Fernando – ABBA (1976)

An individual, limited edition, example of vinyl record art made from a genuine, original, 45rpm, 7” single featuring the song by Swedish group, ABBA from 1976, Fernando. The record was released on the Epic record label, in the UK, and has been reworked into a silhouette of a 70s ladies platform shoe.

The original Swedish-language version’s lyrics were written by ABBA’s manager Stig Anderson and differ substantially from the English-language version. In the original, the narrator tries to console the heartbroken Fernando, who has lost his great love. The English version, with completely different lyrics by Björn Ulvaeus, presents a vision of nostalgia for two veterans reminiscing in old age about a long ago battle in which they participated.

Fernando was the group’s first non-album single and it became one of ABBA’s best-selling singles of all time, with six million copies sold in its first year alone. It is one of fewer than forty all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) physical copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling singles of all time