BENNY ANDERSSON'S SOLO WORK (1983-2009)

including his work with Benny Andersson's Orkester

and Benny's work in films 1987-2008

"Silence is suddenly shattered by
the blaring of trumpets"

Benny ANDERSSON keyboardist,occasional backing vocalist,producer-songwriter of ABBA, was also member of The Hep Stars(from 1964-1969) and Bjorn and Benny(1969-1972) prior to the founding of ABBA.

He really only started having a solo career in the Fall of 1987, and his solo albums only represent about a third of Benny's post ABBA career. Along with Benny's two solo albums and two albums with the Benny Andersson Orkester there are the numerous discs associated with with Bjorn and Benny 's three musicals, Benny's film music work, there are the two albums Bjorn and Benny worked on with Gemini, an album with Josefin Nilsson, an album with Ainbusk, work scoring films, and songwriting as well as more than a dozen other albums other that he helped release on his Mono records label... Benny tends to do work that makes him happy, so sometimes he fails to take full advantage of the fact that he one of the great European songwriters of the past 50 years and end up working on very obscure projects..Probably, the greatest gap in Benny's output is that he never put out a album that just features him playing piano...When he has played any of his songs in piano renditions they are invariably fascinating...

Though he can sing, Benny doesn't sing on his solo albums, instead he utilizes guest vocalists on a few tracks here and there, but most of Benny's solo tracks are instrumentals. Accordion & violin based Swedish folk music is featured prominently in much of Benny's solo work . Since the late 1980's Benny has owned his own independent record label called Mono records, on which he releases his albums and other pet projects. For more about Benny's production work see the BJORN AND BENNY section. This includes Benny's considerable work in musicals and writing albums for Gemini, and Josefin Nilsson. Also See  ABBA GOES TO THE MOVIES for more about Benny's film career....

Albums reviewed on this page..

**Various Artists-Antligen Sommarlov! 1983 Swedish Lp

****Benny Andersson- Klinga Mina Klockor 1987 Swedish Cd
****Benny Andersson-November 1989 1989 Swedish CD
**Various artists- FIOLIN MIN Sweden's Greatest Hits 1990 Produced by Benny and including Benny as a artist Avail. on Swedish Cd
*Fagelsang i Sverige- Available on Swedish Cd 1990 Swedish Cd.
***Benny Andersson-Benny Andersson's Orkester released on Swedish CD June 2001

***Benny Andersson's Orkester-BAO! June 2004 Swedish CD.

Benny's work in films 1987-2001

Various Artists-Antligen Sommarlov! 1983 Out of print Swedish Lp

Polar Records put out This Swedish market only complimation album. It has has Benny's first solo recording ,and a rare live ABBA recording. Benny recorded a short version of the Swedish hymn-"Den Blomstetid Nu Kommer",which saw it's only release here.
In a different time Benny would have no doubt,been working in a church as a organist and classical composer.

Also find here a 1979 live version of "Summer Night City;' Though this recording was left off the later ABBA 's live album , it was made available here as well on numerous bootlegs. The live recording of SNC might even be better than the original released single of "Summer Night City". Den Blomstertid Nu Kommer" was later released a second time on the SOMMAR, SOMMAR, SOMMAR CD ,but that is also out of print. It's the sort of track that just waits to be compiled somewhere...

Just a side note-
Summer complimation albums are a
Swedish phenomenom -go into a Swedish
record store in the summer and you'll
find dozens of titles in this category.

1. Benny Andersson-Den Blomstertid Nu Kommer 2. Stikkan och Kontorskoren-Sommar, Sommar, Sommar 3. Nifty's Roadrunners-Sommarvino 4. ABBA- Summer Night City (LIVE) 5. Mats Ronader-Summer Time Blues 6. Fia Nystrom-Sommarrkvall I Stan 7. Pal Ritz and Piccolos-Good Day Sunshine

1. Buslingarna-Antligen Somarlov 2. Lars Hoflund-Here Comes The Sun 3. Tomas Ledin-Summaren Ar Kort 4. Low Budget Blues Band-Summer in The City 5. Express-Sommardagar 6 .Tove Naess-Falling In the Love with the Summer Again 7. Rolk Ericksson-Jag Pa Sommaren

Benny Andersson- Klinga Mina Klockor 1987 Available on Swedish Cd

"Sweden is an accordion country"- Björn Ulvaeus

After 23 years in the music business Benny finally put out a album with just his name on it. Surprisingly or not this album was very successful in Sweden. Swedes were open to the traditional folk music that dominates this album. The albums' title translates in English to "Ring My Bell".

About two thirds of this album is accordion/violin based music written by Benny (or B&B) in a Swedish folk music style. Benny's friends, Orsa Spelman play the violins on the album.The Stockholm's Radiosymfonikerna also receives credit as co-players on the CD cover.

Although, accordion music is certainly an acquired taste, hearing a master like Benny play the accordion might make you want to acquire a taste for it. In any case, Benny does play the piano here as well. The other joy in hearing this album is that it it so freshingly non-commercial sounding.

Björn had moved to England by the time this album was being made, so for the first time in many years, Benny began writing songs with out Björn and even worked with an alternative lyricist (Benny's brother -in-law , Mats Norlkit ) on one song, the lovely , "Efter Regnet (After the Rain)". Björn didn't play at all on this album or coproduce any of the tracks. Even so, Björn cowrote 4 songs on the album. ( Björn lived in England from 1984-90).

Benny dragged up an unfinished B&B song rejected by ABBA called "Hamlet III" (which would appear in a partial version on the ABBA box set -THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC). Here it is called " Lottis schottis".

At least Three of songs were written for members of
Benny's family. Firstly, there is the whimsical "Ludvig's Leksakspolka" written for his son, and wrote a birthday waltz for his wife Mona called "Födelsedagsvals till Mona" .

Two of songs are similar to the music in CHESS or KRISTINA. "Efter Regnet" (After the Rain) is a elegant duet sung by Tommy Korberg & Karin Glenmark. The title track is an ambitious four section choral orchestral piece that features a woman's chorus and the Stockholm Radio Symphony. Frida sings on the chorus -the only time one of the ABBA girls has appeared on the same record
as one of the ABBA boys in the post ABBA period. Part of the melody of the title track was used in places on Kristina.

This album was the first album released on Benny's record label-Mono Music.

This album ranks just after Kristina and Chess, amongst Benny's best post- ABBA work..

Track listing for Klinga Mina Klockor

Inledningsvisa, Lottis schottis, Födelsedagsvals till Mona, Om min syster, Efter regnet (featuring Tommy Korberg & Karin Glenmark), Ludvigs leksakspolka, Gladan, Långsammazurkan, Tittis sång, Trolskan, Klinga mina klockor

Benny Andersson-November 1989 Available on Swedish CD 1989

Benny's second solo album features a lot more piano & synthesizers and a bit less accordion/violin than his first solo album. The folk group Orsa Spelman is on here but they play a less than they do on KLINGA.

As result it's a easier listen, but also a less interesting album. It's doesn't jump out at you the way KLINGA does. What this album does offer is lots of unadultearated Benny Andersson keyboards and synthesizers. This sounds more like film instrumental music, albeit with the usual Benny Andersson flair for melody and hooks. This album also includes some vaguely humourous sounding music such as "Machopolska ".

Björn cowrote only one song here, "The Conducator'. It was written for a special concert. The song features Tommy Korberg singing. The lyric sounds like a Chess lyric, it's full of cynicism! It seemingly describes some horrible bureaucrat. Apparently though, the song was inspired by ,a Romanian, Doina Cornea's letters to her daughter during the Communist dictatorship of Nikolai Ceaucescu. "The Conducator" is the only vocal track on the album.

Once again, one of Benny's family members is mentioned in a song title this time it's his Grandfather -Efraim Andersson. Efraim taught Benny to play the accordion starting when Benny was six. Benny most treasured possesion is the accordion his Grandfather gave him...

The CD opens with the beautiful Northern sounding "Skallgång".This album's most haunting song is the closer "Stockholm at Night". The melody for "Stockholm at Night "was recycled for use in KRISTINA FRAN DUVEMALA.

It is strange that the CD's title is written in English,
since this was only released in Sweden!

Track listing for November 1989

Skallgång, Machopolska, Vals efter Efraim Andersson. Sekelskiftesidyll, Dans på vindbryggan, Stjuls, Tröstevisa, Målarskolan, Novell #1, The conducator (featuring Tommy Korberg) ,Stockholm by night

Various artists- FIOLIN MIN Sweden's Greatest Hits 1990 Produced by Benny and including Benny as a artist Avail. on Swedish Cd

"Can folk music survive in a time when people are constantly confronted by global
mass media culture? - Gunnar Ternhag writing in his liner notes to FIOLIN MIN

Well maybe, if they would stop rereleasing
ABBA GOLD, people might stop and buy this.
This is collection of 20 Swedish folk music standards released by Benny's Mono Records label.It's sounds very like KLINGA MINA KLOCKOR or one of the Orsa Spelman albums but with the disadvantage that none of the songs are written by Benny. However, that's not the point.The idea of the album is to collect some great old folk melodies onto one album. Playing along with Benny on this album are Orsa Spelman,Dalarnas Spelmansforbund and Asa Jinder & Peter Hedlund. The liner notes refer to to one of the bands coming from the traditional folk music scene in Dalecarlia. It is of interest to note that the original title of the ABBA song -"Arrival" was "Arrival at Dalecarlia".

This album was engineered by Bernard Lohr
and recorded at various studios using ancient
time honored Swedish recording methods.
 

Track listing for FIOLIN MIN

1.Dalarnas Spelmansförbund - Gärdebylåten
2.Orsa Spelmän - Hjortingen
3. Benny Andersson & Orsa Spelmän - Bränd-Pers Vals
4.Orsa Spelmän - Spare fars polska
5. Dalarnas Spelmansförbund - Frisells gånglåt
6. Leif Göras och Olle Moraeus - Brudmarsch från Jämtland,
7. Benny Andersson & Orsa Spelmän - Horgalåten
8. Benny Andersson & Orsa Spelmän - Fryksdalsdans nr. 2
9. Benny Andersson & Orsa Spelmän - Brudmarsch från Delsbo
10. Dalarnas Spelmansförbund - Trettondagsmarschen
11. Benny Andersson & Orsa Spelmän - Fiolen min
12. Orsa Spelmän - Blickuspolska nr. III
13. Benny Andersson & Orsa Spelmän - Trollens brudmarsch
14. .Åsa Jinder och Peter Hedlund - Spelmansglädje
15. Dalarnas Spelmansförbund - Rättvikarnas gånglåt
16. Orsa Spelmän - Barkbrödslåten
17. Dalarnas Spelmansförbund - Äppelbo gånglåt
18. Benny Andersson & Orsa Spelmän - Solskenslåten/Kullerullvisan
19. Perra Moraeus - Gråtlåten
20. Dalarnas Spelmansförbund - Karis pers polsk

Fagelsang i Sverige- Available on Swedish Cd 1990 Swedish Cd.

Benny produced this collection of 90 Swedish birdsongs, yes that's right 90 birds recorded outdoors. Lars Svensson wrote the text and helped compile the album and Dan Zetterstrom drew the pictures.

A boy , Benny's son Ludvig, states each of the birds names
on the CD in between the birdsongs.There were two editions of this recording. The deluxe version includes a detailed booklet with drawings of the birds and the cheap version that has just the CD and a two page booklet. Released by Benny's label , MONO.

This often is labeled as a Benny solo album but strictly speaking it is not. There is no music played or sung by humans on this album! I wll spare you a list of the the ninety plus birds recorded.

Benny Andersson-Benny Andersson's Orkester Available on Swedish CDJune 2001

Benny's first solo album in over ten years! This album was released in late June 2001 on Mono records. At this point ,at age 56, Benny appears finally to be slowing down a little as a composer. This is his first full album of original compositions since the release of Kristina Fran Duvemala in 1996. From 1969 till 1996 Benny averaged at least 10 new songs a year.

The emphasis here is on a dance band sound albeit with a Swedish folkish twist. Thus there are considerably more horns on this album than on any of Benny's other work since the mid-seventies. The album has a much more peppy , lively sound than much of what of Benny has recorded. Also for the first time,Benny has recorded largely in a live audio-verite style with the instruments all recorded in the same room at the same time at Atlantis studios. Still, the album is (as is usually the case with Benny), quite varied in style, tone and instrumentation...

Some mixed opinions on this so far, but generally it's been favorably reviewed. This album is a harder listen, if you dont like dance band music-but there is too much going on here to say it's just a dance band music.

The album features vocalist Helen Sjoholm (from KRISTINA FRAN DUVEMALA) on two tracks.The dance band torch song "Var Sista Dans" (Our Last Dance) sung by Helen Sjoholm is the first single released off this album.. Like many of the songs on this album, Something about the melody sounds almost too familiar-overly derivative. The other song sung by Helen -"Latt Som En Sommarfjaril" (Light as a Summer butterfly) is more akin to what she sings on "Kristina". It almost sounds like a Christmas melody.It is a beautiful song.... Björn wrote lyrics to the two songs sung by Helen..

The album sold slowly at first but then "Var Sista Dans" became a sleeper Swedish hit in the late summer and drove the album into the #1 spot on the Swedish album charts, Benny's first #1 album since ABBA's The Visitors.

Five of the songs were used in movies. Sång Från Andra Våningen, "Lauren ", and "Tösabiten" are from "Sangen Fran Andra Vanigen" (Songs From The Second Floor). "Cirkus Finemang" and "PS "are from "Nu Ar Pappa Trott Igen (Daddy Is Tired Now)." The main theme to Sång Från Andra Våningenis haunting if perhaps a little repetitive.

1. Hadangervidda
2. Snedseglarn
3. Cirkus Finemang
4. Vår Sista Dans (with Helen Sjöholm)
5. Briggens Blåögda Blonde Kapten
6. Knäslovan
7. Anitas Polska
8. Schottis I Tyrolen
9. Sång Från Andra Våningen
10. Lauren
11. Tösabiten
12. Nya Månvalsen
13. Lätt Som En Sommarfjäril (with Helen Sjöholm)
14.PS

Benny Andersson -BENNY ANDERSON In Conversation 1996 UK CD

A interview with Benny Andersson recorded on November 12,1979 at Bingley Hall, Stafford, England during ABBA's final European Tour, The cover includes a previously unpublished full color photograph...

Benny Andersson's Orkester-BAO! June 2004 Available on Swedish CD

Similiar formula to Benny's three previous Benny albums , nine instrumentals ,as well as five songs with Helen Sjoholm vocals.... Bjorn wrote two lyrics for this album- "Du Ar Min Man", and " Midnattsdans". Midnattsdans" is a duet featuring Helen Sjoholm and Kalle Moreaus.. Lyrics to two other songs s "Saknadens rum" and "Kärlekens tid are written by Ylva Eggehorn, (who cowrote Benny's Millennium song,) .The two Ylva songs were originally used in the movie -Sanger Fran Andra Vanigen. Finally, the lyric to one song -Skenbart' is by Peter Dalle. "Du är min man" has been released as a single. This is the 20th full length studio project in a row that Benny has worked with Bjorn on at least one song .

As usual this album was only released in Scandinavia, though it is available as an import on the net. Benny and his orchestra played a short tour in Sweden in August 2004 to support the album and to have fun! If only one could simply walk to Sweden for those weekends...

TRACK LISTING

Glasgow Boogie
En dans på rosor,
Du är min man (,vocals - Helen Sjöholm)
Vitalins vals
På en solskenspromenad
Jehu
Midnattsdans ( vocals Helen Sjöholm & Kalle Moraeus),
Riks1:an
Julvals
Skenbart ( vocals Helen Sjöholm)
Trettondagspolkan
Stora skuggan
Saknadens Rum (vocals Helen Sjöholm)
Kärlekens tid ( vocals - Helen Sjöholm & Duvemalakören)

Benny Andersson- Ring tone for the Swedish Red Cross  November 2005

--------------------------

Benny's film and TV composing work

Benny started contributing small bits of music to obscure mostly Swedish film projects in 1987. Most of the films are hard to find, and much of the music is unreleased or impossilble to find. The obscurity of Benny's film work is frankly kind of irritating,it would nice if Benny would make some effort to release his work here properly. A compilation of the original recordings of his film work would probably solve this problem..

Bjorn and Benny wrote bits of music for   Ture Sventon , The Seduction of Inga and of course, ABBA-The Movie.

1.Mio min Mio (1987) ...( Land of Faraway, The ) Swedish film

Original Soundtrack album for MIO MIN MIO" Hard to find Swedish release 1987
Performed by THE SOVIET FILM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Composed and arranged by Anders Eljas except a few of the tracks which were written by Benny.
Track listing...

Most of the tracks are written by Benny's orchester/conductor Anders Eljas This is yet another very hard to find ABBA related record release,this album features Bjorn and Benny's composition -'Mio Min Mio" performed here in it's Swedish version by Gemini. Most of the other tracks are written by Benny's orchester/conductor Anders Eljas. The Swedish version of -'Mio Min Mio".was big hit in Sweden...You can also get the song in it's English version on their 1987 Geminism CD.

Track listing

MIO OVERTYR     (Anders Eljas) DRAKFLYGNINGEN   (Anders Eljas) HEMMA VÄNTAR TANT EDLA...  (Anders Eljas) BOSSE RYMMER  (Anders Eljas) RESAN TILL LANDET I FJÄRRAN  (Anders Eljas & Benny Andersson)  HERDENS FLÖJT #1   (Musik: Benny Andersson)  KATOS VIND  (Anders Eljas) MORGONLJUSETS BRO    (Anders Eljas) LANDET UTANFÖR   (Anders Eljas) MIRJAMIS TILLFÅNGATAS     (Anders Eljas)

JATKEN PÅ MIO OCH JUM-JUM  (Anders Eljas) HERDENS FLÖJT #2   ( Benny Andersson)  SVÄRDET    (Anders Eljas) MOT RIDDAR KATO   (Anders Eljas) TILLFÅNGATANA HOS KATO  (Anders Eljas) MOT FÄGELSEHÅLAN  (Anders Eljas) SVÄRDET TILLBAKA  (Anders Eljas) SISTA STRIDEN (Anders Eljas) ÅRTERFÖRENINGEN   (Anders Eljas & Benny Andersson)  MIO MIN MIO (Bjorn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson)   performed by Gemini

2.Hemliga vännen, Den (1990) (the Secret Friend)

A 90 minute film by Swedish actor/director/screenwriter Marie-Louise Ekman that included some music composed by Benny Andersson.. The film explores the relationship of a husband and wife after the wife attempts to poison the husband. The film stars Ernst-Hugo Järegård. Supposedly "Stockholm at Night" fron Benny's NOVEMBER 1989 album was used here,
3.Guldburen" (1990 ) a Swedish TV

A mini series lasting 270 minutes directed by Bjorn Melander featuring some music by Benny

4.Kom igen Gaby 1990) Swedish documentry directed by Pea Holmsqvist

featuring some music by Benny

5.Duo jag (1991) (TV)

DUO JAG was Another Marie-Louise Ekman project featuring some music by Benny...

DUO JAG was also a Mono records single release

FRU VENNERMANS SÅNG/DUO JAG Hard to find single release

These two songs (the first co-written by Benny , the second written solely by Benny) were released as a single. The A-side was performed by Kent Andersson, Gösta Ekman, Dan Ekborg, Johannes Brost and Lakke Magnusson. The A-side was used in a comedic play by Marie-Louise Ekman and the b-side was used as an instrumental from a 1993 TV version of I FRU VENNERMANS FALL, also a Marie-Louise Ekman project .This is one of the most obscure of Benny 's recordings. It was released on his Mono label..

6.Nu är pappa trött igen! (Father Isn't Feeling Well)(1996)

This project features Benny's songs "PS" and "Cirkus Finemang". These two songs can be found on Benny's most recent solo album-Benny Andersson's Orkester. Another Marie-Louise Ekman project.

7.Sånger från andra våningen Songs from the Second Floor (2000) Danish-Norwegain film. Hard to find Ep.

Directed by Roy Andersson (no relation to Benny) this is fairly interesting,and adventurous film that focus on the dreamlike goings on one day or so in a very surreal place. The fact that Benny found yet another quirky project to be involved with reminds us that he tends to be the more artisitic half of the Bjorn and Benny creative combine.

 Most of Benny's music here is preety subtle, except for a choral number where most of the actors on the screen all of sudden appear to be singing...even though there doing other things.... It's one of the best moments in the film, though the melody is simply good not great.

I never have  actually got confirmation of what this song is called .  One source says it is   "Karlekens Tid" and another  "Saknadens Rum".

There is not a soundtrack album but there was a hard to find three song promotional EP released of Benny's music. The  tracks are listed as "Sang1" "Sang 2" and "Sang 3" but their titles when released later on BAO albums were  Sången från andra våningen / " Saknadens Rum"  /Tösabiten . One source said the second song is "Laureen" ..

Sång Från Andra Våningen" , "Lauren ", and "Tösabiten" are found on different later versions on 2001's Benny Andersson's Orkester and  later versions of "Saknadens Rum " and "Kärlekens tid 'are found on the 2004 album- BAO.

A group called Terfel  recently performed a new English version medley of   "Saknadens Rum" and "Karlekens Tid", called "Give me my song".

OTHER VIEWS -Christine Boylan on Sang Fran Andra våningen

The music, by ABBA's Benny Andersson, is sneaky, distrustful and sad. It crescendos into an operatic piece as Kalle (Lars Nordh), a businessman who has just torched his shop for the insurance money, rides the subway home, covered in ash, surrounded by people who burst into song. The scene is indicative of Andersson's entire aesthetic: stirring, beautiful and unsettling in its lack of context.

8.PUDER (Powder ) 2001 Swedish film

Another obscure film by Marie- Louise Ekman. Thia 90 minute farce is about the goings on of a theatre company that has been forced to make a commercial. Benny Andersson wrote some music for the film-two tracks of which were released on a promotional CD -"Teater Krokodil' is a choral piece which has lyrics by Marie- Louise Ekman. The second track is an instrumental is simply titled 'Puder'.