Happy Nation (song)

"Happy Nation"
Single by Ace of Base
from the album Happy Nation /The Sign
B-side Remix
Released 1992
Format CD single, CD maxi, 7" single
Recorded 1992
Genre Europop, reggae fusion
Length 4:16
Label Mega
Writer(s) Jonas Berggren, Ulf Ekberg
Producer(s) Jonas Berggren, Ulf Ekberg
Certification Gold (Germany), Silver (France)
Ace of Base singles chronology
"All That She Wants"
(1992)		 "Happy Nation"
(1992)		 "Waiting for Magic"
(1993)
Music video
"Happy Nation" on YouTube

"Happy Nation" is a song recorded by Swedish group Ace of Base. It was first released in Scandinavia in 1992 and later released twice in the United Kingdom; in October 1993 when it peaked at number 42, and then again twelve months later it reached number 40.[1] "Happy Nation" was remade by Ace of Base for a remix kit in 2008.

Controversy

The song is known to some as somewhat controversial due to its lyrical (actual or heard) content, in conjunction with the past of Ulf Ekberg with a racist group.[2] The chanting choir in the beginning of the song can be heard singing in Latin, but some Israeli people detected Hebrew words instead.[3] Also, words in the chorus itself can be deemed related to Nazi concepts in one way or another.[4] While unproved, these theories and rumors are well known, especially among the affected populations.

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

Charts and sales

Peak positions

Chart (1994) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA Singles Chart)[5] 80
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 6
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 8
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 1
France (SNEP)[9] 1
Germany (Official German Charts)[10] 7
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] 5
Norway (VG-lista)[12] 6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 22
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[14] 4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] 23
United Kingdom (The Official Charts Company)[1] 40

Year-end charts

Chart (1994) Position
Dutch Top 40[16] 63
French Singles Chart[17] 16

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
France (SNEP)[18] Silver 125,000*
Germany (BVMI)[19] Gold 250,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Chart successions

Preceded by
"Please Forgive Me" by Bryan Adams		 French SNEP number-one single (first run)
February 5, 1994 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Foule sentimentale" by Alain Souchon
Preceded by
"Foule sentimentale" by Alain Souchon		 French SNEP number-one single (second run)
February 19, 1994 - March 5, 1994 (3 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Je danse le Mia" by IAM

References

  1. 1 2 UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  2. ↑ "Ace of Base's Secret Nazi Past". NOISEY. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Sweet Mmmemories". Ynet. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Top Ten Bizarre Facts About Ace of Base (They're Baaaaack!)". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  5. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  6. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Ace of Base – {{{song}}}" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  7. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Ace of Base – {{{song}}}" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  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 – {{{song}}}" (in French). Les classement single.
  10. ↑ "Musicline.de – Ace of Base Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  11. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Ace of Base search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  12. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Ace of Base – {{{song}}}". VG-lista.
  13. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Ace of Base – {{{song}}}". Top 40 Singles.
  14. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Ace of Base – {{{song}}}". Singles Top 100.
  15. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Ace of Base – {{{song}}}". Swiss Singles Chart.
  16. ↑ "Single top 100 over 1993" (pdf) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  17. ↑ 1994 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved January 30, 2009)
  18. ↑ "French single certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  19. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Ace of Base; 'Happy Nation')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.

External links


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