En ledig dag

Summary

En ledig dag (English: A Day Off) is a song written by Bengt Sten and Matteo Chiosso.[1] En ledig dag was originally released by Swedish singer Östen Warnerbring. A cover version was the debut single released by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The melody is based on another song titled "Weekend in Portofino", composed by Bruno de Filippi.[1]

Östen Warnerbring version edit

"En Ledig Dag"
Single by Östen Warnerbring
LanguageSwedish
English titleA Day Off
B-side"Sommarvind"
Released1967
Length3:25

Warnerbring's version was backed by Marcus Österdahls Orkester, first released on the EP “Sommarvind” in February 1967.[2] The song then released as a single[3] and was a minor hit, charting in the Svenkstoppen at 9th place in June 1967, staying in the chart for 1 week.[4]

Anni-Frid Lyngstad version edit

"En ledig dag"
 
Single by Anni-Frid Lyngstad
from the album Anni-Frid Lyngstad
B-side"Peter kom tillbaka"
ReleasedSeptember 1967
Recorded11 September 1967 at Europafilm Studio, Stockholm[1]
GenrePop, jazz
Length2:55
LabelHis Master's Voice
Songwriter(s)
  • Bengt Sten
  • Matteo Chiosso
  • Bruno de Filippi
Producer(s)Olle Bergman
Anni-Frid Lyngstad singles chronology
"En ledig dag"
(1967)
"Din"
(1967)

Background edit

Dagen-H performance, recording session edit

After winning the Swedish talent competition Nya ansikten (New Faces) in the national final held at Skansen on 3 September 1967, Lyngstad performed the song live on TV the same night. The day was Dagen H (right hand traffic reorganization day), when Sweden changed from driving on the left to driving on the right. Lyngstad's first professional recording session was on 11 September 1967 at Europafilm Studio, Stockholm when she recorded the vocals for En ledig dag in a single take.[5]

Legacy and impact edit

Lyngstad's version of En ledig dag did not enter the Svensktoppen chart but had circulated in the Toppentipset chart at 11th place on 15 October 1967[6] and 13th place the following week.[7] Most of Lyngstad's continuous singles had this fate.[5] She did not reach to her breakthrough until two years later, she appeared as a contestant for Melodifestivalen, singing "Härlig är vår jord" and toured with Charlie Norman's cabaret shows.[5] Nonetheless, this single marked the turning point of Anni-Frid's life that her singing career would become successful in the future.[citation needed] This single was originally released as a non-album single in September 1967, but has been included on her compilation albums, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, "Tre kvart från nu" and "Frida 1967–1972".

Charts edit

Östen Warnerbring version edit

Chart (1967) Peak
position
Sweden (Svenkstoppen) 9

Anni-Frid Lyngstad version edit

Chart (1967) Peak
position
Sweden (Toppentipset) 11

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Frida 1967 - 1972". Discogs. 1997. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Sommarvind".
  3. ^ "En Ledig Dag".
  4. ^ Radio, Sveriges (2024-03-24). "Svensktoppen 1967-06-18 - Svensktoppen". sverigesradio.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  5. ^ a b c "Frida 1967 - 1972 Liner Notes, English translation". Carl Magnus Palm. Archived from the original on 2019-03-27. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  6. ^ "Toppentipset". Aftonbladet. 15 October 1967. p. 11.
  7. ^ "Toppentipset". Aftonbladet. 22 October 1967. p. 32.