Song Analysis - Sång till Görel

June 21st, 1979 marked Vice President of Polar Music, Gorel Johnsen, aka the one and only Gorel Hanser,'s 30th birthday!  And to celebrate the occasion, on June 7th, 1979, ABBA together with Stig wrote a song in honor of Gorel's birthday.  Not many people got special songs written for them by ABBA, in fact the only two people, as far as we know, to receive that honor were Gorel and Stig, which goes to show how important the two of them were to ABBA.

Now I don't really have much to say in terms of analysis of the song, as the song is pretty self-explanatory.  This song is also really unique in the singing arrangements as well.  The song begins with an intro sang by Agnetha and Frida, which is translated as follows:

Verse 1: From Skultorp Görel sailed to Sweden and Polar.  She came, she was seen, she conquered, and that's why she stays.  Now she sits as director, and Stikkan's great comfort There she will sit until she dies and hear Stikkan's Voice.

Then in the first chorus we have all four ABBA members singing with Stig interjecting,

Chorus: ABBA:Where is Görel, say, where is Görel, hey  Stig: I manage nothing without you  ABBA: Where is Görel, say, where is Görel, hey, Stig: Can someone answer me?

Then the second verse is sang by Stig, with Agnetha and Frida adding some backing vocals.  Verse 2: She manages the hardest, we have a star.  And you call up and she answer that 'This is Sweden's voice'.  Agnetha, Frida, all of us, Björn and Benny, too, they cause her stress with small cries.  (Agnetha and Frida; Görel!  Görel!) Yes, who doesn't!

Followed by the next chorus that is sang by everyone together rather than having Stig interject.  

The third verse is sang by Bjorn and Benny but they're rather quiet hahaa.  Verse 3: In summer night's happenings, in Autumn's rain and haze, she talks, always smiling with her licensees.  They call from Brasil, from Japan and Iraq, and she always has the same style and they have the same business.

Followed by another chorus, and then the fourth and final verse, sang by Agnetha and Frida, verse 4: Yes, Görel is thorough, and she checks on what happens.  She keeps her little hand in it and much, much more.  And now is it still the one who should have a little hand.  When her Anders afterwards calls, sometimes we catch it.

Then there is one last chorus and the song ends. 

Interestingly, this song, along with I Have A Dream and Little Things, is one of the few songs to feature a non-ABBA vocalist on a song.  This song also is one of the few songs to feature (at least) one verse sang by Agnetha and Frida together and another verse sang by Bjorn and Benny together.  The only other song that I can think of that features that sort of verse structure is He Is Your Brother from 1972.  This song and I Am An A from 1977 are also the only songs to mention the ABBA members' names in it.  And this song marked the last Bjorn, Benny, and Stig musical composition together.  

Sång till Görel was released on a limited edition 12-inch blue vinyl single at Gorel's 30th birthday party, and that remains it's only official release, and as a result, is also one of the rarest items for ABBA fans to collect.  But it is available online, and it is still such a treat to listen to.  You can really feel the love that the ABBA members and Stig had and still have for Gorel. :')