Happy Nation

Happy Nation is the debut studio album by Swedish pop group Ace of Base. It was initially released in Denmark on 2 November 1992 by Mega Records. During development of the record, the group was heavily influenced by a Jamaican reggae band residing in a nearby studio.[1] In 1995, Guinness Book of World Records named the LP the best-selling debut studio effort in music history, at more than 19 million copies sold worldwide.[2] By 1998, Happy Nation/The Sign had sold approximately 21 million units including 9 million in the US alone.[3] Happy Nation/The Sign is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

For the song, see Happy Nation (song).
See also: The Sign (album)
Happy Nation
Studio album by
Ace of Base
Released
  • 2 November 1992 (Denmark)
  • 7 June 1993 (UK)
  • 22 November 1993 (re-release)
  • 14 March 1994 (UK re-release)
Recorded1992
Length49:21
Label
Producer
Ace of Base chronology
Happy Nation
(1992)		 The Sign
(1993)
Alternative cover
U.S. version (re-release)
Singles from Happy Nation
  1. "Wheel of Fortune"
    Released: 1992
  2. "All That She Wants"
    Released: 1992
  3. "Happy Nation"
    Released: 1992
  4. "Waiting for Magic"
    Released: 1993
  5. "The Sign"
    Released: 1993
  6. "Don't Turn Around"
    Released: 1994
  7. "Living in Danger"
    Released: 1994

Background
"Everything was being driven by grunge or techno, then suddenly these people arrived and did something which was completely different and happy and simple. I just think they write brilliant pop tunes and it hit a nerve at the time. (...) I think they've developed their own style. If you listen to the radio and you hear a record, you immediately recognise that it's Ace of Base."

—Managing director of Metronome Records, Albert Slendebroek talking to Music & Media about the album.[4]

Following its initial release in Denmark in November 1992, Happy Nation was gradually released across Europe throughout 1993; first in Norway in January, then in Sweden and Germany in February, and in the UK in June. It would also be released in Africa, and Latin America, and reached the number one position in at least 10 countries.

A second release in Europe, Happy Nation (U.S. Version), came on 22 November 1993, to coincide with the album's release in North America under the title The Sign. Both versions have revised track listings, including new tracks "The Sign", "Hear Me Calling", "Living in Danger", and the Tina Turner cover "Don't Turn Around", along with alternate versions of other tracks. Some songs included on the original Happy Nation were removed altogether. The new version of the album was released in the UK on 14 March 1994, and climbed to number 1 on the UK Albums Chart on 26 June, beating the number 21 peak of the original release.

The Sign is listed among the Top 100 Best-selling Albums of All Time by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[5] Several songs on the album became Number One singles in the United States, Europe, and North Africa, including "The Sign", "All That She Wants" and "Don't Turn Around".

In 2016, Russian label Mirumir released an "Ultimate Edition" on vinyl containing the original track list from the 1992 release, the additional tracks from The Sign/Happy Nation (US Version) releases and the iTunes bonuses from the three releases.

Track listing
Happy Nation – original version (1992)[6]
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Voulez-Vous Danser"
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • T.O.E.C.
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:17
2."All That She Wants"
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:30
3."Münchhausen (Just Chaos)"
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:27
4."Happy Nation"
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
4:11
5."Waiting for Magic"
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
5:17
6."Fashion Party"JokerJoker
  • Joker
  • Johnny Lindén[a]
  • Martin Selwall[b]
4:10
7."Wheel of Fortune"
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • T.O.E.C.
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:52
8."Dancer in a Daydream"
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:37
9."My Mind" (mindless mix)
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
4:09
10."Wheel of Fortune" (original club mix)
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • T.O.E.C.
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:58
11."Dimension of Depth"N/AJoker
  • Joker
  • Buddha[b]
1:45
12."Young and Proud"
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:54
13."All That She Wants" (Banghra version)
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Denniz Pop
  • Joker
  • Buddha
4:14
Happy Nation – remastered standard version (bonus track)[7]
No.TitleLength
14."Moogoperator"3:31
Happy Nation – U.S. version[8]
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."All That She Wants"
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Denniz Pop
3:30
2."Don't Turn Around"
  • Hammond
  • Warren
  • Tommy Ekman
  • Per Adebratt
3:48
3."Young and Proud"
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:56
4."The Sign"
  • Joker
Joker
  • Joker
  • Denniz Pop
  • Douglas Carr
  • Buddha[d]
3:08
5."Living in Danger"
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Ekman
  • Adebratt
  • T.O.E.C.[d]
3:41
6."Voulez-Vous Danser"
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • T.O.E.C.
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:17
7."Happy Nation"
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
4:13
8."Hear Me Calling"
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Linn
  • Jenny
  • Buddha
  • Stonestream[a]
  • John Ballard[a]
3:48
9."Waiting for Magic" (total remix 7")
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Buddha
  • Stonestream
3:50
10."Fashion Party"
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
Joker4:10
11."Wheel of Fortune"
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • T.O.E.C.
3:52
12."Dancer in a Daydream"
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:37
13."My Mind" (mindless mix)
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
4:08
14."All That She Wants" (Banghra version)
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Joker
  • Buddha
  • Denniz Pop
4:14
15."Happy Nation" (Remix)
  • Joker
  • Buddha[c]
  • Joker
  • Buddha
3:45
Happy Nation – remastered U.S. version (bonus track)[9]
No.TitleLength
16."Giving It Up" (Ace Version)3:29
Happy Nation - China edition[10]
No.TitleLength
1."All That She Wants"3:30
2."Happy Nation"4:11
3."Wheel of Fortune" (original club mix)3:58
4."Voulez-Vous Danser"3:17
5."Young and Proud"3:54
6."Dancer in a Daydream"3:37
7."Wheel of Fortune"3:52
8."Waiting for Magic"5:17
9."My Mind" (mindless mix)4:09
10."Fashion Party"4:10
11."All That She Wants" (Banghra version)4:14
Happy Nation – U.S. version (All That She Wants: The Classic Collection)
No.TitleLength
14."All That She Wants" (Banghra version)4:14

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies re-editing
  • ^[c] signifies rap lyrics
  • ^[d] signifies pre-production
  • ^[e] signifies a remixer

Charts
Chart Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart 9
Austrian Albums Chart 3
Belgian (Flanders) Album Chart 3
Danish Albums Chart 1
Dutch Albums Chart 2
Finnish Albums Chart 2
French Albums Chart 1
German Albums Chart 1
Greek Albums Chart 1
Hungarian Albums Chart[11] 1
Israeli Albums Chart 1
New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart 1
Norwegian Albums Chart 1
Portuguese Albums Chart 1
Spanish Albums Chart 5
Swedish Albums Chart 3
Swiss Albums Chart 2
UK Albums Chart 1

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[12] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[13] Platinum 50,000*
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[14] 2× Platinum 197,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[15] Gold 82,715[15]
France (SNEP)[16] Diamond 1,295,500[17]
Germany (BVMI)[18] 3× Platinum 1,500,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[19] 2× Platinum 200,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[20] Platinum 15,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[21] Platinum 100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[22] Platinum 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[23]
Happy Nation (US version) 		Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] 2× Platinum 600,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  1. "Ulf Ekberg (Ace of Base): The Interview". EuroMenTravel. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  2. Tortorici, Frank (2000-05-18). "Ace of Base's Jenny Berggren". MTV. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  3. Ferro, Charles (30 May 1998). "Ace Of Base Sprouts 'Flowers'". Billboard. p. 70. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  4. Stratton, Sally. "Radio Plays Key Role In New Ace Of Base Album" (PDF). Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  5. RIAA - Gold & Platinum - November 03, 2010 Archived October 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  6. The Sign (booklet). Ace of Base. Mega Records. 1992. MRCD 3206.CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. "Happy Nation (Remastered) av Ace of Base" – via itunes.apple.com.
  8. The Sign (booklet). Ace of Base. Mega Records. 1993. MRCD 3239.CS1 maint: others (link)
  9. "Happy Nation (U.S. Version) [Remastered] av Ace of Base" – via itunes.apple.com.
  10. "Cartula Trasera De Ace Of Base". Coveralia.com. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  11. "Archívum › Kereső - előadó/cím szerint". Mahasz. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  12. "Aria Albums Chart 1994". Aria Charts. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  13. "Austrian album certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  14. Heick, Annette (1993-06-13). "Dobbelt platin". BT (in Danish). Copenhagen.
  15. "Ace of Base" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  16. "French album certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  17. "Les Albums Diamant :" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  18. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Ace Of Base; 'Happy Nation')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  19. "Dutch album certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Happy Nation in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  20. "New Zealand album certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  21. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 937. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  22. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Ace of Base; 'Happy Nation')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  23. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Ace of Base; 'Happy Nation (U.S. version)')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  24. "British album certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Happy Nation in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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