1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

1964 In 1964 only one of the four future members of ABBA was recording-Björn and his folk group the Hootenanny Singers.The only other ABBA related recordings done prior to this time were a few recordings that ABBA manager Stig Anderson did in the late fifties, mainly as a duo. .Hootenanny Singers-Hootenanny Singers 1964 Swedish Lp Hootenanny Singers-Hootenanny Singers (2nd album) 1964 Swedish Lp

 

1.Hootenanny Singers-Hootenanny Singers 1964 Swedish Lp

This is the first ABBA related album ever recorded & the Hootz's debut album.The Hootenanny Singers included Björn Ulvaeus,
Tony Roth , John Karlberg and Hansi Swartz.
They all sang and played instruments,though
often studio musicians played on their records.
Oddly, Hansi Swartz was a German national.
The other three Hootz were Swedish folk.

The group was not a full time pursuit ,the boyz
went to college, the army and did other jobs
during the group's lifespan.
The group started life in 1963 in Vastervik,
Sweden as the West Bay Singers but Stig Anderson changed their name to the Hootenanny Singers when he signed them up to be Polar Records' first act. It was Stig that encouraged them to emphasize Swedish folk music.
Their first album features some songs in English.
The Hootenanny's first album included their first
hit " Jag Vantar Vid Min Mila" (a updated Dan Andersson song which supposedly translates to "I'm Waiting For You at the Charcoal Kiln")
It's a surprisingly powerful debut single.
A harmonica is featured prominently!
Some English folk songs were included on
the Hootz debut were -songs such as " Little Light Of Mine" ,"Spanish Is The Loving Tongue" "Bonnie Ship The Diamond" ,"Kevin Berry "
and there is even a song in Spanish ("Ave Maria No Morro").

 SIDE ONE

FROGG  /JAG VÄNTAR VID MIN MILA 
ANN-MARGRET  /HEM IGEN  /GODNATTSAGA 
EN BALLAD OM FRANSKA KUNGENS SPELMÄN 

SIDE TWO

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MIND  /SPANISH IS THE LOVING TONGUE/ 
AVE MARIA NO MORRO  /BONNIE SHIP THE DIAMOND /
KEVIN BERRY  /HEY LILEY LILEY LO 

2.Hootenanny Singers-Hootenanny Singers (2nd album) 1964 Swedish Lp

This includes the single "Gabrille"a song credited to Björn, Stig and a B.Thomas. "Gabrille" was recorded in more than one language. Most of the songs on this Lp are in Swedish , other songs featured include
"I Lunden Gröna " and "Darling".
One interesting coincidence to note here is that like Bjorn ,Agnetha Faltskog also did not bother to come up with specific titles for her first two albums.

SIDE ONE

GABRIELLE 
LERA  OCH  STEN 
KÖRSBÄR  UTAN  KÄRNOR 
I  LUNDEN  GRÖNA 
DÄR  SKALL  JAG  BO 
ÄLVENS  MÖRKA  STRAND 
SIDE TWO

DEN  GYLLENE  FREGATT 
EN  MOR  - LA  MAMMA 
ÖSREGNET 
STANNA  EN  STUND 
MIN  GRÖNA  DAL 
DaRLING 

1965 1965 brought forth Benny's first work with the Swedish rock group the Hep Stars as well as continued releases from Björn's Hootenanny Singers Hootenanny Singers-Sjunger Evert Taube 1965 Swedish Lp The Hep Stars-WE AND OUR CADILLAC 1965 Available on Swedish Cd The Heps Stars -HEP STARS ON STAGE-1965 Available on Swedish CD

 

3.Hootenanny Singers-Sjunger Evert Taube 1965 Swedish Lp

Evert Taube (1890-1976) was one of Sweden's
greatest songwriters , Taube was the subject of
two albums by the Hootz. This was their first
album of Taube songs. This features the
hit "Den Skona Helen" which has a bit of Country music feel to it. Hootenanny expert, Karl Van views this as one of the Hootz best albums.

  Britta (Soldatvisa) / Här Är Den Sköna Sommar/ 
Den Gyllene Fågeln (Bröllopsresan till Barcelona) 
Solola/  Min Älskade Hon Gick Sig I Min Lustgård 
Den Sköna Helen  (Flican i Peru) 
 Anna Bella Mirafior  /Telegrafisten Anton Hanssons Vals 
En Håttespeleman  /Första Torpet  /September  Tango Rosa 

4.The Hep Stars-WE AND OUR CADILLAC 1965 Available on Swedish Cd

That's Caddy-lack.
Benny Andersson joined the Hep Stars in October 1964 .They had made just one single (Kana Kapila) with their first organist , Hasse Ostlund. For this, their debut album , the Hep Stars would feature Svenne Hedlund on Lead Vocals, Janne Frisk on Guitar and backing Vocals ,Benny on Keyboards, Christer Pettersson on drums and Lelle Hegland on Bass. The group's early record are more group efforts - Benny and Svenne
do not dominate the group as much as on the
later records.

The group hit it big in Sweden right after Benny joined. A raucus Who-like TV debut would help the group top Sweden's charts with" Farmer John", "Cadillac",and "Bald Headed Woman" and hit the top five with "Tribute to Buddy Holly". All of which can found on the CD version of this, the Hep Stars first album.

"Cadillac" is powerful and "Bald Headed Woman" shows what Benny can do with a Hammond Organ. Most of the songs are covers
of American and English songs. This album also features Benny's first composition; a Kinks like rocker (with bad lyrics), called "No Response". "No Response" was supposedly the last song recorded for the album. This album was released by EMI-Sweden's Olga label,

was released by EMI-Sweden's Olga label,

Orginal album- Cadillac, Be my baby, That's when your heartaches begin, Send me some lovin', Young and beautiful, Rockin' love, No response, I'll never quite get over you, Sweet little sixteen, Oh! Carol, Then she (he) kissed me, Bald headed woman

CD Bonus tracks: Kana Kapila, I got a woman, A tribute to Buddy Holly, Bird dog, If you need me, Summertime blues, Farmer John, Donna

5.The Heps Stars -HEP STARS ON STAGE-1965 Available on Swedish CD

KRILLE! JANNE! LELLE! BENNY! SVENNE!-THE HEP STAARS! That's how this album starts.
A very Swedish announcer pronounces all the
Hep Stars names with same ending syllable, (Krill-lee was the nickname of the Heps' drummer -Christian Peterson. )

ON STAGE is a highly vigorous live album recorded on the Swedish folk park circuit in the summer of 1965. The early Hep Stars were not known for restraint on stage. The fan screaming on here is not manufactured and not totally without some justification. This album is more exciting
than ABBA's live album, albeit, with far worse material and musicianship.

Most of the material played here are covers -a limitation which had drove Benny to write material for the group.
Benny mainly plays electric organ here.
At one point Svenne asks the Swedish audience to "Clap Your Hands" but he does it in English,
as if saying such things in Swedish wouldn't be cool.

All the recent CD reissues of Hep
Stars albums include non album A and B sides
as bonus tracks. The bonus tracks here include
"So Mystifying" (the Kinks song), the single
version of "Cadillac" and" Should I"
(originally by Chad and Jeremy) ." Should I" blindsides with a blistering organ solo at 1:33.

Although this is good live album, it is
of less interest to ABBA fans simply because
there is only one song written by Benny to be found here.

ORIGINAL ALBUM -Cadillac, Be my baby, That's when your heartaches begin, Send me some lovin', Young and beautiful, Rockin' love, No response, I'll never quite get over you, Sweet little sixteen, Oh! Carol, Then she kissed me, Bald headed woman

CD BONUS TRACKS: Kana Kapila, I got a woman, A tribute to Buddy Holly, Bird dog, If you need me, Summertime blues, Farmer John, Donna

1966 1966 saw the birth of Björn and Benny's writing partnership in the song "Isn't it Easy To Say", as well as some rapid sophistication in the work of both the Hootenanny's and the Hep Stars. Hootenanny Singers-International 1966 Swedish Lp The Hep Stars -The Hep Stars 1966 Available on Swedish CD. Hootennanny singers- Manga Ansikten/Many Faces 1966 Swedish lp

 

6.Hootenanny Singers-International 1966 Swedish Lp

Our Björn goes off to London here to record a
few tracks and to take in the scene. The resulting
album includes the key song, " No Time " -Björn's first important composition in English (though supposedly he had help from a Martin Dean on the songs' socially conscious lyrics. ) Benny's band the Hep Stars would also record "No Time"..
Others songs in English include "Time To Move
Along" ,and "In the Darkness of My night".
The major Swedish song here was
"Björkens Visa "(Song of the Birch Tree).

SIDE 1

Björkens Visa 
Små Nära Ting 
Vildandens Klagan 
Finns Det Liv Så Finns Det Hopp 
Lili - Marleen 
En Festling Dag  (It`s good news week) 
SIDE 2

No Time 
Wenn Alle Ströme Versiegen 
Time To Move Along 
Fermati In Me  (Stanna en stund) 
In The Darkness Of My Night 
La Mamma 

7.The Hep Stars -The Hep Stars 1966 Available on Swedish CD.

An important album. The Hep stars have a slightly mellower sound here. This is probably the most consistently good Hep Stars album.

This is where Benny emerges here for first time as a full fledged songwriter and his talent is already blossoming. The CD version of this has seven songs written by Benny and or Björn. (Five of which were on the original LP.) The first song Björn and Benny ever wrote together the exquisite "Isn't It Easy To say is here.

The oft-told legend has it that "Isn't It Easy to Say" was written in the office of Björn's father's papermill after Björn and Benny had met at a party in Vastervik that both the Hep Stars and the Hootenanny's attended.

A real standout track is one of Benny's solo compositions a #2 Swedish hit called "Consolation" -"Consolation" is seemingly the lament of a dead (or metaphorically dead) lover . Benny's organ melds well with the band here.
The song's chorus hook soars to the sky on the
strength of the band performance.

Benny also wrote the haunting classically
influenced "Sound of Eve" which features some lovely piano and actual birdsong (A promo bio of Benny at the time indicates that Benny already had developed an interest in bird-watching). The backing vocals on "Sound of Eve' are ambitious.

Two of the most famous Hep Stars
songs are here. The Hep Stars biggest
international hit-"Sunny Girl"(written by Benny)
is found here as a bonus track.
The other famous songs is "Wedding" a wedding march written by Benny and Svenne that later was played by Benny at Björn and Agnetha's wedding. in July 1971.

The Hep Stars version of the Hootenanny Singers
hit "No Time ' is done here at a less sleepy pace than the Hootz's original. The best of the non-Benny compositions is the anti-war song "Last Night I had the Strangest Dream" which like a lot of songs here has some solid three (or more) part harmony on which Svenne sings with Janne and Benny.The Swedish version of the same song can also be found here. (The Hep Stars often did English and Swedish versions of the same song).

All in all ,this album stands up well against albums by British and American artists of the time.
It is a must have for students of the songwriting of Björn and Benny.

No time,/The birds in the sky/ Consolation/
Easy to fool/ Sound of eve/
Isn't it easy to Say / Lady, lady/
Last night I had the strangest dream/
Morning comes after night/
I've said it all before, Wedding

Tracks not on original LP but added to CD reissue- Sunny girl,/Hawaii/
When my blue moon turns to gold again/
I natt jag drömde/ Jag vet/ Don't/ Malaika,
It's nice te be back Again/

 

8.Hootennanny singers- Manga Ansikten/Many Faces 1966 Swedish lp

There you go a translation in the actual album title. The cover features two nearly identical photos of the boyz, one serious , one relaxed.
The songs on side one are in Swedish and on
side two are in English. The English titles include "Through Darkness Light"(written and produced by Manfred Mann's Mike 'D'Abo) ,"Just The Way That You Are" , "The Long Black Veil" as well as two more famous songs-"Baby, those Are The Rules" and Benny Andersson's song-"Sunny Girl".

This album includes Björn's chauvinistic but,
tongue in cheek pop song "Baby Those Are The Rules". Like lots of Hootz records "...Rules" features a lot of harmonica. The lyrics on "Baby ..." were written by American producer Sandy Alexander.

This album also has a version of Benny's song
"Sunny Girl" as well as Benny's first appearence playing together on record with Björn on the song "Blomman"(The Flower). Benny's organ takes over the record on "Blomman". One of the best of the remaining songs on the album, was Björn's composition-"In Thoughts of You". , Bjorn was preparing for the day when he could have a solo career.

Side A

1.Blomman
2.Marianne
3.Vid Roines Strand
4.Vid En Bivåg Till En Byvåg Bor Den Blonda Beatrice
5.En Man Och En Kvinna
6.Tänk Dej De' Att Du Och Jag Var Mej

Side B

1.Through Darkness Light
2.Sunny Girl
3.In Thoughts Of You
4.Just The Way That You Are
5.The Long Black Veil
6.Baby Those Are The Rules

1967 In late 1967 both Agnetha and Frida began recording, though Agnetha's work wouldn't make it unto a album till 1968 and Frida's till 1971. Hootenanny Singers-Civila 1967 Swedish Lp Hootenanny Singers-Basta 1967 Swedish Lp Northern Lights-GABRILLE mid 1960's American LP Frida's early recording career 1967-1970 The Hep Stars -Jul Med Hep Stars 1967 Swedish Lp Issued on CD November 2001

 

9.Hootenanny Singers-Civila 1967 Swedish Lp

The title means civilians, a reference to the the fact that three of the Hootz had just recently completed their tour of duty in the Swedish army. This album has "En Gang ar Ingen Gang" which is
a cover of "There Goes My Everything" an American country music song. This was a song that Frida also did a cover of. Covers of country songs would be become a major part of the Hootz repretoire in the later 1960's.

This has "En Gang ar Ingen Gang" which is
a cover of "There Goes My Everything" an American country music song. This was a song that Frida also did a cover of.

The Hootz return largely to a Swedish repretoire on this album with songs such as"Början Till Slutet ", "Marie-Christina" ," Laura (Vad Är Den Han Har Som Fattas Mej) "and " Mårten Gås ". " Mårten Gås "is a fairly good song made by the strange by lead vocals of the Hootz's
grizzled roadie .

SIDE ABörjan Till Slutet
Du Ska Bara Tro På Hälften 
Marie - Christina 
Sång Och Musik 
Den Dagen Den Sorgen 
LAURA 
SIDE BAdjö, Farväl 
Du Eller Igen 
Silver Och Guld Och Gröna Skogar 
Mårten Gås 
En Gång Är Ingen Gång 

10.Northern Lights-GABRILLE 1967 American and British Lp

Björn was the first of the eventual- members of ABBA to have
an album released in America. The Hootennany
Singers released this album under the name
Northern Lights . It includes songs
from the first few Hootenanny Singers albums.

Strangley Swedish language tracks were chosen,even though English language tracks were available,Not surprisingly, the album didn't go anywhere- but it does exist. I have seen it with thine eyes!
(Thank you, Bob Eber!)

SIDE ONE

Gabrielle 
Finns Det Liv Så Finns Det Hopp 
Björkens Visa 
I Lunden Gröna 
Vid En Biväg Till En Byväg Bor Den Blonda Beatrice 
Vildandens Klagan   

SIDE TWO

Jag Väntar Vid Min Mila 
Vid Roines Strand 
Marianne 
Ann-Margret 
Wenn Alle Ströme Versiegen 

11.Hootenanny Singers-Basta 1967 Swedish Lp

This was the first Hootz hits collection...
, "Basta " preety much means " Best of " in Swedish.This collection includes some but not all their 1960's hits. Included are"Gabrille (Swedish version), 'Marianne", "Blomman" and "No Time".

The Cd version of this album combines this album with 1969's
collection called DU BASTE MED HOOTENANNY Singers and Björn Ulvaeus (see review below). So that's makes this CD a great value and a reasonablly simple way to get most of the
important Hootenanny songs.
If you can only have only one Hootz record in your collection this would be the one to have! More likely you have no hootz in your collection and thats ok too! Go Red Sox, Go Smurfs Do Not pass go...

Songs forom the original BASTA LP--
Jag väntar vid min mila-Hootenanny Singers(1st album) ,1964
Gabrielle -Hootenanny Singers (2nd album) 1964
Den gyllene fregatt -Hootenanny Singers (2nd album) 1965
I lunden gröna-Hootenanny Singers (2nd album), 1965
Ave maria no morro-Hootenanny Singers 1964

Björkens visa--International 1965
En sång en gång för längesen-Manga Ansikten/Many Faces 1966
Marianne-Manga Ansikten/Many Faces 1966
Blomman- Manga Ansikten/Many Faces, 1966
Vid en biväg till en byväg bor den blonde Beatrice-Manga Ansikten/ Many Faces,1966
Baby Those Are The Rules- Manga Ansikten/Many Faces 1966
No time-International 1966

Frida's early recording career 1967-1970

Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida) went into the recording studio and recorded her first single for EMI in late 1967.. Frida's early career entirely consisted of singles releases released only in Scandanavia.. None of her early singles were particularly successful....Many of these songs would show up on her second album-which was a collection of her early singles.

Her early work was largely light jazz or sophisticated pop music. All of this material has been made available on Cd and much of it had been released on album.

1967
En Ledig Dag / Peter Kom Tillbaka Din / Du Är Så Underbart Rar
1968
Simsalabim / Vi Möts Igen Mycket Kär / När Du Blir Min
1969
Härlig Är Vår Jord / Räkna De Lyckliga Stunderna Blott Så Synd Du Måste Gå / Försök Och Sov På Saken Peter Pan / Du Betonar Kärlek Lite Fel
1970
Där Du Går Lämnar Kärleken Spår / Du Var Främling Här Igår

12.The Hep Stars -Jul Med Hep Stars 1967 Swedish Lp Issued on CD November 2001Christmas with the Hep Stars.

Festive, no doubt.
The LP edtion of this ,IS somewhat rare.
This is being reissued on CD for Christmas 2001.It is reissued with a new track listing that includesa couple of previously unreleased tracks as well asthe omision of some 3 of the lesser tracks.

The CD opens with "Christmas On My Mind" a fairly good song that's on the HEP STARS 1964-69 Cd. This album also includes "Nu ar det jul igen" , "Nu tandas tusen juleljus" and a humourous version of "Jingle Bells".

The Swedish Christmas standard "Nu Tandas tusen julejus" would be later recorded by Björn's Hootenanny Singers and Agnetha & Linda Fältskog. It is the only song I believe to have been recorded by three different ABBA solo acts.

Track listing:

1. Christmas On My Mind
2. Pojken Som Jultomten Glömde
3. White Christmas
4. Alla Sover Utom Jag
5. Jingle Bells
6. Christmas Today
7. Good King Wencelas (previously unreleased)
8. The Boy That Old Santa Forgot
9. Det Strålar En Stjärna (previously unreleased)
10. Gläns Över Sjö Och Strand
11. Nu Tändas Tusen Juleljus
12. Stilla Natt
13. Dotter Sion

1968 1968 saw the innocent first albums of Agnetha Faltskog as well as Björn's short-lived solo singles career. Hootenanny Singers-Bellmann Pa Va Sart 1968 Available on Swedish Agnetha Fältskog-Agnetha Fältskog 1968 Swedish LP available on cd The Hep Stars-It's Been a Long Long Time 1968 Japanese Cd Hootenanny Singers-Fave AR 1968 Swedish Lp Hep Stars -Songs We Sang '68 1968 Available on Swedish CD. Agnetha Fältskog-Agnetha Fältskog-Volume 2 1968 or 1969 Swedish Lp Björn Ulvaeus Solo Career- 1968-1969

 

Hootenanny Singers-Bellmann Pa Va Sart 1968 Available on Swedish Cd

Our boyz our on the cover decked out in 1700's garb. Björn has a mustache and is holding a wooden flute. Hansi is having a cocktail.
When we read the liner notes we find all
the songs have long titles and references to
to numbered epistles. Whatz up! Well our boyz
are paying homage to Swedish poet/musician Carl Michael Bellmann (1740-1795).

Bellmann's classic work was the Fredman's Epistlar published in 1790 .It's 82 songs tell the story of a middle class hard drinking clockmaker in a style that originally parodies the Pauline epistles.All of the songs here are adaptions of Bellmann songs .The boyz had to shorten many of the texts.

It's not clear where the impetus for this
project came. Obscure Hootz albums are not the kind of thing you hear about in ABBA interviews.
The first track on the album ,"Maltidssang" ,was a mild Swedish hit for the boyz. This is obviously
a less pop sounding album but the boys strident harmony singing sounds the same as it always has. Interestingly , there are some short orchestral bits thrown in here and there that were arranged
by S.O. Walldorf. Walldorf would also do string arrangements for Agnetha's solo albums and ABBA themselves.

This album was recorded at Metronome Studios in Stockholm and co-engineered by Michael Tretow. This is the earliest of the the Hootz studio albums to be available on Cd. This is the only Hootz studio album from the 1960's available on Cd..

SIDE A

.Måltidssång 
Rörande Kortspelet På Klubben/
Angående Ulla Winblads Lustresa Till Första 
Torpet Utom Ka/ttrumpstullen  /
Till Lokatten 
Till Gumman På Thermopolium  /
Boreale Och Hennes Jungfrur 

SIDE B

Aftonkväde  /Nota Bene /
Till Fader Berg Rörande Fiolen  /
Till En Och Var Av Systrarna,  Men Enkannerlingen Till Ulla Winblad  /
Varuti Avmålas Ulla Winblads Hemresa Från  Hessingen I Mälaren En Summarmorgon 1769/ 
Klingar Väl Vid Flöjttraver/

 

Agnetha Fältskog-Agnetha Fältskog 1968 Swedish LP

available on cd Reissued in 2004 as part of Agnetha Box set..

In the late Summer of 1967,Agnetha was singing in Bengt Enghardt's dance band in Jonkoping, Sweden when a demo tape she had sent to Cupol Records drew the interest of producer Little Gerhard.
Sadly, for the Bengt Enghardt dance band, only Agnetha was signed..
Agnetha recorded her first single in October
1967 and by late 1968 her first album had been
recorded and released.

The Agnetha Fältskog album compiled the contents of her first five singles. Two of the singles "Jag Ar Sa Kar" (I Was so in love)"and"Allting har förändrat sej (Everything has changed ) were actual hits.

The album cover pictures Agnetha in a sweet but sexy pose in a miniskirt. Agnetha wrote or co-wrote most of the songs on her first album a remarkable accomplishment for a 18 year old woman singer in 1968. This is a very innocent album.

This has finally been reissued on Cd by
Royal Records. The cd includes three bonus tracks, and some of the original artwork.This album is also reissued as part of -De Första Åren - Agnetha Fältskog 1967-1979 6 CD box set

Track listing for original lp; Jag var så kär/Jag har förlorat dig /   Utan dej/  Allting har förändrat sej / Försonade/ Slutet gott allting gott / Tack Sverige / En sommar med dej /  Snövit och de sju dvärgarna / Min farbror Jonathan / Följ med mig Den jag väntat på

Bonus Tracks- Sjung denna sång / Någonting händer med mig / Borsta tandtrollen bort (Aggie's Public service record to remind Swedish children to brush their teeth.)

 

The Hep Stars-It's Been a Long Long Time 1968 Swedish Lp Out of print Japanese Cd

I haven't actually held this album in my hands.
Supposedly it was reissued on CD by M&M
Records in Japan . This was the first of the Hep
Stars studio albums to be reissued on Cd.But is no longer easily availble.
EMI did most of the other Hep Stars reissues.

1967 had been a year in which the Hep stars had searched for various ways to break out internationally, cos they were scared that one day Bjorn would have a solo career...

Early in the year they worked on aborted film project- Habari Safari-( some of which was filmed in Africa, but because there was no plot the footage filmed proved to be useless.
This album was recorded in late 1967 largely in London. On this album session musicians filled in for Janne, Christer and Lennart.

(-a common if heartless practice in the 1960's) . An American producer Steve Clark was brought in to produce the album.

The original album featured a lot of songs mainly written by others supposedly in the soft rock vein. Benny did write a couple of tunes on the album.The bonus tracks included many of the songs on Songs We Sang 68 CD-(if you have this Cd you could probably get by without Songs We Sang 68). The front cover of the Lp features a colorful drawing
-ah the fabulous 1960's!!!

Enter the young/Hope/5 am/It's Time For A change/Changing Away From You/It's Been a Long Long Time /Musty Dusty/Spinging,Spinging,Spinging/There Is love/ Would You Like To Go /It's now A Winters' Day /Another Time/
Bonus tracks found on CD issue
Det Finns En Stad/ Sagan Om Lilla Sofi /Let It BE me/Groovy Summertime/Holiday For Clowns/A Flower In My Garden/Save Your Heart For me/I Sagans Land/Bilden Av/Suddenly Tommorow Is Today/Warten Auf Den Tag/Songs We sang

Hootenanny Singers-Fave AR 1968 Swedish Lp

The album title translates to Five Years. The Hootz had been together five years. This features a very strangely recorded Swedish cover of the Turtles hit-"Elenore" .( Well I suppose the Hootz version of "Elenore" is not that strange since strange weird effects & phased guitars were normal in 1967 and Sweden's a year behind the scene...!)

On this album the Hootz do a Kingston Trio song . "Greenback dollar' -the Hootz were continuing
to draw on folk sources for the majority of their
material even though Björn personally favored
doing more Rock and Pop numbers.

Nomar was just as good as A-ROD......

Hep Stars -Songs We Sang '68 1968 Available on Swedish CD.

The Hep Stars continue down the middle of the
road a bridge too far perhaps here .The group
now included Svenne's future wife, Charlotte
(Lotta) Walker a African-American singer from
an American pop-soul group called the The Sherry's.

Somehow, Lotta found herself stuck
in Sweden in the arms of Svenne Hedlund . Svenne knew full well that Bjorn would soon have a short solo career....

In Lotta's honor, the album starts out with a medley of Soul cover numbers (mostly) recorded at Swedish folkparks in 1968.Among the covers are "You Keep Me Hanging On", Let It be Me" and two versions of San Cooke's "Shake" .

The second side of the album features original studio material. It's good but it lacks direction. The second released Björn and Benny composition is here and it's called "A Flower in My Garden". Svenne sings it with a Carl Wilson-esque slur.

The title cut ("Songs We Sang")is sung by Lotta (one of the first songs written by Benny with a lead vocal sung by a woman).
The bonus tracks include the Hep Stars last singles going into 1969. The bonus tracks include the folksy B&B song, "Speleman" .Also included are The b-side to "Speleman" - B&B's , "Precis Som Alla Andra" ,and two numbers written by Benny with Svenne called "Like You Used To Do" and "She Will She love You" .

 

Agnetha Fältskog-Agnetha Fältskog-Volume 2 1968 Swedish Lp available on CD (some sources say this album was released in 1969)

Reissued in 2004 as part of Agnetha Box set..

Agnetha's first two albums were produced by the man who discovered her, Karl-Gerhard Lundqvist (who also went by his performing name-Little Gerhard). Little Gerhard also wrote or cowrote
some of the songs on Aggie's first few albums.

VOLUME 2 is similar to the first album. This one features "Zigenarvan" (Gypsy Friend") a rollicking song co-written by Aggie that apparently offended her large Swedish gypsy audience. These same gypsies were apprently not offended by Bjorn's solo career...

At this point in her career Agnetha also attempted to become big in(the album GEH MIT GOHT)Germany . This album was co-engineered by Michael Tretow.

This album was rereleased in 2000 on CD with bonus tracks by Royal Records .Has lyrics and three bonus tracks! Features "Nu Ska Vi Opp" as a bonus track. "Nu Ska Vi Opp" was featured in the THANK YOU ABBA video in a bizarre video where Agnetha joins the Swedish airforce.

track listing. with bonus tracks...

This album is also reissued as part of -De Första Åren - Agnetha Fältskog 1967-1979 6 CD box set

Framför Svenska Sommaren/Lek Med Dina Dockor/Ge Dej Till Tåls/Skål Kära Vän/Glöm honom/En Gång Fanns Bara Vi Två/Hjärtats Kronprins/Det Handlar Om kärlek/Som En Vind../Senor Gonzales/Zigenarvän/Tag Min hand../Nu Ska Vi Opp Opp/ Medley:3 songs/En Stilla

Björn Ulvaeus Solo Career- 1968-1969

So your up late at night unable to sleep-and you toss and you turn as you wonder -did Björn ever have a career as a solo artist? The answer is yes.
Björn's short solo career occurred whilst he was still a Hootenanny,and most of his solo tracks showed up on Hootenannny albums. His solo career only ended because he joined up with Benny to become a duo (Björn and Benny).

Björn put out , under his own name, four singles (but no lp) out in 1968/69 on the Polar label.
These singles are his only solo records to date. Three of Björn's A-sides made it onto this onto the second Basta album, which also functioned as the Hootz second Greatest Hits collection. Björn's covers of" Harper Valley PTA" (rewritten to become "Froken Frederickson' -they must not have PTA's in Sweden) and the Bobby Goldsboro's hit "Honey" (called here "Raring') were big Swedish hits.

Björn's singles-

Raring/ Vill Du Ha En Vän SPRING 1968
Fröken Fredricksson/ Vår Egen Sång FALL 1968
Saknar Du Något Min Kära/ Gömt Är Inte Glömt SPRING 1969
Partaj-aj-aj/ Kvinnan I Mitt Liv WINTER 1969

1969 In mid -1969 Benny left the Hep Stars and began working full time as songwriter,producer and performer with Björn who nonetheless continued to work for the Hootenanny Singers. Benny and Björn began working with Frida on her singles. Hootenanny Singers & Björn Ulvaeus-Du Baste Hootenanny Singers & Björn Ulvaeus 1969 Available in tandem with BASTA on cd Jorgen Edman -Jorgen Edman 1969 Out of print Swedish lp The Hep Stars-Pa Svenska 1969 Swedish lp The Hootennanny Singers - PÅ TRE MAN HAND 1969 Swedish Lp

 

Hootenanny Singers & Björn Ulvaeus-Du Baste Hootenanny Singers & Björn Ulvaeus 1969 Available in tandem with BASTA on Swedish Cd

So you ask yourselves yet again ,for the second time in as many minutes ,did Björn ever have a career as a solo artist? ????The answer still is yes.
Björn's short solo career occurred whilst he was still a Hootenanny,and only ended because he joined up with Benny to become a duo (Björn and Benny).

Björn put out , under his own name, four singles (but no lp) out in 1968/69 on the Polar label.
These singles are his only solo records to date. Three of the A-sides made it onto this album which also functioned as the Hootz second Greatest Hits collection. Björn's covers of" Harper Valley PTA".(rewritten to become "Froken Frederickson' -they must not have PTA's in Sweden) and the Bobby Goldsboro's hit "Honey" called here "Raring' were big Swedish hits.

The best song from the second hit collection is a original composition by Björn done for the Hootz as a single called "Mrs O'Grady" . which features great rythems and intriguing English lyrics. The use of staccato strings was inspired no doubt by Beatles records like "Eleanor Rigby".

All the tracks released on this Lp were added to CD version of BASTA as bonus tracks.

-Songs from the original LP DU BASTE MED HOOTENANNY SINGERS & Björn ULVAEUS

Början till slutet-Civilia 1967
Finns det liv så finns det hopp-International, 1966
Fåfängans marknad-Fem Ar 1968
En gång är ingen gång-Civilia, 1967
Saknar du något min kära-A-side by Bjorn,1968
Adjö farväl-Civilia, 1967
Elenore-Fem AR, 1968
Raring-Bjorn A side, 1968
Mårten  gås-Civila, 1967
Så  länge  du älskar är du ung- -Aside, 1968
Fröken Fredriksson Bjorn A-side& Fem Ar 1968
Mrs. O'Grady A-side , 1967

Jorgen Edman -Jorgen Edman 1969 Out of print Swedish lp

This album was the first to feature both sides of Agnetha's late sixties single with Jorgen Edman Sjung denna säng/ Nagonting händer med dej. Jorgen was a Cupol records label mate... These tracks also show up on the Sjung denna säng album and other compilations ...The rest of the songs on this album are Jorgen Edman tracks.

The Hep Stars-Pa Svenska 1969 Swedish lp

The Hep Stars were having troubles staying whole at this point. Their main problem was that they owed money to the Swedish taxing authorities , but also Benny, Svenne and Lotta
were itching to try something new. So a totally new studio album wasn't in the offing for 1969 and instead a compilation of the Hep Stars Swedish tracks was put together. This includes includes both recent and older material., most of the songs had not been available on Lp at the time...Svenne and Lotta 's Wedding Portrait is on the cover. This doesn't seem to available on Cd.

This was the last Hep Stars album before the tax problems and career changes led Svenne, Lotta and Benny to leave the band. The last concert with Benny was August 31, 1969. The rest of the Hep Stars continued on for a bit ,Svenne and Lotta continued to occasionally work with Benny in concert till 1973.

Björn & Benny would also have some involvement with Svenne & Lotta's albums when Stig signed
S&L to the Polar label. The Hep Stars would get together for reunion album in the 1990's
(without Benny) called ACT II.

I natt jag drömde A side Mot Okänt Land A-side Bilden av dej -Songs we Sang Är det inte kärlek, säg? B-side Speleman A side

Sagan om lilla Sofi Precis som alla andra B-side Någonting har hänt B-side Jag vet B-side I sagans land Tända på varann A-side

 

The Hootennanny Singers - PÅ TRE MAN HAND 1969 Swedish Lp

And then there were three. (the album's title means -"A group of Three")

The irreplaceable ,,Johan Karlberg left prior to the making of this
album so the Hootz were forced to make do as a threesome.

Johan wanted to go back to working at the family business.

This album includes Swedish songs such as
"Vinden Sjunger Samma Sång &
"Ring Ring Här Är Svensktoppsjuryn"
a couple of songs in English -
"When I was Young" &

"Who's Gonna Hold Your Hand"
and two tracks credited to Björn alone
when they were released as singles-
the pleasent "Kvinnan I Mitt Liv" and the bizarre
B&B song"Partaj-aj-aj" The album hasn't been released
on CD. Yes, and rememember Bjorn was solo for a time!..

SIDE A VINDEN SJUNGER SAMMA SÅNG   RING RING - SVENSKTOPPSJYRYN   CASANOVA   HEM TILL DE HEM   WHEN I WAS YOUNG

SIDE B PARTAJ-AJ-AJ   OM JAG KUNDE SKRIVA EN VISA   KVINNAN MIT LIV   LEV SOM DU LÄR   VÅRT SAMTAL I MORSE

 

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Bjorn had a solo career goddamit , he did.