It's so nice to be rich - Agnetha Fältskog

'It's so nice to be rich' is a song by Swedish singer Agnetha Fältskog from the soundtrack to the 1983 Swedish movie P & B, starring Stellan Skarsgård, Allan Edwall and Lill Lindfors among others. Since the song was not included on Fältskog's 1985 album 'Eyes of a Woman', the first time the song appeared on an album was the 1996 compilation album 'My Love, My Life'. The song was only released as a single in Sweden in December 1983 and it reached number 8 on the Swedish singles chart in February 1984. 

I actually knew this song because it was played on certain radio stations in 1984. However its availability has always been limited and even now I could only order it as part of a bigger order - from Denmark. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6593
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 January 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'It's so nice to be rich' / 'P&B'

The angels cry - Agnetha Fältskog

My second find in the circus tent yesterday was this single by Agnetha Fältskog. I have always had an interest in Abba and, slighly less important, its individual members. 'The angels cry' was written by Justin Hayward and released in 1985 as a single from Agnetha's solo album 'Eyes of a woman', the follow-up to the more successful solo album 'Wrap your arms around me'.

I was shocked to find out that the single is for sale online for prices upwards of 86 UK pounds. It is a nice single, but it doesn't warrant such a high price. That said, if someone offers me a 100 euros for this one, it may not be in my collection for long...

My collection: 7" single no. 5973
Found: Top 2000 café, Circus, Den Haag
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'The angels cry' / 'We move as one'

The way you are - Agnetha Fältskog & Ola Håkansson

Agnetha Fältskog and Ola Håkansson of the Swedish band Secret Service recorded 'The way you are' in 1986. The song was used to promote Falun, Sweden as a candidate for hosting the 1992 Olympic Winter Games. Falun was not selected to host the Games, but the song became a big hit in Sweden. 
The song on the B-side, "Fly like the eagle", was also a duet by Fältskog and Håkansson.

Both songs were featured in the documentary 'It's Time for Sweden'. The single reached No. 1 in Sweden, but was not successful in the rest of the world.

My collection: 7" single no. 5811
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2015
Cost: 0,8 euro
Tracks: 'The way you are' / 'Fly like the eagle'

Listen to the song

When you really loved someone - Agnetha Fältskog

The biggest disappointment of this year's Eurovision Song Contest was that Abba didn't appear on stage when the song 'The winner takes it all' was performed live on stage by someone else. But that disappointment was balanced somewhat by the surprise announcement earlier this year that Agnetha was to release a new album. This single, 'When you really loved someone' was meant to be a teaser.

Now in the old days, a 7" single would consist of an A-side and a B-side. But in this case, the artist nor the record company could be bothered to supply the latter, so when you play the B-side of this disc, all you hear is silence. But that's the only gripe: the song itself is nice, and the picture disc looks very beautiful.

My collection: 7" single no. 5342
Found: CDON.com, received May 22, 2013
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'When you really loved someone'

One way love - Agnetha Faltskog

Agnetha's second solo album after Abba effectively ended in 1982 was the Eric Stewart-produced 'Eyes of a woman', released in March 1985. The album sold well in parts of Europe, reaching number 2 in Sweden and the Top 20 in Norway and Belgium, but failed to match the success of the previous album, 'Wrap your arms around me'.

Lead single 'I won't let you go' enjoyed considerable chart success in both Continental Europe and Scandinavia, but its follow-up 'One way love' was less of a success: it only reached number 12 in Sweden and number 37 in Germany.

My collection: 7" single no. 5133
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'One way love' / 'Turn the world around'

The last time - Agnetha Fältskog

In 1987, Fältskog travelled to Malibu, California, to record the album 'I stand alone', produced by Peter Cetera and Bruce Gaitsch. Released in November of that year, it spent weeks at number 1 in Sweden, but was only a minor success in the rest of Europe.

When the first single 'The last time' appeared in the shops, I didn't buy it on account of Agnetha's strange hair on the sleeve photograph and the fact that the single was produced by Peter Cetera (whom I only knew from his boring middle of the road ballads at the time). 'The last time' was not a hit: it didn't chart in the Netherlands and the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 4131
Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, November 7, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The last time' / 'Are you gonna throw it all away'

Never again - Tomas Ledin and Agnetha Fältskog

Tomas Ledin was born on February 25, 1952 in Rätan, Sweden. He started his career in pop music in 1972, debuting with his single 'Då ska jag spela'. After six studio albums and one live album, Ledin was approached by Abba's Benny Andersson to record for the band's company Polar Music. He joined Abba as a backing vocalist during their tour, but also got the chance to sing his own composition 'Not bad at all' during the show.

In 1982, he released the duet 'Never again' with Agnetha Fältskog from Abba. The song reached number 1 in Chile and was popular across Europe. In the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 24 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1396

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 7, 1991

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Never again' (Tomas Ledin and Agnetha Fältskog) / 'Just for the fun' (Tomas Ledin)

I won't let you go - Agnetha Fältskog

After the virtual demise of Abba in 1982, Agnetha Fältskog enjoyed a lot of success with her solo album 'Wrap your arms around me' (1983). She followed this up with 'Eyes of a woman', released in 1985 and produced by Eric Stewart from 10CC. The album sold well in parts of Europe, but failed to match the success of its predecessor.

The first single from the album was 'I won't let you go', composed by Fältskog herself. It peaked at number 18 in the Netherlands, but did not chart in the UK. It would be 2003 before she returned in the singles chart in that country with 'If I thought you'd ever change your mind'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1134

Found: All that music, Leiden, December 28, 1989

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'I won't let you go' / 'You're there'

The heat is on - Agnetha Fältskog

In May 1983, Agnetha Fältskog released her first post-Abba solo album, 'Wrap your arms around me'. 'The heat is on' was the first single taken from that album. On the B-side the track 'Man' appeared, written by Agnetha herself.

The single proved very successful throughout Europe. It sold more copies than any of Abba's singles in the year 1982. It was a number one hit in Belgium, Norway and Sweden, while it peaked at number 2 in the Netherlands. In the UK, the single reached number 35. For a long time it was Fältskog's highest charting solo single in Britain until the release of her 2004 comeback single, 'If I thought you'd ever change your mind', which reached No.11.

My collection: 7" single no. 194

Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1983

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'The heat is on' / 'Man'

Download: Album 'Wrap your arms around me', including both tracks

The heat is on - Agnetha Fältskog

Wrap your arms around me - Agnetha Fältskog

'Wrap your arms around me' was Agnetha Fältskog's second solo single since the breakup of Abba. It was the title track of her solo album, which was released shortly before the release of this single. The single featured an edit of the longer album track, which featured some extra groaning and erotically charged sounds.

Strangely enough, Agnetha never really sounded very erotic. She just didn't have the trashy quality singers like Donna Summer and Madonna had. The single, nonetheless, was a success. It was a number one hit in Belgium and peaked at number 5 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 2045

Found: Record fair, October 30, 1993

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Wrap your arms around me' / 'Take good care of your children'

Can't shake loose - Agnetha Fältskog

25 years after the fact, I think that 'Can't shake loose' was the best single from Agnetha Fältskog's album 'Wrap your arms around me'. It's not the most logical choice, since only 'The heat is on' and the title track became hits for her in 1983. But it's a great rock track, and it utilises the desperation that sometimes flares up in Agnetha's voice to full effect.

The song was written by Russ Ballard, who also wrote the more successful 'I Know There's Something Going On' for Agnetha's former Abba colleague Frida.

My collection: 7" single no. 199

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1983

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Can't shake loose' / 'To love'

Download: Album 'Wrap your arms around me', including both tracks