Artist

Blue Swede

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Blue Swede succeeded with a few singles during the 1970s that were covers of other artists' material rather than any original songs. A cover of the late-'60s <a href="spotify:artist:0uUNzXylqsZdmFDwdxaP1V">B.J. Thomas</a> feel-good single "Hooked on a Feeling" hit the top of the charts in the U.S. in the mid-'70s with <a href="spotify:artist:1Ek3VdZ8EPmcvgRIqnHlrF">Björn Skifs</a> singing lead vocals. The single also hit number one in Holland, Australia, and Canada. It barely missed the top spot in the U.K., kept out of number one by <a href="spotify:artist:1bvo51530qqjHyHapoE7N2">Jonathan King</a>'s rendition. Late in the '90s, a new generation was exposed to Blue Swede's version when a partial clip was featured on the television program Ally McBeal. It later appeared prominently in the 2014 comic book/sci-fi hit Guardians of the Galaxy. Blue Swede also hit the Top Ten in the U.S. with a cover of "Never My Love," which was originally recorded by <a href="spotify:artist:2kuNswDC82PL9xRbfaZJaS">the Association</a>. A medley that combined "I'm Alive" and "Hush" fared better in Scandinavia than anywhere else. The <a href="spotify:artist:6waa8mKu91GjzD4NlONlNJ">Hollies</a> originally recorded the former song, and the latter was done by <a href="spotify:artist:568ZhdwyaiCyOGJRtNYhWf">Deep Purple</a>. The band broke up in 1975, after <a href="spotify:artist:1Ek3VdZ8EPmcvgRIqnHlrF">Skifs</a> left to pursue a solo career. ~ Linda Seida, Rovi

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