Sometimes when I’ve had a stressful day at work, I like to clear my mind with some loud Swedish pop. I leave work, I put my headphones on, I turn them up really loud, I go for a walk, and suddenly life is good again.

Usually, it’s something very disco in style. Yesterday, for example it was Magnus Carlsson. Today, however, it was quite different: it was a song I’ve had stuck in my head for the last twenty four hours: “Längesen” by Petter ft. Veronica Maggio.

Generally speaking, Veronica sings in Swedish in a 60s retro-style. She’s a bit like “Duffy” in some ways, although her vocal style has that melancholic Swedish vibe about it. Even when you think she’s singing about something happy, it sounds like she’s sad, if you know what I mean. Melancholic ABBA-esque.

Petter is a white-boy rapper who, generally sings about life, poverty etc in Sweden, and usually sings so quickly I can scarcely follow what’s going on. Even with the lyrics in front of me he is sometimes hard to follow, since he raps in a very contemporary style with words and phrases I can’t usually find in a dictionary.

They’ve worked together previously. In fact, one of my favourite Swedish songs of the last few years has been a collaboration with Petter’s old band Snook. Snook featured Veronica’s partner at the time, Oskar LInross, who I raved about a couple of months ago.

Veronica’s refrain in this song is…

Är det så här det känns att va lycklig?
Det är inga problem
Är det så här det känns att va lycklig?
Det är inga problem, det är inga problem

…which translates, roughly, as…

Is this how it feels to be happy?
It’s not a problem
Is this how it feels to be happy?
It’s not a problem, it’s not a problem

I love all of the images of life in Stockholm in this clip.

I sent the link to this song to a music-loving colleague who commented… “Nice. Like the vague All Along The Watchtower melodic reference”…

Anyway, I’m completely moved by their latest collaboration also. It’s an odd combination and is probably an acquired taste since it features some “chipmunk” style singing at the beginning, some Swedish white boy rapping, and then the slightly melancholic vocals of Veronica Maggio.

The sweet lyrical refrain from Veronica this time is…

Varje gång är som den första gång vi sågs
Även om det är över nu
Allting har förändrats
Men du finns kvar
Allt var svävande men nu så ser ja klart

Roughly translated, she’s singing…

Every time is like the first time we met
Even if it is over now
Everything has changed
But you are left (behind)
Everything was suspended, but now I see clearly

I’ve taken a few liberties with the translation. Sorry.

Unfortunately, the proper clip is disabled on youtube, but you can see it here

I really like the fact this group of performers continues to sing in Swedish when so many other Swedish performers now sing mostly or only in English.

I can’t decide who I have the biggest crush on: Petter or Veronica. Nah, it’s probably Oskar :)