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ABBA Gold Hits - Sample Entry

FERNANDO
ABBA

Written by Benny Andersson, Stig Anderson & Björn Ulvæus.
Produced by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvæus.

On album: GREATEST HITS (later pressings, 1976), THE SINGLES - THE FIRST TEN YEARS (1982), GOLD (1992), ARRIVAL (Remastered CD, 2001).

No. 1 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland & UK.

In Europe

Germany chart entry: 29 March 1976.
Date no.1: 3 May 1976 (for 7 weeks).
Previous no.1: Rocky by Frank Farian.
Next no.1: Let Your Love Flow by Bellamy Brothers.
Chart life: 26 weeks.

UK chart entry: 27 March 1976.
Date no.1: 8 May 1976 (for 4 weeks).
Previous no.1: Save Your Kisses For Me by Brotherhood Of Man.
Next no.1: No Charge by J.J. Barrie.
Chart life: 15 weeks.

In the Americas

Canada peak date: 27 November 1976.
Peak position: no.2.
Chart life: 16 weeks.

Mexico release date: May 1976.
Peak position: no.1 (for 5 weeks).

USA chart entry: 4 September 1976.
Peak position: no.13.
Chart life: 16 weeks.

In Australasia

Australia chart entry: 15 March 1976.
Date no.1: 5 April 1976 (for 14 weeks).
Previous no.1: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.
Next no.1: Howzat by Sherbet.
Chart life: 40 weeks.

New Zealand chart entry: 14 May 1976.
Date no.1: 4 June 1976 (for 9 weeks).
Previous no.1: Mississippi by Pussycat.
Next no.1: Shannon by Henry Gross.
Chart life: 37 weeks.

In Africa

South Africa chart entry: 12 June 1976.
Date no.1: 10 July 1976 (for 6 weeks).
Previous no.1: Let Your Love Flow by the Bellamy Brothers.
Next no.1: Ramaja by Glenys Lynne.
Chart life: 16 weeks.

Zimbabwe chart entry: 12 June 1976.
Peak position: no.2.
Chart life: 23 weeks.

In Asia

Fernando wasn't a hit in Japan.

Other chart action: no.2 in Finland, Norway & Sweden, no.3 in Spain, no.6 in Italy.

Trivia

Frida (as Anni-Frid Lyngstad) originally recorded Fernando in Swedish in 1975, for her album FRIDA ENSAM ('Frida Alone'). Frida's version topped Sweden's Svensktoppen chart for nine straight weeks.
Fernando just failed to make ABBA's ARRIVAL album (except in Australia and New Zealand), but was included on later pressings of their GREATEST HITS. It was added to ARRIVAL, as one of two bonus tracks (the other was Happy Hawaii), when a remastered CD version was issued in 2001.
Fernando spent 14 weeks at no.1 in Australia - thus equalling the record set by the Beatles, with Hey Jude.
ABBA re-recorded and filmed Fernando, for a TV commercial for National, a Japanese manufacturer of musical and electronic hardware. The quartet normally steered well clear of advertising other products, but on this occasion the proceeds helped to finance the group's tour of Australia in 1977.
Lena Andersson, a stable-mate of ABBA, recorded a German version of Fernando using the original backing track.