Happy Nation (song)

"Happy Nation"
Standard European artwork (Scandinavian 12-inch vinyl single pictured)
Single by Ace of Base
from the album Happy Nation/The Sign
B-side "Remix"
Released
  • 1992
  • 1993
Format
Recorded 1992
Genre
Length 4:16
Label Mega
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Jonas Berggren
  • Ulf Ekberg
Ace of Base singles chronology
"All That She Wants"
(1992)		 "Happy Nation"
(1992)		 "Waiting for Magic"
(1993)

"All That She Wants"
(1992)		 "Happy Nation"
(1992)		 "Waiting for Magic"
(1993)
Music video
"Happy Nation" on YouTube
1992 Cover
1992 Scandinavian Edition Cover

"Happy Nation" is a song recorded by Swedish group Ace of Base from their debut album with the same name.

Release

"Happy Nation" was first released in Scandinavia in 1992 and later released twice in the United Kingdom. Its first appearance was in October 1993, when it peaked at number 42, it reentered the chart twelve months later at number 40.[1] "Happy Nation" reached number one on the singles charts of Denmark, Finland, France and Israel in 1993 and 1994. In 2008 the song was remade by Ace of Base for a remix kit.

"Happy Nation" is a mid-tempo dance-pop song with strong influences from reggae fusion and euro house. It was written by Jonas "Joker" Berggren and Ulf "Buddha" Ekberg and contains both English and Latin lyrics. The first verse is sung in Latin by Joker, and Linn Berggren sings the rest as the lead singer.

Music video

The music video of "Happy Nation" was directed by Matt Broadley, who also directed the music video of "All That She Wants".[2]

The video begins with a lit candle, the flame of which blowing to the side. During Joker's verse, he sings flanked on both sides by a candelabrum, with Linn's face and different ancient symbols and pictures moving in the background. These images include the peace symbol, runic inscriptions, Egyptian hieroglyphs, Indigenous Australian art, the Buddha, the Zodiac signs, the yin yang symbol, the Crucifixion of Jesus, and the book The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. After Joker's verse, the rest of the video focuses on Linn singing. She is mostly seen standing, but at one point she is seen sitting at a long wooden table, appearing to be deep in thought. At other times, Jenny Berggren appears singing with Linn for a moment. The background images continue to appear during this part, along with scenes of Buddha typing on a stationary computer, Jenny reading from an old book, Joker singing the background vocals, and other short clips featuring the band members. Old movie footage is also shown during Linn's section, such as an atomic bomb exploding, people walking, and a tree falling down. When the music fades out, the lit candle shown at the start of the video is blown out.

Track listings

CD single - UK
  1. "Happy Nation" (radio edit) — 3:32
  2. "Happy Nation" (12 inch version) — 6:39
  3. "Happy Nation" (album version) — 4:11
CD maxi
  1. "Happy Nation" (gold zone club mix)
  2. "Happy Nation" (gold zone 7" edit)
  3. "Happy Nation" (gold dub edit)
  4. "Happy Nation" (moody gold mix)
7" single
  1. "Happy Nation" (radio edit) — 3:32
  2. "Happy Nation" (album version) — 4:11

Personnel

  • Vocals by Linn Berggren, Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg
  • Latin Choir by Jonas Berggren
  • Backing Vocals by John Ballard
  • Written by Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg
  • Produced by Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg
  • Recorded at Tuff Studios

Charts and sales

Other recordings

During the 6th series of Så mycket bättre, Niklas Strömstedt performed the song in Swedish as "Lyckolandet".

References

  1. 1 2 UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  2. ↑ "Credits - Matt Broadley". mattbroadley.com. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  3. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles – Week Ending 20 Mar 1994". ARIA. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  4. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  5. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  6. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  7. ↑ "Music & Media: Denmark Top-10" (PDF). Music & Media (1993-01-16). Retrieved 2018-02-23.
  8. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  9. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in French). Les classement single.
  10. ↑ "Musicline.de – Ace of Base Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  11. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (14.10.1993 - 20.10.1993)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
  12. ↑ Israeli Singles Chart: 3 weeks at No. 1 (2 March 1993 – 23 March 1993)
  13. ↑ "Indice per Interprete: A". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Ace of Base" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  15. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  16. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Ace of Base – Happy Nation". VG-lista.
  17. ↑ "Charts.nz – Ace of Base – Happy Nation". Top 40 Singles.
  18. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  19. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Ace of Base – Happy Nation". Singles Top 100.
  20. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Ace of Base – Happy Nation". Swiss Singles Chart.
  21. ↑ "1993 YEAR-END SALES CHARTS" (PDF). Music & Media (1993-12-18, page 15). Retrieved 2018-02-23.
  22. ↑ "Single top 100 over 1993" (pdf) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  23. ↑ 1994 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com Archived 2011-08-20 at the Wayback Machine. (Retrieved January 30, 2009)
  24. ↑ "French single certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  25. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Ace of Base; 'Happy Nation')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
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