1982

Spring 1982

In spring 1982 Agnetha posed for pictures taken by Swedish youth weekly "Veckojournal". She presented her new dog which three years later would appear in the TV special "A for Agnetha" - the show promoting her second English language album "Eyes of a Woman".

In the summer of 1982 Agnetha took the first step towards work outside the group. She accepted her first film role in a Swedish movie "Raskenstam" directed by Gunnar Hellström. The film was about a Swedish Casanova who lived in Stockholm in the 1940s and was engaged with a lot of women at the same time. Agnetha played Lisa who was Raskenstam's only real love. 

Agnetha during the filming of Raskenstam - July 1982

In July 1982 the Swedish weekly "Hänt" paid a visit on one of the filming spots and got both interview with Agnetha and a lot of photos which were published in its 32nd issue on August 11, 1982.

Never Again - duet with Tomas Ledin

Tomas Ledin had been a good friend to the ABBA-family for many years. The group promoted him in many ways and tried to help him with an international breakthrough. Tomas was background singer on ABBA's world tour in 1979 and he performed his own song "Not Bad At All" on ABBA concerts. ABBA fans all over the world own probably most of his albums as he is ABBA-related having Agnetha and Frida as background singers on many of his songs but more promotion was needed to reach the world.

The single "Never Again" was promoted internationally. It entered German chart in December 1982 and reached no 37 but it did not make the UK chart. Agnetha and Tomas had more luck in Sweden where the single became no 2 in October 82. Even in Norway "Never Again" became quite successful reaching no 5 but in Finland only no 17. The French chart entry took place in December 82 and the single was #44. The single reached no 5 in Belgium and #24 in Holland. It did not enter charts in Austria and Switzerland. The faithful African fans in Zimbabwe made "Never Again" to a major success at no 12 in September 1983. In Poland "Never Again" entered the chart on October 23, 1982 where it stayed for 4 weeks reaching #23.

Agnetha and Tomas did not meet each other in the studio. They recorded their vocals separately even if it sounds as a very near studio collaboration.

The promotion

Agnetha and Tomas did some TV promotion for the single. They recorded a video and they were guests in "Nöjesmaskinen" on Swedish TV where they performed "Never Again" and Agnetha alone gave an extended interview for the host Sven Mellander. In West Germany they performed in "Musikladen".

Nöjesmaskinen (SVT)

Musikladen (German TV)

The Human Touch - LP

"Never Again" was included on Tomas Ledin's solo album "The Human Touch" which was released in autumn 1982. Even Tomas' composition "I've Got Something" originally written for Frida's solo LP "Something's Going On" was included on the album.

The Lidingö session

In the autumn 1982 Agnetha posed for the journalist Britta Åhman in Lidingö outside Stockholm where she lived by that time. The photos were planned for publishing in a book about Agnetha which was scheduled for issue in 1983. Those plans were though canceled because of the bus accident in October 1983. Åhman's book about Agnetha entitled "As I Am" was finally issued in 1996.

1983

After the release of "The Singles - The First Ten Years" in the autumn 1982 it was almost clear that the ABBA era was over. Frida had a great success with her first post ABBA solo project and it was time for Agnetha to re-start her solo career. In the autumn of 1982 Agnetha, Mike Chapman (producer) and Stikkan Anderson began to look for right songs for the forthcoming album. Material came from composers from all over the world. They picked up 20 songs, recorded 15 backgrounds and chose finally 12 songs for the album.

In the studio

The recording sessions for Agnetha's first international album started on January 20, 1983 in Polar Studios in Stockholm. The producer was Mike Chapman and the background singers the pop group "Smokie".

 She had almost all ABBA musicians around her and the music on the album was happy pop.

Wrap Your Arms Around Me - the album

By April the recording sessions for the new album were completed and Agnetha started promotion talking to the press and traveling around Europe. The album "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" was released in May 1983 and contained 12 new songs written by both well-known and totally unknown composers. Even Agnetha herself contributed as a composer with one track - one of the best on the album entitled "Man". The beautiful title track was written by the producer Mike Chapman together with Holly Knight. Even Tomas Ledin had written a new song for Agnetha "Take Good Care of Your Children". The album was even released in several Spanish language countries. The back cover was partly redone as the Spanish translations of all the track titles were added. Agnetha did not re-record any track in Spanish though.

Italian promo for the album

The green session

The photo session for the single "The Heat Is On" which was the first release from her solo album "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" featured Agnetha in a tough style wearing a green skin jacket. The colour of the jacket was changed to red when one of the shots from this photo session was used for the cover of Agnetha single "It's So Nice To Be Rich" at the end of 1983.

The Heat Is On - the single

During May and June, the album was released worldwide promoted by the first single "The Heat Is On" b/w Agnetha's own composition "Man". "The Heat is On" still belongs to Agnetha's favorites.

"The Heat Is On" became a summer hit in Europe. It entered the charts in West Germany and UK in May 1983 reaching respective #20 and #35. In Sweden the single became a huge success and stayed on the top of the Swedish chart for 4 weeks. Even in Norway the single reached the top in June 1983. France liked the new single much more than the previous one (Never Again). It reached #10. Both Belgium and Holland loved "The Heat is On" which came up to #2 in both countries. 

But "The Heat is On" was not a favorite on the Polish radio where the B-side "Man" was chosen for the radio promotion of the single. "Man" entered the Polish chart on June 11th, 1983 where it stayed for 5 weeks reaching no 15.

The Heat is On - maxi version.

The maxi version of "The Heat is On" extended to 7 minutes and 56 seconds was released in Sweden, West Germany and several other European countries.

The Heat is On - an alternative edit

An alternative version of "The Heat Is On" extended with 6 seconds was released on the Polystar compilation album "I love ABBA" in West Germany. This edit contains extra background voices laughing at the beginning of the song.

The "wrap your arms around me" photo sessions

Swedish press about Wrap Your Arms Around Me

Agnetha in "Allers"

The article/interview for the Swedish weekly "Allers" was done at the beginning of May - 2 days after the release of the album "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" in Sweden. The article summed up Agnetha's career up-to-date. Most of it was about Agnetha as a child and her musical talents. The interview was about the new album but even about life, ABBA and emigration. Agnetha answered all questions without any problems as usual. The interview was done at the Björn and Benny's musical room at Polar Music head quarter at Hamngatan 11 in Stockholm.

Several nice pictures were taken outside Polar in Berzelii Park. At that time Agnetha thought that she would do more film in the future but it would never become real after "Raskenstam". During this period there were several rumours about her possible participation in the US series "Dallas". Some parts of "Dallas" were directed by Gunnar Hellström who even directed "Raskenstam" and who was a big fan of Agnetha Fältskog as an actress. The interview was published in "Allers" number 28 on July 11, 1983.

Agnetha in "Schlager"

In May 1983 the Swedish music newspaper "Schlager" published a long interview with the singer. Here are the most interesting excerpts.

Does "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" shows a new side of you that we could not see when you were in ABBA?

AF: The only thing I can say is that to work solo gives you more freedom. And... you can sing in many ways. When we worked in a group I had to compromise a lot as both Frida and I must get our parts. And we had to think about the ABBA sound all the time.

How did you choose the songs for the album?

AF: It was me, Mike Chapman and Stikkan Anderson a little bit who have chosen the songs. We started listen to demos very early in the autumn last year. We have received cassettes from all over the world. We chose 20 songs, then we recorded 15 backgrounds and finally we had 12 songs for release.

How much are you interested in the promotional work?

AF: I participated in all PR work. At the beginning I thought that it would be enough with the name "Agnetha" only on the cover. But when I saw the demo of the cover with only my first name I wanted to have even my surname. People from Germany called and said that my surname is so difficult to pronounce. There have been many discussions about it. They said that DJs won't play the single because of the name.

Have you ever written a song for ABBA?

AF: The boys asked me many times about it but... I don't know. It did not happen. The only one from me was a song on the first LP "Ring Ring".

Which image is your right one?

AF: What shall I say? I don't know if the people have a wrong picture of me but I think so. I see how people react when they meet me: "Oh my God, are you so tall?" they say. But everything wrong comes from the bloody newspapers.

What kind of music do you listen to?

AF: I listen to lots of music when I drive. What music? Hall & Oates, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Donna Summer, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand... Chicago are good.

Any ideas for you life?

The main idea is to be on this level there I am now. It is impossible for me to achieve more. It is great fun to be a solo artist and actor but I don't wanna go to Hollywood. I want to work in my own speed. I don't want to be forced to do things as it was sometimes during the ABBA time.

TV Special in Sweden

On April 17-18, 1983 Agnetha recorded a promotional show for TV. Agnetha presented 6 songs from her new album: The Heat Is On, Can't Shake Loose, Wrap Your Arms Around Me, I Wish Tonight Could Last Forever, Mr Persuasion & Shame. The show called "The Heat Is On" was broadcasted by Swedish TV on May 14th, 1983 at 9.15 p.m.

Nöjesmaskinen - April

At the end of April Agnetha appeared on "Nöjesmaskinen" on Swedish TV. She gave a short interview and performed her new single hit "The Heat Is On".

The Heat is On -  the promo video

Agnetha acted in a promotional video filmed for "The Heat Is On". The video was a funny interpretation of the song lyrics and it was recorded in a bath house in Stockholm.

Great Britain

London, May 13, 1983

On Friday, May 13, 1983 Agnetha was a special guest on the breakfast TV show on BBC in London. She gave two interviews and the video "The Heat Is On" taken from the Swedish TV special was shown.

Agnetha appeared in "Top of the Pops" where she answered an absolutely stupid question in an absolutely most intelligent way. The question was why she sang in English - the answer was: "Why not?"

Can't Shake Loose - Japan

On July 21st, 1983 the single "Can't Shake Loose" b/w "Man" saw its release in Japan.

West Germany - the TV promotion

Holland...

Promotion in press and on TV.

France

In Paris Agnetha performed "The Heat Is On" on "Cadence 3". The audience was singing with her and the ovations did not want to end.