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Post by iiwftn on Aug 5, 2023 19:10:39 GMT
What a gem of a recording this is.
The only (rather ironic) disappointment is that it begins with a Swedish-language version of S.O.S (an ABBA song, at the insistence of the record company). It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the track: it just doesn’t belong with the thematic ‘12 women’ story of the album.
Agnetha (along with lyricist Bosse Carlgren) compiled a fantastic collection of songs, and the album was produced by Agnetha herself, delivering a beautiful, atmospheric and (typically) heart-rendering collection.
The song on the album for me is track two, ‘En egen trädgård’; magnificent.
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Post by Alan on Aug 5, 2023 20:36:30 GMT
I agree. I see SOS as merely a Frida-less Swedish version of an ABBA song, in the same way that Frida’s solo Fernando is nothing more than a sans-Agnetha Swedish alternative. I get that they had to even things up.
As far as I can work out, Agnetha has only written or co-written six songs in the 48 years since this album was released (I’m Still Alive, När Du Tar Mig I Din Famn/The Queen of Hearts, Man, I Won’t Let You Go, You’re There and I Keep Them On The Floor Beside My Bed) so this is very much the last true Agnetha album. But there’s also a sense that it was a contract-fulfilling obligation. Can’t-Be-Arsed-ness had fully set in by this point. And I don’t blame her. Marriage, a young child and ABBA must have understandably stifled her creativity.
Still, it’s a great album. There’s probably a lot lost in translation with Doktorn! (Pimped port??? - it needs a fair bit of tidying up) but the “fat as a pig” line is a memorable one:
Doctor I'm stuck in a habit
Doktorn jag är fast i en vana
Yes, no one can guess how hard it is for me
Ja ingen kan ana vad jag har det svårt
You hypnotize people against vices
Ni hypnotiserar folk mot laster
That's what my aunt who pimped port said
Det sa min faster som pimplade port
Now I have to make an appointment
Nu måste jag få en tid
Oh please The Doctor mmm The Doctor
Åh snälla Doktorn mmm Doktorn
Heart beats can't climb stairs once
Hjärtat slår kan inte gå i trappor en gång
The Doctor, etc. The Doctor
Doktorn mmm Doktorn
Maybe it has gone too far
Kanske det har gått för långt
Oh the Doctor
Åh Doktorn
Tried to reduce consumption
Har försökt dra ner konsumtionen
But the situation has become precarious
Men situationen har blivit prekär
In the past, one a week was enough
Förr i världen räkte ett i veckan
Now there will be at least two a day
Nu blir det minst två om dan ungefär
I'm probably a hopeless case
Jag är nog ett hopplöst fall
But please Doctor mmm Doctor
Men snälla Doktorn mmm Doktorn
Tried snacking but I got fat as a pig
Har försökt med snask men jag blev tjock som en gris
The Doctor, etc. The Doctor
Doktorn mmm Doktorn
Please help me somehow
Snälla hjälp mig på nåt vis
Oh the Doctor
Åh Doktorn
Constantly the desire reawakens
Ständigt så vaknar begäret igen
And then I just have to have
Och då måste jag bara ha
But when I tremblingly lit another one
Men när jag darrande tänt ännu en
Does it feel good, etc
Känns det bra mmm
Hundreds have stopped smoking
Hundratals har slutat att röka
As tried at the Doctor's clinic
Som fått försöka på Doktorns klinik
My desire is not cigarettes
Mitt begär är inte cigaretter
And not tablets I'm probably unique
Och inte tabletter jag är nog unik
But give it a try anyway
Men gör ett försök ändå
I am asking you Doctor, mmm Doctor
Jag ber Er Doktorn mmm Doktorn
Take up my case so I can hope again
Ta Er an mitt fall så jag kan hoppas igen
The Doctor, etc. The Doctor
Doktorn mmm Doktorn
Please get rid of men
Snälla vänj mig av med män
Oh the Doctor
Åh Doktorn
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Post by Michal on Aug 6, 2023 5:36:51 GMT
I must agree with everything, that was said above. Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus is a great record and it is a pity that there are just two albums, which Agnetha composed almost completely on her own (the other being När En Vacker Tanke Blir En Sång of course). Also the lyrics are very clever in my opinion. But creating it must have been a gruelling process obviously, so there's little wonder Agnetha stepped back from making solo albums after that. We must remember that it took very long to finish the album - she started working on it in 1973 but before she managed to finish it, she gave birth to her first child (it seems Visa I Åttonde Månaden was inspired by her pregnancy with Linda) and then ABBA's success got in the way so it's actually a miracle she was able to release it at all. The approach of the record company didn't help too, I guess. The inclusion of SOS, which they demanded, was not the only problem - they also insisted on a different cover, than Agnetha and Bosse envisioned, so the conceptuality of the album was partly lost. En Egen Trädgård is on of my favourites too but there are so many good songs on the album! As far as I can work out, Agnetha has only written or co-written six songs in the 48 years since this album was released (I’m Still Alive, När Du Tar Mig I Din Famn/The Queen of Hearts, Man, I Won’t Let You Go, You’re There and I Keep Them On The Floor Beside My Bed) You forgot Men Natten Är Vår. But that's probably it, no more Agnetha's composition have been released since 1975. However, she has obviously written more, even if they remain unreleased... well, to be precise, unrecorded. In one of the interviews she admitted that she had a drawer full of unfinished songs. She even wrote one more for ABBA in 1979 but they didn't even try to record it (was Turn Of The Tide the title??). I often wonder if Benny and Björn really urged her to write more for ABBA. The fact that even I'm Still Alive didn't make it to an ABBA album makes me doubt it. |
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Post by Mimose on Aug 8, 2023 14:29:25 GMT
There’s probably a lot lost in translation with Doktorn! (Pimped port??? - it needs a fair bit of tidying up) That's what my aunt who pimped port said Det sa min faster som pimplade port. "Pimpla" means "tipple", to drink alcohol |
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Post by BAAB on Aug 28, 2023 9:19:50 GMT
Hi Alan, "Det sa min faster som pimplade port" Means: "This said my aunt, who guzzled Port (wine)" |
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Post by Michal on Aug 28, 2023 14:03:45 GMT
Hi Alan, "Det sa min faster som pimplade port" Means: "This said my aunt, who guzzled Port (wine)" And that's another priceless line along with "I became as fat as a pig". Altogether very clever and funny lyrics! |
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Post by erwin on Aug 31, 2023 8:16:19 GMT
I have a lot of translations on my Agnetha tribute website.... don't know how accurate they are. Here's Doktorn! |
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