“Fernando”
Single by ABBA from the album Arrival (Australian and New Zealand release)
Released	April 12, 1976 March 27, 1976 September 4, 1976
Format	7" Single
Genre	Pop/Europop
Length	4:12
Writer(s)	Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Stig Anderson
Producer	Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson
Certification	N/A
ABBA singles chronology
"Mamma Mia" (1975) "Fernando" (1976) "Rock Me" (1976)
Audio sample
Info (help·info)

"Fernando" is Swedish pop group ABBA's first non-album single, and appeared on the 1976 ABBA release Greatest Hits in some countries. In Australia and New Zealand, however, the song was included on the group's Arrival album. "Fernando" is also featured on the multi-million selling ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits compilation. The song is one of ABBA's absolute biggest hits, reaching number one in 12 countries. The lead vocals was sung by Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Image File history File links Fernando_Hey_Hey_Helen. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Abba redirects here. ... Arrival is the fourth album by Swedish group ABBA, released in 1976 (see 1976 in music). ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sweden. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... In music, a single is a short (usually ten minutes or less) record, usually featuring one or two tracks as A-sides, often accompanied by several B-sides—usually remixes or other songs. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the genre of popular music. ... Europop refers to a style of pop music that developed in Europe throughout the 1970s which emphasized catchy beats, slick songs and frothy lyrics. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (Swedish IPA: ) (born April 25, 1945) is a Swedish musician and composer, most notable as a member of ABBA. Ulvaeus was born in Gothenburg, but as a child he moved with his family to Västervik. ... Image:Benny Andersson. ... Bust of Stikkan Anderson in his native Hova. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (Swedish IPA: ) (born April 25, 1945) is a Swedish musician and composer, most notable as a member of ABBA. Ulvaeus was born in Gothenburg, but as a child he moved with his family to Västervik. ... Image:Benny Andersson. ... “Golden record” redirects here. ... Abba redirects here. ... For the musical of the same name, please see Mamma Mia! Mamma Mia is a song from ABBAs third album, ABBA, written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rock Me was the b-side to many of Swedish pop group ABBAs singles issued to promote their 1975 studio album ABBA. The song proved to be one of the bands biggest hits in Australia, reaching number four on the offical Aussie charts. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Abba redirects here. ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Greatest Hits is a compilation album by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in 1975 (see 1975 in music). ... Arrival is the fourth album by Swedish group ABBA, released in 1976 (see 1976 in music). ... Princess Anni-Frid Reuss of Plauen, also known as Frida (born Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad on November 15, 1945 in Bjørkåsen near Narvik, Norway), is a singer, best known as one of the four members of Swedish pop group ABBA. // Lyngstad was born out of wedlock in Bj...

History

"Fernando" was not originally an ABBA song but was written for ABBA member Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It appeared on her 1975 No.1 Swedish solo album, Frida ensam. The song was written by Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Stig Anderson, and carried the working title of "Tango". Preparations for recording began in August 1975. Princess Anni-Frid Reuss of Plauen, also known as Frida (born Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad on November 15, 1945 in BjørkÃ¥sen near Narvik, Norway), is a singer, best known as one of the four members of Swedish pop group ABBA. // Lyngstad was born out of wedlock in Bj... Frida Ensam was released in Sweden by Anni-Frid Lyngstad in 1975. ... Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (Swedish IPA: ) (born April 25, 1945) is a Swedish musician and composer, most notable as a member of ABBA. Ulvaeus was born in Gothenburg, but as a child he moved with his family to Västervik. ... Image:Benny Andersson. ... Bust of Stikkan Anderson in his native Hova. ...

Swedish language version

The original Swedish language version's lyrics were written by ABBA's manager Stig Anderson and differs substantially from the English language one. In the original, the narrator tries to console the heartbroken Fernando, who has lost his great love. "The sorrow can be hard to bear, but the fact that friends let us down is something we all have to cope with". The bittersweet chorus goes: "Long live love, our best friend, Fernando. Raise your glass and propose a toast to it, to love, Fernando. Play the melody and a sing a song of happiness. Long live love, Fernando".

English language version

The English version, with re-written lyrics by Ulvaeus, present a vision of nostalgia for presumably two veterans reminiscing in old age about some unspecified war of liberation or national defense that they participated in during their younger days. Their reference to "the fateful night we crossed the Rio Grande" would appear to tie the setting to the Mexican Revolution, which began when Francisco Madero led an armed band across the border from Texas on November 20, 1910, to overthrow the 34 year dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz. Though unlikely, some have been speculated that this song refers to the role of the International Brigade volunteers in the Spanish Civil War. The composers claim that they did not mean "Fernando" to refer to any specific war or period. “Río Bravo” redirects here. ... This article is about the Mexican Revolution of 1910. ... Francisco I. Madero González (30 October 1873 – 22 February 1913) was a revolutionary who served as President of Mexico from 1911 to 1913. ... Porfirio Díaz José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori (15 September 1830 – 2 July 1915) was President of Mexico, considered a dictator, who ruled Mexico from 1876 until 1911 (with the exception of one single four-year period). ... Blason of the International Brigades The International Brigade was the name given to the band of volunteers and mercenaries who travelled to Spain to fight against the Nationalist forces led by General Franco and helped by Nazi German and Mussolini Italian forces, and defend the legitimate Spanish Republic government in... Not to be confused with the Spanish Civil War of 1820-1823. ...

"Fernando"'s B-side was entitled "Hey Hey Helen", although in some countries "Tropical Loveland" was used instead.

Reception

After the huge success Frida had scored in Scandinavia with the Swedish version of "Fernando", the group decided to go for a re-recording in English. It was a wise step, as "Fernando" became one of ABBA's best-selling singles ever, topping the charts in twelve countries worldwide: West Germany, the UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, South Africa, Mexico, New Zealand and Australia, where "ABBA-mania" had reached epic proportions. It remained at No.1 for 15 weeks (and stayed in the Australian charts for 40 weeks), making "Fernando" one of the best-selling singles of all time in Australia. "Fernando" also reached the Top 3 in ABBA's native Sweden (although Frida's Swedish version was No.1 in Sweden for 10 weeks), Norway, Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia), Canada and Spain. If Frida's No.1 position in Sweden is included, "Fernando" was actually a chart-topper in 13 countries, equal to "Dancing Queen". The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... This article is about the former British colony of Southern Rhodesia, todays Zimbabwe. ... Dancing Queen is the biggest hit single recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, and as such is considered to be their signature song. ...

"Fernando" peaked at No.13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, making it (at the time) ABBA's highest charting American single after "Waterloo". However, "Fernando" did reach the top spot on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, the first of two chart-topping AC hits for ABBA on this chart (the second being "The Winner Takes It All"). The song remains an airplay staple on North American radio stations specializing in the MOR, adult standards and easy listening formats. For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... Audio sample Info (help· info) Waterloo was the first single from ABBAs second album Waterloo, their first for Epic and Atlantic. ... The Adult Contemporary chart (formerly known as Adult Contemporary Singles) lists the most popular songs weekly calculated by airplay and occasionally sales. ... Audio sample Info (help· info) The Winner Takes It All is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. Released on July 21, 1980, it was the lead single from the groups Super Trouper album. ... Middle of the Road was a Scottish pop group who enjoyed great success across Europe in the early 1970s. ... Adult Standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

"Fernando" was also chosen as the "Best Studio Recording of 1975", ABBA's first international prize.

Chart positions

The Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry. ... “Hot 100” redirects here. ...

Cover versions

• In 1976, Swedish singer Lena Andersson recorded a German language version of this song. Andersson was also signed to the Polar label so she could use the original backing track. The German version is of particular interest to fans of the band since it contains a two bar long instrumental passage after the first chorus that was edited out from both the Swedish and the English language versions.
• Also in 1976, Paraguayan/Brazilian camp singer Perla covered "Fernando" on her album "Palavras de Amor". Perla also covered ABBA's "Chiquitita" on her 1979 album.
• A Swedish country band called Nashville Train (which included some of ABBA's own backing band members) also covered the song in the 1970s on their album ABBA Our Way.
• The Swedish singer Lotta Engberg has recorded a cover version of the Swedish language version of the song.
• The famous Swedish dance band Vikingarna has also recorded a cover version of the Swedish language version of the song.
• American actress/singer Audrey Landers (best known for her role on the TV series Dallas) recorded a cover of the song.
• U.S. musician/songwriter Pamela McNeill included a rendition of the song on her Tribute To ABBA album. Her husband, Dugan McNeill, helped produce the album.
• British dance tribute group Abbacadabra released a cover and several remixes of the song through Almighty Records in the late 1990s.
• German Eurodance group E-Rotic covered the song on their album Thank You For The Music.
• An electronica version by Bug Funny Foundation is included on the compilation The Electronic Tribute To ABBA.
• The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus recorded a cover of the song for their 1997 album ExtrABBAganza!.
• Local Seattle gay men's chorus Captain Smartypants recorded a cover of the song for their album Undercover.
• Danish rock/pop duo The Olsen Brothers recorded a cover for their 2003 album More Songs.
• The 2004 album ABBAMania 2 featured a cover by British TV actress Jane Danson.
• The German ABBA Mania compilation includes a cover of the song by Barbara Schöneberger and German comedian Dirk Bach.
• A cover of the song by Velvet Set can be found on the 2006 chill out music compilation ABBA Chill Out.
• Taiwanese singer Tracy Huang recorded an English cover of the song.
• A cover of the song by Finnish a cappella choral ensemble Rajaton can be found on their 2006 ABBA tribute album Rajaton Sings ABBA With Lahti Symphony Orchestra.

Perla redirects here. ... Chiquitita (which roughly means little girl in Spanish) was the first single from Swedish pop group ABBAs album Voulez-Vous, their sixth for Polar, and their fifth for Epic and Atlantic. ... Lotta Engberg, born Anna Charlotte Pedersen on March 5, 1963 in Överkalix, Sweden, Swedish singer. ... // In popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition (performance or recording) of a previously recorded song. ... Vikingarna was a Swedish dansband, formed in 1958 by Claes Johansson as Jicco & the Vikings. In 1961, the name was changed to Vikings, and in 1973 to Vikingarna. The band first entered Svensktoppen in 1974, with the song På världens tak, a swedish cover of the Carpenters-hit Top... Audrey Landers, (born July 18, 1956, in Philadelphia), is an American actress and singer, who is probably best known for her role in the television drama series Dallas as Afton Cooper. ... Dallas redirects here. ... Dugan McNeil, is an American bass guitarist who most notably worked with the 1980s Minnesota rock band Chameleon with members: Charlie Adams, Yanni, Mark Anthony, and Johnny Donaldson. ... E-Rotic is a Swiss/German techno/hip house/eurodance group. ... Electronica refers to a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; but unlike electronic dance music, is not specifically focused on the dance floor. ... www. ... Niels and Jørgen Olsen The Olsen Brothers are a Danish rock/pop music duo, and are brothers Jørgen (born March 15, 1950) and Noller (Niels, born April 13, 1954) Olsen. ... Jane Danson (born November 8, 1978) is an English actress. ... For the documentary about Jerry Seinfeld, see Comedian (film). ... This article is about the German comedy actor Dirk Bach Dirk Bach (23 April 1961 in Cologne) is a german television comedy actor, best known as Pepe in german version of Sesamstraße and actor in television serie Lukas. ... chill out redirects here. ... This article is about the vocal technique. ... Rajaton is a Finnish a cappella choral ensemble, founded in Helsinki in 1997. ...

Live cover performances, appearances in other media, etc.

• Only a few lines of the song are sung briefly by the character of Donna in the Mamma Mia! musical.
• The song has been performed live in English as a duet by Swedish singers Helen Sjöholm and Karin Glenmark.
• The Dutch soccer player Fernando Ricksen was named after this tune by his mother.
• The pre-school music specialists The Wiggles make an allusion to this song, perhaps as a joke for parents, in "Wiggly Safari". One of the members hears drums in the distance, turns to his Spanish friend Fernando, and asks, "Can you hear the drums, Fernando?".
• Fernando is also the name of the son of the fictional character Alan Partridge, a noted ABBA fan.
• "Fernando" was used in an episode of the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. The episode featured Bea Arthur playing a babysitter in charge of taking care of Dewey while the rest of the family is away. The relationship between the two starts off rocky, but slowly improves. It culminates with a classic scene of the two dancing to "Fernando" passionately, with Bea Arthur's character eventually passing out. She is then drive away in an ambulance, wether she lived or not is unknown.
• "Fernando" was also used in "That Disco Episode", a Season 1 episode of That '70s Show. Hyde dances with Donna to the song at the disco. Then Eric Forman starts singing a verse from the song to Donna, and they start dancing to it.
• "Fernando" was also used in the trailer for Spike Lee's 1999 movie Summer of Sam. The movie itself also featured a few other ABBA songs, most notably "Dancing Queen".

Mamma Mia! is a musical with a book by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA. It is an example of a jukebox musical, and is notable for popularizing the genre. ... Marie Helen Sjöholm (born 10 July 1970) is a Swedish singer who lives in Gamla Enskede in Stockholm. ... Gemini are a Swedish brother and sister duo, consisting of Karin Glenmark and Anders Glenmark. ... Fernando Ricksen (born July 20, 1976) is a Dutch defender/Midfielder who currently plays for Zenit St Petersburg. ... The Wiggles is an Australian band. ... Information Gender Male Date of birth April 2, 1955 ) Occupation Radio and Television Broadcaster Portrayed by Steve Coogan Alan Gordon Partridge is a fictional television and radio presenter portrayed by English comedian Steve Coogan. ... Malcolm in the Middle is a seven-time Emmy-winning,[1] one-time Grammy-winning[1] and seven-time Golden Globe-nominated[1] American sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. ... Beatrice Arthur as Maude Findlay on Maude. ... That Disco Episode is an episode from That 70s Show. ... That 70s Show, an American television sitcom, centers on the lives of a group of teenagers living in Point Place, Wisconsin, a fictional suburb of either Kenosha or Green Bay[1] from May 17, 1976 to December 31, 1979. ... Shelton Jackson Lee (born March 20, 1957, in Atlanta, Georgia), better known as Spike Lee, is an Emmy Award - winning, and Academy Award - nominated American film director, producer, writer, and actor noted for his films dealing with controversial social and political issues. ... Summer of Sam is a 1999 film about the Son of Sam serial murders. ... Dancing Queen is the biggest hit single recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, and as such is considered to be their signature song. ...

External links