Music video description

"Fernando" by Swedish band ABBA is a song from the 1976 Greatest Hits compilation and the band's fourth studio album titled "Arrival." The song is one of the most popular in the group's entire output, with more than six million copies sold in 1976 alone, while it is also one of about 40 singles of all time that have sold 10 million physical copies (or more) worldwide.

Originally, the song "Fernando" was a solo single by band member Anni-Frid Lyngstad and appeared on her 1975 album "Frida ensam," with Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulveaus responsible for the composition. The song had the working title "Tango," and changes were made moments before the recording. The inspiration for the title "Frenando" came from a bartender bearing that name who worked at a club the band frequented. Initially, the lyrics were written in Swedish and told the story of a man experiencing the loss of his great love. Sadness appears here as something that is difficult to survive, while friends do not offer a helping hand and one has to deal with it alone. In the English-language version, the textual layer is quite different, and tells the story of veterans who recall a battle they took part in during their youth.

Last edited: 16-07-2023