"Andante, Andante" (Spanish for Walker, Walker) is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA for the album Super Trouper. It was released as a single in only two countries, El Salvador and Argentina. It was written by members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus on 9 April 1980 at Polar Music studios. Initially, this song was called "Hold Me Close". Anni-Frid Lyngstad handles the lead vocals.
| "Andante, Andante" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by ABBA | ||||
| from the album Super Trouper | ||||
| B-side | "The Piper" | |||
| Released | February 1981 | |||
| Recorded | 9 April 1980 | |||
| Genre | Europop, pop, Swedish pop | |||
| Length | 4:40 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus | |||
| Producer(s) | Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Michael B. Tretow | |||
| ABBA singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio | ||||
| "Andante, Andante" on YouTube | ||||
Background
edit"Andante, Andante" is a love song, and the repeated musical term of the title means "gently," "slowly" or "at a walking pace" in Italian."[1] The lyrics were translated into Spanish by Buddy and Mary McCluskey and recorded in October 1980 at Polar Music studios.
The song was first released on the album Super Trouper, with the Spanish version included on later reissues of the album, as well as the 1999 reissue of the compilation Oro: Grandes Éxitos. The ABBA tribute choir Andante Andante, founded by Allison Pyke in 2004, takes its name from this song.[2] The Herald describes "Andante, Andante" as having an "Italian" flavour.[3]
Other recordings
edit- Thorleifs recorded an instrumental version on their 1992 album Med dej vill jag leva.[4]
- Lyngstad recorded a solo version of the song in Spanish in 2017 with Cuban-American trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. This version was released as part of Sandoval's album Ultimate Duets in 2018.
Charts
edit| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scotland (OCC)[5] | 81 |
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again version
editLily James (Young Donna) recorded "Andante, Andante" for the soundtrack of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Her version was released on 13 July 2018, alongside the rest of the soundtrack, by Capitol and Polydor Records. It was produced by Benny Andersson.
Charts
edit| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[6] | 22 |
| Scotland (OCC)[7] | 36 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[8] | 61 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[9] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Tobler, John (2012-01-04). Abba - Uncensored on the Record. Coda Books. ISBN 9781908538239.
- ^ "Eurovision marches to a distant drum - Music - Entertainment". Smh.com.au. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
- ^ "My, my, how can we resist you? Swede dreams are made of this . . . the big-screen version of Abba musical Mamma Mia! celebrates a band that became a phenomenon, says Marisa Duffy". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
- ^ Information at Svensk mediedatabas
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 30, 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
- ^ "British single certifications – Lily James – Andante Andante". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 May 2021.