "Here For Your Love". "Gulleplutt" was subsequently first released in English and in the United Kingdom, some eighteen months before its inclusion on the "Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus" album in Sweden. "Golliwog" passed unnoticed in the UK, the collaboration with Embassy went no further, the single has since become a sought after collector's item, and these two English language rarities were first released on CD in 2004, on the bonus disc of the "Agnetha Fältskog De Första Åren
" box set.
's "S.O.S.
". Upon its release at the end of 1975, it entered the Swedish singles chart
and eventually peaked at number 4 in January 1976, becoming only her third single to reach that chart and her first one since 1968.
, Agnetha's version of "S.O.S." also quickly became a huge hit on the important Swedish radio chart Svensktoppen
. During its 11 week chart-run, it also topped the hitlist, making it Agnetha's third Svensktoppen
number 1.
In early 1976 two other tracks from "Elva kvinnor i ett hus" managed to enter Svensktoppen, without being released on single: "Doktorn!" and "Tack för en underbar, vanlig dag" both reached number five and also managed to bring the album back into the charts, which itself reached its highest position in May 1976 (number 11).
The following musicians contributed to the recording of "Elva kvinnor i ett hus":
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
by Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer and ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
member Agnetha Fältskog
Agnetha Fältskog
Agnetha Åse Fältskog is a Swedish recording artist. She achieved success in Sweden after the release of her début album Agnetha Fältskog in 1968, and reached international stardom as a member of the pop group ABBA, which to date has sold over 375 million records worldwide, making it the fourth...
.
Album Information
The album was recorded in the same period as her bandmate Anni-Frid LyngstadAnni-Frid Lyngstad
Anni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...
made her Swedish number one album Frida ensam
Frida ensam
Frida ensam is a solo album by ABBA singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The album was produced by her fiancé, ABBA member Benny Andersson and was first released by Polar Music in 1975. It has since been re-released several times, most significantly in remastered form in 2005 with bonus tracks...
- and both were recorded between sessions and a very busy promotion schedule for the ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
albums Waterloo
Waterloo (album)
* 1974 Polar Music International AB, Stockholm, Sweden.* The original album release of Waterloo in 1974 with Polar.-CD re-issues, bonus tracks:...
and ABBA
ABBA (album)
1975 Polar Music international AB, Stockholm, Sweden.Stig Anderson helped us with the lyrics on "Mamma Mia", "Tropical Loveland", "SOS", "Bang-A-Boomerang", "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" and "I've Been Waiting for You".-CD re-issues, bonus tracks:...
. Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus was originally slated for release in 1973 but following Agnetha's pregnancy that year and later the unexpected success with ABBA it was postponed and not released until late 1975. By then, four years had passed since the release of her last Swedish solo-album, När en vacker tanke blir en sång
När En Vacker Tanke Blir En Sång
När en vacker tanke blir en sång , released in the end of 1971, is the fourth Swedish solo-album by Swedish pop singer and ABBA member Agnetha Fältskog.-Album Information:...
.
Fältskog composed all songs herself with lyrics by Swedish writer, journalist and lyricist Bosse Carlgren. The only exception was the Swedish version of the ABBA song "S.O.S.
SOS (ABBA song)
Agnetha Fältskog's version was the second single from her fifth Swedish solo-album Elva kvinnor i ett hus . It was the only song from this album not to have been composed by Fältskog herself....
" which was written by Benny Andersson
Benny Andersson
Göran Bror "Benny" Andersson is a Swedish musician, composer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
, Stig Anderson
Stig Anderson
Stig 'Stikkan' Erik Leopold Anderson was born in Hova, Sweden, and is best known as the manager of the pop group ABBA.- Polar Music:Anderson was the founder of the Polar Music record label in 1963...
and Fältskog's husband at the time, Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
. Fältskog's record company Cupol insisted on including a Swedish version of an ABBA song to increase album sales.
After two recordings in 1973, "Elva kvinnor i ett hus" marks the first time that Agnetha produced an entire album herself.
"Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus" was first released on CD in 2004 as part of the "Agnetha Fältskog De Första Åren
Agnetha Fältskog De Första Åren
Agnetha Fältskog De Första Åren 1967–1979 is a box set by Swedish pop singer and ABBA member Agnetha Fältskog, released in 2004 .It included all her official recordings, except the TV specials recordings....
" 6 CD boxed set. It also appeared on the Agnetha Faltskog edition of Original Album Classics, part of a larger series of identically named box sets issued by Sony Music during the late 2000s.
Recording process
The original album design was very different from what was eventually released. Fältskog and Carlgren originally planned to call the album "Tolv kvinnor i ett hus" (Twelve Women In A House) with each song on the album describing twelve different characters, all women, all leading very different lives, but all living in the same house. The package would have included a gatefold sleeve with artwork by Carlgren picturing the twelve fictitious women as well as several photos of Fältskog herself, but due to the success of ABBA the singer had less time to write and record her own songs. At one point it seemed uncertain that the album would ever be finished which lead to the record company cutting the production budget which in turn meant that it was impossible to release it with the lavish gatefold sleeve and accompanying artwork. In the end there were only ten songs written by Fältskog, coupled with the opening track "S.O.S.", a song that neither fit nor was included in the original concept.The melodies on "Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus" are generally seen as more complex and more influenced by contemporary pop and rock than on Fältskog's earlier albums, which had been in the fairly lightweight schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
genre, and Bosse Carlgren's poignant, ironic and humorous lyrics make up small stories in themselves - some even including slightly risqué content. "Och han väntar på mig" describes an adult woman being courted by an eager teenage boy, and the track "Doktorn!", about someone trying to give up smoking, famously includes the line "I've tried candy instead, but I get as fat as a pig." The final track on the album, "Visa i åttonde månaden" (Song In The Eighth Month) was however written from a very personal perspective; it was composed during Fältskog's pregnancy with daughter Linda, early in 1973.
Fältskog's vocal performances on "Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus" are considered technically superior when compared to her earlier solo output, most likely as a result of the vocal coaching she had started when ABBA began to make a name for themselves. Music critics have also noted that the production values on the album are noticeably higher than on previous efforts.
Promotion and chart success
Agnetha promoted the album with a live performance of "Dom har glömtDom har glömt
"Dom Har Glömt" was the first single from Agnetha Fältskog's fifth Swedish solo album Elva kvinnor i ett hus. It was written by Agnetha with lyrics by Bosse Carlgren....
" and "Tack för en underbar, vanlig dag" on the Swedish Sommarnöjet TV show. Even if ABBA already were a number one act in Sweden at this time, and although the album was a considerable critical and commercial success, it failed to reach the Top 10 on the Swedish album charts, peaking at no 11, even with the inclusion of her Swedish version of "SOS". Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus however spent a respectable 53 weeks on the charts, and three of the eleven tracks entered the important radio chart Svensktoppen
Svensktoppen
Svensktoppen is a record chart at Sveriges Radio. Until January 2003, the songs had to be in the Swedish language. Svensktoppen has aired since 1962, except for the years 1982-1985. Svensktoppen airs once a week...
, with "S.O.S." becoming another number one for Fältskog. The Swedish language "SOS" single also reached #4 on the singles chart in January 1976.
English language versions
As mentioned above "SOS" was originally recorded in English by ABBA. So was "Mina ögon", included on the first Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida album Ring RingRing Ring (album)
-2001 re-release:Ring Ring was remastered and reissued in 2001 with three bonus tracks :-2005 re-release:...
in 1973, then called "Disillusion" with lyrics by Björn Ulvaeus, in effect making it the only ABBA recording to be composed by Fältskog. It also makes it one of just two ABBA tracks during their whole career not to be composed by the Andersson/Anderson/Ulvaeus team, the other being a medley of American folk songs, issued as the B-side of 1978 single "Summer Night City
Summer Night City
"Summer Night City", written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, is ABBA's 2nd non-album single, released on September 6, 1978. It was originally intended as the lead single from the group's upcoming Voulez-Vous album, but was eventually not included...
".
Following the victory with "Waterloo" in the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
in 1974 Fältskog was approached by the minor British label Embassy who wanted to launch her as a solo artist on the UK market. This resulted in her recording an English language version of "Gulleplutt", "Golliwog", released as a single in the summer of 1974 backed with a version of the 1972 track "Tio mil kvar till Korpilombolo", retitled "Here For Your Love". "Gulleplutt" was subsequently first released in English and in the United Kingdom, some eighteen months before its inclusion on the "Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus" album in Sweden. "Golliwog" passed unnoticed in the UK, the collaboration with Embassy went no further, the single has since become a sought after collector's item, and these two English language rarities were first released on CD in 2004, on the bonus disc of the "Agnetha Fältskog De Första Åren
Agnetha Fältskog De Första Åren
Agnetha Fältskog De Första Åren 1967–1979 is a box set by Swedish pop singer and ABBA member Agnetha Fältskog, released in 2004 .It included all her official recordings, except the TV specials recordings....
" box set.
Track listing
Singles
"Elva kvinnor i ett hus" includes one of Agnetha's most successful Swedish solo hits, namely her Swedish version of ABBAABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
's "S.O.S.
SOS (ABBA song)
Agnetha Fältskog's version was the second single from her fifth Swedish solo-album Elva kvinnor i ett hus . It was the only song from this album not to have been composed by Fältskog herself....
". Upon its release at the end of 1975, it entered the Swedish singles chart
Sverigetopplistan
Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association ....
and eventually peaked at number 4 in January 1976, becoming only her third single to reach that chart and her first one since 1968.
| Release date | A-Side | B-Side | Label number | Swedish charts peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1975 | Dom har glömt | Gulleplutt | CUS 301 | |
| November 1975 | S.O.S. (Swedish version) | Visa i åttonde månaden | CUS 303 | |
Svensktoppen
Besides being a top 5 hit on the official Swedish singles chartSverigetopplistan
Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association ....
, Agnetha's version of "S.O.S." also quickly became a huge hit on the important Swedish radio chart Svensktoppen
Svensktoppen
Svensktoppen is a record chart at Sveriges Radio. Until January 2003, the songs had to be in the Swedish language. Svensktoppen has aired since 1962, except for the years 1982-1985. Svensktoppen airs once a week...
. During its 11 week chart-run, it also topped the hitlist, making it Agnetha's third Svensktoppen
Svensktoppen
Svensktoppen is a record chart at Sveriges Radio. Until January 2003, the songs had to be in the Swedish language. Svensktoppen has aired since 1962, except for the years 1982-1985. Svensktoppen airs once a week...
number 1.
In early 1976 two other tracks from "Elva kvinnor i ett hus" managed to enter Svensktoppen, without being released on single: "Doktorn!" and "Tack för en underbar, vanlig dag" both reached number five and also managed to bring the album back into the charts, which itself reached its highest position in May 1976 (number 11).
| Chart entry | Title | Peak position | Time in (weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 November 1975 | S.O.S. (Swedish version) | |
|
| 13 March 1976 | Doktorn! | |
|
| 17 April 1976 | Tack för en underbar, vanlig dag | |
|
Personnel
- Agnetha FältskogAgnetha FältskogAgnetha Åse Fältskog is a Swedish recording artist. She achieved success in Sweden after the release of her début album Agnetha Fältskog in 1968, and reached international stardom as a member of the pop group ABBA, which to date has sold over 375 million records worldwide, making it the fourth...
– vocals, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Michael B. TretowMichael B. TretowBo Michael Tretow is a swedish record producer and audio engineer, Musician and composer, best known for his work with Swedish pop group ABBA , and with the musical Chess. Tretow experimented with different recording techniques, and played an essential part in creating the famous "ABBA-sound"...
– engineerEngineerAn engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,... - Sven-Olof WalldoffSven-Olof WalldoffSven-Olof Walldoff was a Swedish record producer, composer and orchestra conductor who is best known for conducting the orchestra for ABBA's song "Waterloo" for the Eurovision Song Contest 1974, wearing a Napoleon costume....
– orchestra - Wlodek Gulgowski, Janne SchafferJanne SchafferJan Erik Tage Janne Schaffer is a Swedish songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his work as a session guitarist for ABBA but he has also recorded with artists such as Bob Marley, Johnny Nash, Art Farmer and Tony Williams...
, Sven-Olof WalldoffSven-Olof WalldoffSven-Olof Walldoff was a Swedish record producer, composer and orchestra conductor who is best known for conducting the orchestra for ABBA's song "Waterloo" for the Eurovision Song Contest 1974, wearing a Napoleon costume....
– arrangement - Lars-Johan Roundqvist – idea and production
The following musicians contributed to the recording of "Elva kvinnor i ett hus":
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
– Benny AnderssonBenny AnderssonGöran Bror "Benny" Andersson is a Swedish musician, composer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
, Jan Boquist, Wlodek Gulgowski, Björn J:son Lindh - drums – Ola BrunkertOla BrunkertOla Brunkert was one of the main session drummers for ABBA. Brunkert and bassist Rutger Gunnarsson are the only two side musicians to appear on every ABBA album....
, Malando Gassama, Roger Palm, Douglas Westlund - guitars – Björn Linder, Janne SchafferJanne SchafferJan Erik Tage Janne Schaffer is a Swedish songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his work as a session guitarist for ABBA but he has also recorded with artists such as Bob Marley, Johnny Nash, Art Farmer and Tony Williams...
, Lasse Westman - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
– Rutger Gunnarsson, Mike WatsonMike WatsonMichael Goodall Watson, Baron Watson of Invergowrie, known as Mike Watson, is a former British Labour Party politician... - bass clarinetBass clarinetThe bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
– Rune Falk - oboeOboeThe oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
– Ronnie Bogren - background vocals – Anders GlenmarkAnders GlenmarkAnders Glenmark is a Swedish pop and rock singer, as well as one of Sweden's most successful music producers and song writers. He is the brother of singer Karin Glenmark and nephew of band leader Bruno Glenmark. Among the artists he's written and produced for are Eva Dahlgren, Orup, Ted Gärdestad...
, Lasse Holm, Anni-Frid LyngstadAnni-Frid LyngstadAnni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...
, Claes Palmkvist, Beverly Sundel, Björn UlvaeusBjörn UlvaeusBjörn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, writer, producer, a former member of the Swedish musical group ABBA , and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!...
, Lasse Westman, Inger Öst - stringsString instrumentA string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
– Anders Dahl, Gunnar Klinge, Zdrzalka Krzysztof, Gunnar Mickols, Claes Nillson, Bertil Orsin, Per Sandklef, Sixten Strömvall - violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
– Lars Arvinder, Lars Brolin, Niels Heie - celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
– Erik Dybeck, Olle Gustafsson