Fernando (song)

"Fernando"
Norwegian picture sleeve
Single by Anni-Frid Lyngstad
from the album Frida ensam
LanguageSwedish
B-side"Ett liv i solen"
ReleasedJanuary 1976 (1976-01)
Length4:14
LabelPolar Music
Songwriters
Producers
  • Benny Andersson
  • Björn Ulvaeus
Anni-Frid Lyngstad singles chronology
"Man Vill Ju Leva Lite Dessemellan"
(1972)
"Fernando"
(1976)
"I Know There's Something Going On"
(1982)
Audio video
"Fernando" (Swedish version) on YouTube
"Fernando"
Scandinavian variant of standard artwork
Single by ABBA
from the album Greatest Hits
B-side"Hey, Hey Helen"
Released12 March 1976
Recorded4 September 1975
StudioMetronome
Genre
Length4:15
LabelPolar
Songwriters
  • Benny Andersson
  • Björn Ulvaeus
  • Stig Anderson
Producers
  • Benny Andersson
  • Björn Ulvaeus
ABBA singles chronology
"Rock Me"
(1976)
"Fernando"
(1976)
"Dancing Queen"
(1976)
Music video
"Fernando" on YouTube

"Fernando" is a song written by ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and their manager Stikkan Anderson. It was originally recorded for their fellow group member Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who included it on her second album Frida ensam (1975). Anderson wrote the Swedish lyrics to Lyngstad's version. It was released in January 1976 via Polar Music as a radio-only single in Sweden and a physical release in Norway.

In 1976, ABBA would later re-record "Fernando", with re-written English lyrics provided by Ulvaeus. This version was released on 12 March 1976, initially as a standalone single, but was later included on re-issues of their 1975 compilation album Greatest Hits, as well as the Australasian version of their fourth studio album Arrival (1976). It is also included on ABBA Gold.

Both versions of "Fernando" would become major successes in their own right. Lyngstad's Swedish version spent nine weeks atop the important Svensktoppen radio chart, and was voted the favorite song of the year. ABBA's English version would become one of their best-selling hits of all time, selling six million copies alone in 1976, and most notably spent a then record breaking 14 weeks atop the Australian Kent Music Report chart. It is one of fewer than forty singles to have sold at least 10 million physical copies worldwide.