Thought maybe this deserved it's own topic. Zara Larsson has been chillin in Sweden amid a US COVID outbreak for half a year. She bought some farm house and decided to release her first Swedish single (& cover) with the artist who first inspired her singing career. It was a number two at the Swedish iTunes chart for 28 consecutive days and is currently first on the Svensktoppen chart. Background for "Säg mig" A young girl named Carola Maria Häggkvist did very well at Melodifestivalen 1983. Her then manager, soon to be media tycoon, Bert Karlsson made sure to release an hastily cobbled together album a month later. "Stranger" featured almost entirely Swedish translated Billboard hits and ”Säg mig var du står” was the second track (and supposed but never released second single) from that first album. Remember, Zara Larsson was only a baby back than then and "Stranger" was the first album the young kid ever got. "Säg mig" is her favorite track from that album - this is one of those instances when the lyric translation is better than the original. Now 20-something years later the track had started to be played in Stockholm night clubs as a "fighting anthem" for the younger generation. Zara Larsson then decided to include the song in her Late Night Concert on TV4 and the rest is history. This just proves that a pandemic also can bring some good as Zara gets to preform her favorite song from her youth with witch was once her favorite artist. The lyrics roughly translates to: Bridge I so dearly want... A belief in - the future, A belief in - the truth A belief in - a common cause Sometime, somewhere, some day... Chorus C: Tell me, oh, tell me, oh, tell me, oh, tell me where you stand Z: I need to know now! C: Tell me, oh, tell me, oh, tell me, oh, tell me where you stand, Z: cause I want to belief in what I do... Verse It's time to start to think again, cause time is running out, it might even soon end and I know that what we're building up now, it one day will be just what our children get Oh-oh, oh-oh (there's no other answer) Oh-oh, oh-oh (the questions I have) Oh-oh, oh-oh (there's no other answer) Outro C: I believe in what I do, (oh-oh) C: You must, (mmm, come on Carola) C: That's the most important thing C: Look around you, was this what we dreamed of? (dreamed of) Z: Is there something, (is there something), something we're forgetting? (forgot?) C: Have we got a planet - Z: filled with humanity? All my life, I've been trying to ask... ...ask and get an answer... #zara #larsson #häggkvist #carola #mello #artist #comeback #fadinglight
"Here, in this place I never thought we'd be today" -- HÄGGKVIST, Carola in Kiruna, Andra Chansen Round 1 2008.
Yes, exactly! I'm glad someone remembers her. That hag really knows how to grab her fading limelight.
Swedish version grinded through by a 16 yo Häggkvist's in Nöjesmaskinen 1983: Dutch schlager was not the only thing Swedish pop culture shamelessly ripped off that year. Here's the balloon dance from the same program, it subsequently became a culture phenomenon in Sweden for the coming four decades. https://www.oppetarkiv.se/video/121...-nojeunderhallning-sasong-1-avsnitt-80-av-200
The "Modern" Dance version from Körslaget 2013, featuring Caracola, Rickard Söderberg and Anna Book, which subsequently started to be played in Swedish night clubs.
I love this performance, particularly how Carola very pointedly doesn't let Anna get ANYWHERE NEAR the mic at 2.40
It better be. "Sag mig" is making her more streamed than Justin Bieber in Sweden right now. Truly a weird blessing 30 years after it's inception. It's also crazy how many different iterations have plopped up in recent years and how similar they all sound. I'll keep on posting them.
Well, it's only fitting to start of with an Acid Church Mix by Bottenviken's Silver Church from 2017:
Little Jinder’s Synthpop version from “Så Mycket Bättre” 2019: This cover is Jinder's biggest hit to date. It also sparked renewed interest in older versions of "Säg mig var du står”.
I love how Carola is palpably desperate to rush on stage, shove Little Jinder aside and show her how it's done.
Notice how she went back to her old flower grabbing days. That's how you now she's got feeling. When she lets god use her to throw flowers around she's in the zone!
High Maintenance Idol Ghetto Chic version: Paulina Pancenkov above has reached the finals of Idol 2020 so don't be surprised if she turnes up in Melfest next year. She's basically a 2020 upgrade on Anna Book!
