I've always said that a hallmark of a truly great melody is that it can cross genres.
I recently came across this fun example of turning a Swedish pop song into a Swedish polska.
The tune is "Ring Ring", an ABBA tune off of their album of the same name (when the group was known as "Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid"). Most people are unaware that the tune was written by by Benny Andersson, Stig Anderson and Björn Ulvaeus with Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody helping with the English translation of the lyrics.
This version was presented on a Swedish television program, Doobidoo, in October 2006. Noted Swedish folk musician Lena Willemark leads into the piece by kulning and is then joined by Anders Linder. The tune was arranged by another noted Swedish folk musician, Ale Möller, and the guest fiddler is none other than Göran Premberg.
A Swedish polska with a bit of pop stardust!
The Swedish lyrics are:
Tyst och död är telefon
Står där nästan som ett hån
Inte ringer du och säger älskling nu som du gjorde
Allting är så tyst mot förr
Ingen knackar på min dörr
Det som lockat mig frestar inte, nej, som det borde
Inget roar mig just nu
Ingen annan bara duRing ring, bara du slog en signal
Ring ring, tystnaden är så total
Ring ring, skingra den oron som mal
Om jag fick en signal, tog jag ett språng
Hjärtat gjorde en volt, ding-dong bing-bong
Om du ring–ring–ringde en endaste gång
Om du ring–ring–ringde en endaste gångAtt en telefon kan va'
Lika tyst varenda dag
Om det vore så, det var nåt fel ändå, men dessvärre
Om den bara sa ett knyst
Om den inte blott var tyst
Om jag fick nån lön för nån enda bön av vår Herre
Inget roar mig just nu
Ingen annan bara duRing ring, bara du slog en signal
Ring ring, tystnaden är så total
Ring ring, skingra den oron som mal
Om jag fick en signal, tog jag ett språng
Hjärtat gjorde en volt, ding-dong bing-bong
Om du ring–ring–ringde en endaste gång
Om du ring–ring–ringde en endaste gång
And the English translation:
I was sitting by the phone
I was waiting all alone
Baby, by myself I sit and wait and wonder about you
It's a dark and dreary night
Seems like nothing's going right
Won't you tell me honey how can I go on here without youYes, I'm down and feeling blue
And I don't know what to do, oh-ohRing, ring, why don't you give me a call
Ring, ring, the happiest sound of them all
Ring, ring, I stare at the phone on the wall
And I sit all alone impatiently
Won't you please understand the need in me
So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a callYou were here and now you're gone
Hey, did I do something wrong
I just can't believe that I could be so badly mistaken
Was it me or was it you
Tell me, are we really through
Won't you hear me cry and you will know that my heart is breakingPlease forgive and then forget
Or maybe darling better yet, oh-ohRing, ring, why don't you give me a call
Ring, ring, the happiest sound of them all
Ring, ring, I stare at the phone on the wall
And I sit all alone impatiently
Won't you please understand the need in me
So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
Oh-oh, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
So, ring, ring, why don't you give me a call
