That single was a solid 10 million seller worldwide!It also held the record for the most weeks at no1 in Australia for many decades.From 1976 till 2017 that Ed Sheeran overtook it with 'Shape of you".
The original of Fernando is a Swedish song with Frida on her own, recorded about half a year earlier, and which was a big hit in Sweden. In the original, Frida is comforting Fernando who has lost his love. Great lyrics to that one. That version has nothing about the American/Mexican war
-----------> Frida recorded this in Swedish, on her 1975 solo album "Frida Ensam". -----------> ABBA recorded a Spanish version in 1980. -----------> "Song Of The Year 1976" in Portugal. -----------> Spent 14 consecutive weeks at nº1 on the Australian singles chart.
Abba, "Chiquitita", "Take a chance on me", "The king has lost is crown", "One of us", "Thank you for the music", and much more...Big kiss from Portugal. Ana
This is ABBA's biggest record in terms of record sales, it sold over 10 Million copies World-wide even out selling "Dancing Queen" which is considered as Their most popular. In the very early days of ABBA, ( before their worldwide success) Frida released a solo Album in Sweden and "Fernando" was one of the Album tracks. It was their Manager, Stig Andersson who convinced ABBA to record and release it as a single before releasing "Dancing Queen" though Benny wasn't happy with this as he wanted D,Q released before " Fernando but he went along with Stig in the end. Fernando became ABBA's most popular selling single due to it being popular in Spanish speaking Countries around the World so the released an Album for their Spanish fans where they sang all their hits in Spanish. 🇬🇧🧐
Frida never sings harmony in Fernando, she has the lead melody the whole time. The low harmony is Agnetha and she switches to high harmony in the last line of the verses. That's the special feature in this song.
Another verse would extend the song to 5 minutes which is a little long for a single in the 70's. They used the song with different lyrics for a TV commercial for National TV's in the 70's to help fund their expensive Australia Tour in the '77. The commercials are on RUclips,
so happy to see you again with more ABBA songs "Fernando" (1976) is a soft ballad, so nice and beautiful The best is the beauty of their vocal harmonies, very soft at the whisper level but at a level of perfection, that explodes in a magic chorus I have compared it to "Chiquitita" (1979) because both songs have similarities and contrasts Both have the title in Spanish, and was recorded in spanish too (to the album in spanish "Gracias por la Música" In 1980) Both are pop ballads with an initial verse sung alone and from the second chorus in duet, with a very catchy and popular chorus (in my country Argentina are songs that we would sing in a circle of friends, because we all know their lyrics) The two videos show the contrast of fire and snow, night and day They were both very most worldwide successful, only behind "Dancing Queen" ABBA had already recorded "Dancing Queen" and it came from the success of "Mamma Mía" It was the manager who convinced them to record "Fernando" so as not to repeat the style (Frida had done it before in 1975 on her solo album in Swedish and it was a success, but with lyrics of a lovesong, and these to ABBA is a friendship story about mexican soldiers) The manager was right and everything was a success, one after another in that year 1976, with three singles #1 consecutives in UK Mamma Mía (2 weeks) Fernando (4 weeks) Dancing Queen (6 weeks) In addition, this variety of options had different results in each country. "Fernando" was a colossal success in Australia (14 weeks at #1 surpassed the "Hey Jude" mark) and 7 weeks at #1 in Germany "Dancing Queen" was 14 weeks #1 in Sweden and 6 weeks #1 in the U.K.and 8 weeks #1 in Australia Both were #1 in the U.S. but in various rankings: "Dancing Queen" on the Billboard and "Fernando" on Adult Contemporary The official video of "Fernando" was filmed in February 1976, with Dancing Queen the next day in these Official Video you could see: Bjorn & Benny, both in guitars Frida & Agnetha confronted both in frontal and profile images (repeating "Mamma Mia" technique used) premiering her gypsy style dress and a last comparation "Fernando" (1976) is first ABBA single with Frida in lead voice, and recorded in her solo album in Swedish (released before ABBA) as "S.O.S." (1975) is first ABBA single with Agnetha in lead voice, and recorded in her solo album in Swedish (released after ABBA) Thanks so much for these video and reaction I wish you a great weekend See you in the next My best regards from Buenos Aires Argentina 🇦🇷 South America
Frida's swedish version of Fernando is very different lyrically. Both are great but the english lyrics are more interesting imo, the swedish song is a more typical heart break song. The english lyrics tells a much more interesting story.
Duh. The song was over. Adding a verse that does not exist is a bit unrealistic. The story was told. ........ But maybe you are on to something. You can add verses to all the classics. Start with "Hotel California". I still want to know if that guy got out of the Fucking Hotel..... ha ha
Frida's vocals in the 1st verse: So many vocal details and small iconic moments in one verse - love it!
That single was a solid 10 million seller worldwide!It also held the record for the most weeks at no1 in Australia for many decades.From 1976 till 2017 that Ed Sheeran overtook it with 'Shape of you".
First record I remember my late dad playing when I was probably 5 or 6. LOVE.
ABBA is the master of earworms. Definitely a Talented group
The original of Fernando is a Swedish song with Frida on her own, recorded about half a year earlier, and which was a big hit in Sweden. In the original, Frida is comforting Fernando who has lost his love. Great lyrics to that one. That version has nothing about the American/Mexican war
Great classic of 🅰️🅱️🅱️🅰️ !
(and another... and another...😅)
Love ❤ Frida.... too....
Nice to see you, Ratty... Go on✌️!
Love ❤️ from Chile 🇨🇱🤗👍
-----------> Frida recorded this in Swedish, on her 1975 solo album "Frida Ensam".
-----------> ABBA recorded a Spanish version in 1980.
-----------> "Song Of The Year 1976" in Portugal.
-----------> Spent 14 consecutive weeks at nº1 on the Australian singles chart.
Best Band Ever and Frida slays
Abba, "Chiquitita", "Take a chance on me", "The king has lost is crown", "One of us", "Thank you for the music", and much more...Big kiss from Portugal. Ana
ABBA is Magic ALWAYS 💙💙
This is ABBA's biggest record in terms of record sales, it sold over 10 Million copies World-wide even out selling "Dancing Queen" which is considered as Their most popular. In the very early days of ABBA, ( before their worldwide success) Frida released a solo Album in Sweden and "Fernando" was one of the Album tracks. It was their Manager, Stig Andersson who convinced ABBA to record and release it as a single before releasing "Dancing Queen" though Benny wasn't happy with this as he wanted D,Q released before " Fernando but he went along with Stig in the end. Fernando became ABBA's most popular selling single due to it being popular in Spanish speaking Countries around the World so the released an Album for their Spanish fans where they sang all their hits in Spanish.
🇬🇧🧐
Pure magic!
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Ahh Frida - so soft and comfy voice x
My favorite ABBA song!
When Agnetha drops in she takes the vocal melody line and Frida drops down for the low harmony.
Frida never sings harmony in Fernando, she has the lead melody the whole time. The low harmony is Agnetha and she switches to high harmony in the last line of the verses. That's the special feature in this song.
Another verse would extend the song to 5 minutes which is a little long for a single in the 70's.
They used the song with different lyrics for a TV commercial for National TV's in the 70's to help fund their expensive Australia Tour in the '77. The commercials are on RUclips,
so happy to see you again with more
ABBA songs
"Fernando" (1976)
is a soft ballad, so nice and beautiful
The best is the beauty of their vocal harmonies, very soft at the whisper level but at a level of perfection, that explodes in a magic chorus
I have compared it to "Chiquitita" (1979) because both songs have similarities and contrasts
Both have the title in Spanish, and was recorded in spanish too (to the album in spanish "Gracias por la Música" In 1980)
Both are pop ballads with an initial verse sung alone and from the second chorus in duet, with a very catchy and popular chorus (in my country Argentina are songs that we would sing in a circle of friends, because we all know their lyrics)
The two videos show the contrast of fire and snow, night and day
They were both very most worldwide successful, only behind "Dancing Queen"
ABBA had already recorded "Dancing Queen" and it came from the success of "Mamma Mía"
It was the manager who convinced them to record "Fernando" so as not to repeat the style
(Frida had done it before in 1975 on her solo album in Swedish and it was a success, but with lyrics of a lovesong, and these to ABBA is a friendship story about mexican soldiers)
The manager was right and everything was a success, one after another in that year 1976,
with three singles #1 consecutives in UK
Mamma Mía (2 weeks)
Fernando (4 weeks)
Dancing Queen (6 weeks)
In addition, this variety of options had different results in each country.
"Fernando" was a colossal success in Australia (14 weeks at #1 surpassed the "Hey Jude" mark) and 7 weeks at #1 in Germany
"Dancing Queen" was 14 weeks #1 in Sweden and 6 weeks #1 in the U.K.and 8 weeks #1 in Australia
Both were #1 in the U.S. but in various rankings: "Dancing Queen" on the Billboard and
"Fernando" on Adult Contemporary
The official video of "Fernando" was filmed in February 1976, with Dancing Queen the next day
in these Official Video you could see:
Bjorn & Benny, both in guitars
Frida & Agnetha confronted both in frontal and profile images (repeating "Mamma Mia" technique used) premiering her gypsy style dress
and a last comparation
"Fernando" (1976) is first ABBA single with Frida in lead voice, and recorded in her solo album in Swedish (released before ABBA)
as "S.O.S." (1975) is first ABBA single with Agnetha in lead voice, and recorded in her solo album in Swedish (released after ABBA)
Thanks so much for these video and reaction
I wish you a great weekend
See you in the next
My best regards from
Buenos Aires Argentina 🇦🇷
South America
There is a reason why ABBA has been in the Guiness Book of World Records since the 1970s
❤...official video!!! For ABBA at least...made music for watching performances.
Very cool that you reacted to this. One of my favs of theirs from back in the day!
Thank you, Ratty! 🥁
"Since many years I haven't seen" is actually a literal translation from Spanish to English of the expression "It's been many years since I've seen".
Frida's swedish version of Fernando is very different lyrically. Both are great but the english lyrics are more interesting imo, the swedish song is a more typical heart break song. The english lyrics tells a much more interesting story.
I wish you had listened to the Frida original song as well. It's in Swedish. 🙏
Duh. The song was over. Adding a verse that does not exist is a bit unrealistic. The story was told. ........ But maybe you are on to something. You can add verses to all the classics. Start with "Hotel California". I still want to know if that guy got out of the Fucking Hotel..... ha ha