The... Genius of Ace of Base

Maybe it's because I recently heard they were making a new album this year. Maybe it's because I'm getting old and getting sentimental about the music I used to listen to. Maybe it's because I heard one of their songs the other day. Anyway, for some reason I decided to dig out my old Ace of Base songs.

Now, when I was younger, Ace of Base were THE band. It was all they played at the fifth-year/sixth-year disco. Everyone had the Happy Nation album. We all knew the actions to The Sign. Ace of Base were, quite simply, cool.

Ace of Base were always able to write a good catchy tune and they had some good ideas. However, listening to their songs again, the lyrics struck me. They range from surreal to weird to plain wrong. What was going through their minds? Here are some genuine Ace of Base pearls:

‘Every time it rains, I get wet.’

‘I’m like a clown. I have fun for everyone.’

‘I believe in there’s a world down under.’

‘The sunshine fills my hair.’

‘I want to kiss you, not just ordinary miss you.’

‘How will I do to protect our little world?’

‘I know it’s hard to be seen as a person when you play Alice in Wonderland.’

‘They cannot rise their voice yet.’

‘We don’t need no education telling us the right to choose if we have no choice.’

‘One day I’ll give you myself in a ring.’

‘The bridge over time is what you need to see the light.’

‘Lucky love belongs in teenage heaven, I know.’

‘Believe me, crows will always fly – they’re only birds.’

‘Life will never be bad under my spell, kiss and tell.’

‘I can give you something no-one else can ever give you. Me.’

‘I’m longing to see the offspring of me.’

And then I'll leave you with one of the weirdest videos I've ever seen. The year was 1996 (I think) and I reckon someone had just worked out how to do some new video effects... It starts to get really weird about two thirds of the way in. Enjoy!