Per’s 60 for 60. #35 Substitute (For the Real Deal). And we’re back to the magnificient album “Son of a Plumber” and this song, which at one point was to become a single. Sad that it was scrapped. The girl Per sings about in “Substitute” is a horrible person, she likes nothing about him and just seems to waiting for that One. This song was suggested to be the lead single off “SOAP” but Per went with “C’mon” instead. She says so/She doesn’t like your rock’n roll/Cos it makes her feel old but it’s alright/She comes and goes/She doesn’t like your fading clothes/You look cheaper than most but it’s alright! A mean girl. Have you ever been thru this? #per60

Substitute (For the Real Deal)

This is #35 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Per’s 60 for 60. #36 If I Knew Then (What I Know Now). What are the odds?? Yesterday we had the Swedish counterpart and today this… Yes it’s the same song, basically with the same lyrics. Still this one gathered a few more points. Like we said yesterday, this was never released and was written more than a year and a half before the Swedish version. The lyrics are just as sad: And I wonder/Who will be sleeping in my bed?/Who will be picking the roses?/Who will share the pillow I dream on/When rain falls all over my blue lakes?/Over my lost brakes?/Over my mistakes? This is the very same passage as yesterday. Sad, right? #per60

A bit more to reveal. Hope we can make it in time, working hard at the moment. Keep your fingers crossed. Your toes, too. Don’t stumble. Soon more.

Per’s 60 for 60. #37 Om jag vetat då (vad jag vet nu) If I’d Known Then (What I Know Now). Another song from “En händig man” and once again a great song. It was also recorded as a demo in English, however that one was recorded before the Swedish version. So what’s this song about? Love, of course. But lost love. The lyrics are very sad. Och jag undrar/vem kommer att få sova i din säng/vem håller du om när det blåser?/vem får bo i drömmen du drömmer?/en stilla doft av aprikoser/
och vilda rosor And I wonder/Who will be sleeping in your bed/Who are you hugging when the wind blows?/Who’s living in the dream you’re dreaming?/A still fragrance of apricots/and wild roses… #per60

Om jag vetat då (vad jag vet nu)

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #37 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Release party!

Helena Josefsson

Welcome to Victoriateatern 14/3 -19!! Come celebrate with us! Concert and vinyl release! ? Tickets: victoria.se
I have collected some sparkling musicians, and I just can’t wait to explore this with you❣️

Per’s 60 for 60. #38 Silly Really. Another “Party Crasher” song, the lead single even. This song was also (digitally) released as a 12″ dance mix. Of course we got a video, unfortunately we can’t find out who made it, but it was definitely inspired by the movie “Donnie Darko.” Lots of things happening in that video, very weird karaoke among other things. A nice track however, totally different from both SOAP and “En händig man,” a necessary change according to many, including Per. Then again, it’s not that far from his “normal” sound. Did anyone notice the “Band on the Run” solo that’s been borrowed from Macca? #per60

Silly Really

This is #38 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Oho!

Per’s 60 for 60. #39 Kissing is the Key. Well then there now, kissing is certainly the key. Kissing is amazing! Taken from the 2008 album “Party Crasher,” which you may remember started out as a SOAP album. This song is great, to put it short and sweet. Just great! And to the point. Per usually dances around subjects, with hints to this and to that. Here he goes the whole way. Kissing IS the key. Period. TDR agrees whole-heartedly. Kissing is the key/to an everlasting love/the kissing is the key/to an everlasting love/it really doesn’t matter/what you are hiding from/kissing kissing kissing/is the key to an everlasting love… Do you agree or do you agree? #per60

Kissing is the Key

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #39 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Per in Norrköping 2004 and in Linköping 2018.

Per’s 60 for 60. #40 I Wanna Be with You. OK, a third done, what do you think so far? Here’s another gem from The Lonely Boys. This was meant to be a Roxette song but was also considered for “The World According to Gessle,” but ended up as a Lonely Boys track. Also, a couple of years ago Swedish ’60s rock band The Hep Stars recorded a cover of “I Wanna Be With You” in studio T&A. Funny thing about the Lonely Boys album is that Per claimed – as always – in the interviews that he wrote the songs specifically for this project, while we know for a fact that several of the 6-7 songs were already written long ago. These lyrics are also very cute and loving. I wanna be with you all day/I wanna be with you all night/I wanna be with you all day/I wanna be with you all night… Isn’t it wonderful to feel this way? #per60

This line is important: These lines are important!

Per’s 60 for 60. #41 Fyrklöver (Four-Leaf Clover). Back to the future again. The last song on “En vacker dag” and a late addition at that. It replaced “Rudy & Me” since Per changed his mind about including another English song on the albums. “I do that sometimes” he stated (change his mind.) A beautiful, airy, acoustic number and a duet with Helena “Fyrklöver” is about love (of course,) but unknown love. “Who put this four-leaf clover on my table??” Helena replies “I don’t want to tell you, I don’t want to tell you…” 41 is too low for this song, we blame Stevo! The four-leaf clover is a sign of luck, at least in the western world. #60

Fyrklöver

This is #41 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Per’s 60 for 60. #42 Rocket from Her Heart. A demo again, this time from 1989. This was never used by Roxette but it was recorded by Swedish ’50s style bop band The Boppers in ’91. They are famous for being really bad at English, so for some reason they’re singing “She shoots a rocket from MY heart…” and it was also named “Rocket from MY Heart.” In 1993 German artist Mark Keller also recorded it. This song was most likely written for “Joyride,” and it made #42 on our chart. What’s your take on it? #per60

Rocket from Her Heart

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #42 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Interesting!

Neil

Listen to these guys discussing ‘Stars’. In their podcast they discuss 2 songs which flopped in the UK and discuss which one they want to ‘unflop’. This time it’s Roxette’s turn. They start discussing Roxette at around 22 mins. I am the ‘Neil’ that is talked about as I went to school with Stuart.

Another hint: Some people ask if this is going to be a Best Of album. Hmmm. Let me put it like this: Many years ago there were times when we (TDR) didn’t dare walking home alone in the dark when Roxette were going to release yet another Greatest Hits album. Well, I guess some of us can sing somehow (not overly sure though) but hey, we like you so we would never hurt you. And does this really look like a CD sleeve? Come on… 🙂

Per’s 60 for 60. #43 Kix. We return to “The World According to Gessle,” a world that’s full of adventure. “Kix” was a single as well and was released June 23 1997. The video was once again directed by Jonas Åkerlund and was banned from MTV due to a gay couple kissing in it. There was a maxi CD released, with two remixes aptly named “Lovely Pair Mix” and “Horribly Pear Shaped Mix.” Funny huh? It was even released as a double single in the UK! Our previous chart song “Love Doesn’t Live Here” was the B-side. “Kix” features a fat synth bass and doesn’t really fit in with the other songs on the album but it’s a more than decent track, which #43 out of 60 proves! #per60

Kix

This is #43 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

The vid! #per60

Per Gessle – En Händig Man [Music Video]

En händig man was made in the area around Per Gessles hometown, Halmstad. I was asked to direct and film a music video for Per right before he was about to…

Per’s 60 for 60. #44 En händig man (A Handy Man.) 2007, the album is called “En händig man,” a supposed sequel to the very successful and appreciated “Mazarin.” Apparently the working title was “Mazarin II” even. Obviously this was the lead single accompanied by a video, directed by Jeffery Richt and filmed in Halmstad, around Slottsmöllan. Cute lyrics about Hanna, known from “Henry, dansa inte disco” by Gyllene Tider. She is still messy with a “stormy love life”… The lyrics to “En händig man” are actually quite sexy if you listen to them. After all, he is a “handy man” not a handyman. Jag kommer hem till dej/Jag är en händig man/Jag finns för dej jag kommer så fort jag bara kan/Jag lyssnar på dej håller om dej erbjuder en hand/Och vill du jag ska stanna är jag en händig man… I’m coming home to you I am a handy man/I’m here for you I’m coming as fast as I can/I listen to you hold you offer you a hand/And if you would like me to stay I am a handy man… The joke of the title is that Per is the lousiest handyman in the world, and of course he knows it! #per60

En händig man

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #44 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Per’s 60 for 60. #45 Genius Gone Wrong. “Ladies and Gentlemen, the genius gone wrong…” Here we open a while new door – The Lonely Boys! A fake ’60s group Per created together with Nisse Hellberg from Wilmer X, and recorded a soundtrack for a book… Unheard of! This song however, was originally a Gyllene Tider song, and was meant to be on their unnamed album Gyllene Tider V. Anders quit Gyllene so the song remained unused, but was released on Mats MP Persson’s 30th B-day album “MP 30!” Per made for him as a gift. They are pretty similar, although the ’60s version is more… ’60s! Recorded using equipment from the era, instruments as well as tape recorders and mixers. He’s going for gold/I’m going for you – I’m the one!/He’ll talk to you later/I’m tellin’ you now – I’m the one! He knows what he wants, do you? #per60

Genius Gone Wrong

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #45 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Per’s 60 for 60. #46 I Want You to Know. Another song from “The World According to Gessle,” this time a single even, released September 9, 1997. The video where Per walks around in a forest with life sized cuddly animals was directed by Jonas Åkerlund. Yet another love song from the Man. Does this girl know that he’s interested? Not sure. Who doesn’t want to hear “I want you to know, I want you to stay, don’t go!”?? At least my heart would melt. #per60

I Want You To Know

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #46 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

You wanted hints? Fine. Project X[mas] is going to be the biggest thing we’ve ever done and you surely remember that we have quite a history. Soon it’s Christmas, in the meantime enjoy our extended advent calendar with Per’s songs. More hints to follow. Stay tuned, it’s worth it. ?

Per’s 60 for 60. #47 Saturday. Unfortunately today isn’t a Saturday but it’ll have to do… This song kicks some serious butt! Track #3 from “The World According to Gessle. The rocky performance kind of negates the laid back lyrics, which are about kicking back on a soft Saturday. “It’s the greatest day!” Of course you knew that the title TWATG comes from The World According to Garp by John Irving, right?

Saturday

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #47 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, hm hm hm hm hmmmm… ?

It’s been 10 years since this little gem came out. Wow, 10?! The album that started out as Son of a Plumber II, with the title “Party Crasher, Party Pleaser.” Lots of goodies on it, a few not-so-great ones, but that’s life for you. One that’s come alive recently is “Doesn’t Make Sense” which was a bomb at the concerts this fall. Chris’s fingers bled, and Per seemed to want in on that so he cut his finger as well… Anyways: congrats, well done! (Will we ever get to hear the (awful) track “Wrecking Ball”?)

Party Crasher (CD)

Catalogue 0999-2660352 Label: Capitol Elevator Entertainment 01. Silly Really 02. The Party Pleaser 03. Stuck Here With Me 04. Sing Along 05. Gut Feeling 06. Perfect Excuse 07. Breathe Life Into Me 08. Hey, I Died and Went To Heaven 09. Kissing Is the Key 10. Thai With a Twist 11. I Didn’t Mea

Per’s 60 for 60. #48 Honung och guld (Honey and Gold). A Gyllene Tider song from 1982 and the album “Puls”. Honey and Gold, what does that even mean? It doesn’t really make sense in Swedish either, unless you listen to the lyrics. Here’s the thing: Swedish summers are famous for their long sunny days. In that sun girls easily get tanned, and their hair gets bleached – honey and gold… Sure, not all of them, but we all know that Per sometimes base his lyrics on stereotypes. Anyway, I digress. Lasse Winnerbäck played this on a TV-show citing that this was one of the songs that made him wanting to become an artist. Per saw the show and recorded a new, acoustic demo of it. Then during last year’s tour Lasse came on stage and sang this with Per on a few occasions. The lyrics are superb, literally seeping with love. Of course love that’s out of reach, as usual. Listen to the song and think about the lyrics: She was no one’s and everyone was hers/She could take whomever she wanted/I could have walked thru fire to be close/Surely she had no idea who I was/And now I’m walking down streets where I’ve wandered and longed/and she’s somewhere on our Earth/and has no idea she meant/more than I can describe in words… Have you experienced the midnight sun? #per60

Honung och guld

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #48 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Another teaser for our “stew”… 😉

Per’s 60 for 60. #49 Monster Hangover. Wow, what to say about this one? A demo from 2002, never recorded, released or used by Roxette. Gyllene Tider however recorded it as “72” on 2004’s album “Finn 5 fel!.” While this version seems to be about nothing, and definitely not about a hangover, Gyllene’s version is about a busline Per rode as a teenager, or rather the year ’72. Everything you make is just a little bit/A little too sweet/Everything you make is just a little bit/A little too sleek The melody is very catchy and should have been used by Roxette, don’t you think? #per60

Monster Hangover

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #49 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Per’s 60 for 60. #50 The Party Pleaser. OK, this song is from the 2009 album “Party Crasher.” The working name of the album was “Party Crasher, Party Pleaser” but was later changed. It also started out as Son of a Plumber II, but as it didn’t really fit the format Per changed it to Per Gessle. This is another time he has “reinvented” himself, he did it by recording all the demos for this album in Apple’s Garage Band. #per60

Party Pleaser, The

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #50 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

We gots something nice cooking… more later. 😉

Per’s 60 for 60. #51 Are You an Old Hippie, Sir? Well what can one say about this one? Also from the Son of a Plumber album, featured in the Jonas Åkerlund movie Small Apartments. Per performed this on this European fall tour, as well as in 2009. Nice recorders, right? Maybe not one of Per’s more memorable lyrics, but the song is definitely a kicker. Are you an old hippie, sir?/Are you an old hippie, sir?/Y’see that woman by the counter/She used to be my babysitter/Oh oh… #per50

Are You an Old Hippie, Sir?

This is #51 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.

Happy Birthday dear Clarence, Per Gessle’s and Roxette’s main man! Hope you will enjoy your day and maybe compose something nice!

Per’s 60 for 60. #52 Love Doesn’t Live Here. From the very underrated 1997 album The World According to Gessle, also released by Belinda Carlisle, although recorded and produced by Team Per. Yet another haunting, sad lost love song. Originally a B-side and a bonus track from the Japanese edition of the CD, the song is a masterpiece of sadness. Love doesn’t live here/now you’ve gone away/Love doesn’t live here but I’m left to stay/And I thought it was me and you who gave it all/Yes I thought it was me and you who couldn’t fall/But it’s all over now/over now… One wonders where Per gets all these sad lyrics from, being happily married himself. #per60

Love Doesn’t Live Here

Per’s 60 for 60. This is #52 of TDR’s hand-picked list of songs from Per Gessle’s career.