ALF BJÖRNBERG
1. Simon Brehm och Hans Ruskiga Röjare, “Dunder och snus”
From: “Dunder och snus” / “Jag kom till ditt barndop” Karusell K23, 1953, 78 rpm.
Also the B side of this record, “Jag kom till ditt barndop” (I Went to Your Christening) is a parodic translation of a US hit (Patti Page’s “I Went to Your Wedding”). Although this song’s lyrics (also by Lennart Hellsing) are not as coarse as those of “Dunder och snus”, the song would most probably have been banned from airplay at the time due to its tongue-in-cheek immorality (the tears in the protagonist’s eye are caused by the thought of having to pay monthly alimony for the child whose mother has found a new partner).
2. Lapp-Lisa, “Barnatro”
From: “Barnatro” / “Skördens herre” Sonata 62, 1937, 78 rpm.
The first of several recordings of this classic sentimental Swedish spiritual song. Lapp-Lisa (Anna-Lisa Öst, 1889–1974) was active in the Salvation Army, recorded some 450 songs and toured intensively, also in the USA.
3. Percy Faith & His Orchestra, “Swedish Rhapsody”
From: “The Song from Moulin Rouge” / “Swedish Rhapsody” Columbia 39944, 1953, 78 rpm.
“Easy-listening” version of Hugo Alfvén’s Midsommarvaka – Svensk rapsodi Nr 1.
4. Hugo Alfvén, Midsommarvaka
From: Midsommarvaka / Bergakungen. Swedish Society Discofil BLE 33100, 1954, 33⅓ rpm.
The original version of Alvén’s composition, played by the Royal Court Orchestra conducted by the composer. This recording is the first stereo recording made in Sweden.
5. Postflickorna, Gärdebylåten
From: “Gärdebylåten” / “Delsbovalsen” Telefunken A 3370, 1953, 78 rpm.
This is in all probability the vocal version of Hjort Anders’s fiddle tune whose artistic merits were discussed by public-service radio officials in 1953 (the artists’ names are not given in the sources). Postflickorna was a female choir whose members all worked at Postsparbanken (the Postal Savings Bank) in Stockholm; the choir made several popular recordings during the 1950s.
6. Göingeflickorna, “Kära mor”
From: “Kära mor” / “Min kulla” / “Silvertrådar i ditt gyllene hår” / “Såpbubblor” Joker JEP 8015, 1961, 45 rpm.
The trio Göingeflickorna consisted of the three sisters Sonja Martinsson, Barbro Svensson and Agnetha Gardelid. In the 1960s and 1970s, the trio made several recordings and television performances and also toured the USA.
7. Cornelis Vreeswijk, “Sportiga Marie”
From: Ballader och grimascher. Metronome MLP 15213, 1965, 33⅓ rpm.
This is one of several songs made by Vreeswijk in the mid-1960s, the airplay of which was likely to be surrounded by caution in SR internal guidelines. The song lyrics portray, in a straightforward matter-of-fact manner, the life of a prostitute woman. (On Vreeswijk also cf. ch. 4.)
8. Kriminella gitarrer, “Knugen Skuk”
From: Svensk pop. Svenska Pop Fabriken SP 07, 1979, 33⅓ rpm.
One of the songs whose airplay was criticized by the Radio Board in 1983. The title of the song is a deliberate, somewhat childish misspelling of an expression translating into “The King’s Dick”. (On the compilation album Svensk pop also cf. ch. 8.)