Bang en boomerang
Encyclopedia
"Bang-A-Boomerang" is a song by ABBA
, first released by Svenne & Lotta
(both Swedish and English language versions). The track was first recorded as a demo with English lyrics (but without any recorded vocals) in September 1974 by the ABBA musicians for their forthcoming eponymous album ABBA
. The song was written by Benny Andersson
, Björn Ulvaeus
and Stig Anderson
and at one point had the working title "Stop and Listen to Your Heart". The lyrics compare the "message of love" with the returning boomerang
s which the Australian Aborigines
developed.
In late 1974 Andersson, Ulvaeus and Anderson were invited by Sveriges Television
as composers to submit a song to the 1975 melodifestivalen
. Since ABBA themselves did not want to compete in the contest again, just one year after having won, they instead gave the opportunity and the song to Polar Music
labelmates Svenne & Lotta
. "Bang-A-Boomerang" was given new Swedish lyrics by Stig Anderson and retitled "Bang en Boomerang" and the duo subsequently made a vocal recording of the track in November 1974 - produced by Björn & Benny - with a different arrangement, most noticeably slightly shorter (2:50) than the original demo, to fit the Eurovision three-minute rule. The song finished 3rd in the Swedish
preselections in February 1975, became one of Svenne & Lotta's biggest hits and spent 7 weeks on the Svensktoppen
radio chart during the period 9 March-11 May 1975, with a 2nd place as best result. Svenne & Lotta also recorded the song with the original English lyrics, both versions were included on their 1975 album Svenne & Lotta 2/Bang-A-Boomerang (Polar POLS 259). The English version was also released as a single in Denmark and became a big seller there, from a Scandinavian perspective the track is therefore still primarily seen as a hit single and Melodifestivalen classic by Svenne & Lotta. Under the name of "Sven & Charlotte", their original English version was also released in most European countries, and in Oceania, charting in several.
ABBA
then re-recorded their English language version of the song in the Spring of 1975, using the Svenne & Lotta backing track - reputedly to the surprise of the duo, included it on their ABBA album and later also released it as a single in France
on April 21, 1975, with "SOS
" as B-side
, where it was a minor hit. Although the track was included on the band's first Greatest Hits
album, released on 17 November 1975, the ABBA version was in fact never issued as a single in Scandinavia.
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...
, first released by Svenne & Lotta
Svenne & Lotta
Svenne & Lotta is a pop duo with Svenne Hedlund and Lotta Hedlund. They met in 1967, when Svenne Hedlund was the vocalist in the band Hep Stars. Charlotte Walker, which was Lotta Hedlund's name at that time, toured Sweden with the all-girl American trio The Sherrys...
(both Swedish and English language versions). The track was first recorded as a demo with English lyrics (but without any recorded vocals) in September 1974 by the ABBA musicians for their forthcoming eponymous album 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:...
. The song 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!...
, 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!...
and 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 at one point had the working title "Stop and Listen to Your Heart". The lyrics compare the "message of love" with the returning boomerang
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
s which the Australian Aborigines
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
developed.
In late 1974 Andersson, Ulvaeus and Anderson were invited by Sveriges Television
Sveriges Television
Sveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...
as composers to submit a song to the 1975 melodifestivalen
Melodifestivalen 1975
Melodifestivalen 1975 was the selection for the 16th song to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest. It was the 15th time that this system of picking a song had been used. 10 songwriters were selected by SVT for the competition...
. Since ABBA themselves did not want to compete in the contest again, just one year after having won, they instead gave the opportunity and the song to Polar Music
Polar Music
Polar Music is a Swedish record company founded in 1963 by Stig Anderson and his friend Bengt Bernhag. The first act that it signed was the Hootenanny Singers featuring Björn Ulvaeus. Polar eventually gained prosperity producing Ulvæus' next group, international superstars ABBA...
labelmates Svenne & Lotta
Svenne & Lotta
Svenne & Lotta is a pop duo with Svenne Hedlund and Lotta Hedlund. They met in 1967, when Svenne Hedlund was the vocalist in the band Hep Stars. Charlotte Walker, which was Lotta Hedlund's name at that time, toured Sweden with the all-girl American trio The Sherrys...
. "Bang-A-Boomerang" was given new Swedish lyrics by Stig Anderson and retitled "Bang en Boomerang" and the duo subsequently made a vocal recording of the track in November 1974 - produced by Björn & Benny - with a different arrangement, most noticeably slightly shorter (2:50) than the original demo, to fit the Eurovision three-minute rule. The song finished 3rd in the 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....
preselections in February 1975, became one of Svenne & Lotta's biggest hits and spent 7 weeks on the 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...
radio chart during the period 9 March-11 May 1975, with a 2nd place as best result. Svenne & Lotta also recorded the song with the original English lyrics, both versions were included on their 1975 album Svenne & Lotta 2/Bang-A-Boomerang (Polar POLS 259). The English version was also released as a single in Denmark and became a big seller there, from a Scandinavian perspective the track is therefore still primarily seen as a hit single and Melodifestivalen classic by Svenne & Lotta. Under the name of "Sven & Charlotte", their original English version was also released in most European countries, and in Oceania, charting in several.
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...
then re-recorded their English language version of the song in the Spring of 1975, using the Svenne & Lotta backing track - reputedly to the surprise of the duo, included it on their ABBA album and later also released it as a single in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on April 21, 1975, with "SOS
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....
" as B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
, where it was a minor hit. Although the track was included on the band's first Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (ABBA album)
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in 1975 . Greatest Hits was rush-released in Scandinavia in November 1975 to counter expected import sales of similar collections released by licencees in Europe, such as French Disques Vogue's ABBA's Greatest Hits and West...
album, released on 17 November 1975, the ABBA version was in fact never issued as a single in Scandinavia.
Other cover versions, appearances in other media etc.
- Danish singer Ulla PiaUlla PiaUlla Pia is a Danish singer, best known internationally for her participation in the 1966 Eurovision Song Contest.Ulla Pia started her career as a vocalist with bands and orchestras in Copenhagen...
covered the song in her native language. - Swedish band Noice recorded the song on their 1981 albumAlbumAn album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
Det ljuva livet. - In 1998 the Swedish heavy metalHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
group Black IngvarsBlack IngvarsBlack Ingvars is a Swedish humorist heavy metal group. Black Ingvars is famous for cover versions of songs from other musical styles, like pop, children's song, "dansband" music, Christmas songs and gospel...
coveredCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
the song, in a heavy metal version for their album Schlager MetalSchlager MetalSchlager Metal is a 1998 album by Swedish heavy metal band Black Ingvars. On the album, they cover Melodifestivalen songs in heavy metal version...
. - In the year 2000, the Swedish dansbandDansbandDansband is a Swedish term for a band that plays dansbandsmusik . Dansbandsmusik is often danced to in pairs. Jitterbug and foxtrot music are often included in this category. The music is primarily inspired by swing, schlager, country, jazz, and rock...
Lotta EngbergsLotta EngbergsLotta Engbergs was a dansband in Skara, Sweden. The band was formed in 1994, when Lotta Engberg left Lotta & Anders Engbergs Orkester. The band was, in its early days, known as Lotta Engbergs Orkester, which later was shortened to just Lotta Engbergs...
recorded a cover versionCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
on the Swedish language version of the song, on their album "Vilken härlig dagVilken härlig dagVilken härlig dag was released on September 18 in the year 2000 and is a studio album from Swedish dansband Lotta Engbergs. The album was more folk song-inspired than earlier albums, and it was the last album from Lotta Engbergs. The album peaked at the 17th place on the Swedish album chart...
", and the song is also on Swedish dansband singer Lotta Engberg's 2006 compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
"Världens bästa lottaVärldens bästa lottaVärldens bästa lotta was released on March 22, 2006 and is an album from the Swedish dansband and pop singer Lotta Engberg. It is a double CD collection of some of her hits throughout the years...
". - A hi-NRGHi-NRGHi-NRG describes a form of high-tempo disco music as well as a genre of electronic dance music originating in the United States during the late 1970s...
/eurodanceEurodanceEurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
cover of the song by Les Blue Belles was released as a single in 2002 and included on various dance compilations. - In 2007 producer Leonard T. released a song called "Go" (featuring vocals from Maia Lee), the song uses the same melody as "Bang-A-Boomerang" but different lyrics.
- A dance/pop cover in Swedish was recorded by modern schlagerSchlagerSchlager 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...
music artists the Banana Girls. - A German languageGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
cover was recorded by singer Nico Gaik for the album Musicalstars sing ABBA. Gaik's version is called "Sing, wenn du mal traurig bist". - Danish duo Olsen BrothersOlsen BrothersOlsen Brothers are a Danish rock/pop music duo, and are brothers Jørgen and "Noller" Olsen. They formed their first band, The Kids, in 1965. The Kids warmed up for The Kinks in the K.B...
(winners of the Eurovision contest in 2000) covered the song on their 2010 album Wings of Eurovision.
External links
- ABBA - for the record - Collector site and discography.