Blå Tåget
Encyclopedia
Blå Tåget is a Swedish
progg
-band, that used to go under the name Gunder Hägg
, the name of a legendary Swedish runner, but after name conflicts occurred they changed name to Blå Tåget (which was a ride at the amusement park
Gröna Lund
) in 1972.
Their lyrics (mostly written by Bengtsson, Rasmusson, Berger and Nylén) cover a wide range, from
marxist analysis and invitations to revolution to satire
, art criticism
, 1940s childhood nostalgia, images from daily life and experimental pop art works.
A recurring theme, at least in their early works, is criticism of Saltsjöbadsandan; the Swedish model of mixing capitalism
with socialism
through cooperation rather than conflict between government, large corporations and unions.
One song on this theme, Den ena handen vet vad den andra gör, was covered by punk
band Ebba Grön
(renamed Staten och kapitalet, with some of the lyrics omitted) and became a hit in 1980. It remains Blå Tåget's best known song today.
As Blå Tåget:
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....
progg
Progg
Progg, a contraction of the Swedish word for "progressive music" was a left-wing and anti-commercial musical movement in Sweden that had its roots in the late 1960s, and its golden age in the 1970s. It should not be confused with the English expression progressive music or progressive rock. Progg...
-band, that used to go under the name Gunder Hägg
Gunder Hägg
Gunder Hägg was a Swedish runner and multiple world record breaker of the 1940s. Gunder Hägg set over a dozen middle distance world records at events ranging from 1500 metres to 5000 meters, including three at both the 1500 meters and the mile, one at 3000 meters and one at 5000 meters.Hägg and...
, the name of a legendary Swedish runner, but after name conflicts occurred they changed name to Blå Tåget (which was a ride at the amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
Gröna Lund
Gröna Lund
Tivoli Gröna Lund or Grönan is an amusement park in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located on the seaward side of the Djurgården island and is relatively small compared to other amusement parks, mainly due to its central location, which limits expansion. Gröna Lund is a popular venue for concerts during...
) in 1972.
Their lyrics (mostly written by Bengtsson, Rasmusson, Berger and Nylén) cover a wide range, from
marxist analysis and invitations to revolution to satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
, art criticism
Art criticism
Art criticism is the discussion or evaluation of visual art.Art critics usually criticize art in the context of aesthetics or the theory of beauty...
, 1940s childhood nostalgia, images from daily life and experimental pop art works.
A recurring theme, at least in their early works, is criticism of Saltsjöbadsandan; the Swedish model of mixing capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
with socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
through cooperation rather than conflict between government, large corporations and unions.
One song on this theme, Den ena handen vet vad den andra gör, was covered by punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön was a Swedish punk band formed in Stockholm in 1977. Ebba Grön consisted of Joakim Thåström , Gunnar Ljungstedt and Lennart Eriksson . After the release of their second album in 1981, they were joined by a fourth member, Anders Sjöholm, also known as Stry Terrarie, on keyboard...
(renamed Staten och kapitalet, with some of the lyrics omitted) and became a hit in 1980. It remains Blå Tåget's best known song today.
Members
- Mats G Bengtsson - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, keyboardElectronic keyboardAn electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:... - Torkel Rasmusson - vocals, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
- Tore Berger - vocals, clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
- Urban Yman - double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello.... - Leif Nylén - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Kjell Westling - wind instruments, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, violin - Carl Johan De GeerCarl Johan De GeerCarl Johan Louis De Geer af Finspång is a Swedish artist, writer, musician and friherre of the De Geer noble family.Carl Johan De Geer grew up in a castle in Skåne, in southern Sweden...
- tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Roland Keijser - fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
Discography
As Gunder Hägg:- 1969 Tigerkaka (Tiger cake)
- 1970 Vargatider (Tough times, literally "Wolftimes")
- 1971 Glassfabriken (The icecream factory)
As Blå Tåget:
- 1972 Brustna Hjärtans Hotell (double-LP) (Heartbreak Hotel)
- 1974 Slowfox
- 1982 På Fågel Blå (live) (At the Blue Bird)
- 1988 1969-1974 (collection)
- 1999 Moderna Material (Modern Materials)
- 2004 I Tidens Rififi (In the rififi of the time)
- 2005 Inget Är Längesen 1969-2004 (collection) (Nothing is a long time ago)