Happy Nation

Happy Nation is the debut studio album by Swedish pop group Ace of Base. It was initially released in Scandinavia on 24 December 1992 by Mega Records. During development of the record, the group was heavily influenced by a Jamaican reggae band residing in a nearby studio.^[3] 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.^[4] By 2007, Happy Nation/The Sign had sold approximately 23 million units.^[5]

Background

Happy Nation was released in early 1993 in Europe, Africa, and Latin America on Festival Records. It reached the number one position in at least 14 countries, and has sold over 23 million copies worldwide.^[6]

A second release in Europe, Happy Nation (U.S. Version), came on September 25, 1993, to coincide with the album's release in North America under the title The Sign. The Sign was released in North America on November 23, 1993. Both versions feature revised track listings.

These releases featured new tracks, including "The Sign", and "Hear Me Calling", "Living in Danger", and the Tina Turner cover "Don't Turn Around", along with alternate versions of other tracks. Certain songs included on the original Happy Nation were removed altogether. The re-release climbed to number one in the UK Albums Chart, 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).^[7] Several songs on the album, including "The Sign", "All That She Wants" and "Don't Turn Around", became Number One singles in the United States, Europe, and North Africa.

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 The Sign/Happy Nation (US Version) releases and the iTunes bonuses from the three releases.

Track listing

Happy Nation – standard version^[8]
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Voulez-Vous Danser"	Joker Buddha	Joker Buddha	T.O.E.C. Joker Buddha	3:17
2.	"All That She Wants"	Joker Buddha	Joker Buddha	Denniz Pop 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"	Joker	Joker	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"	Joker	Joker	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)^[9]
No.	Title	Length
14.	"Moogoperator"	3:31

Happy Nation – U.S. version^[10]
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"All That She Wants"	Joker Buddha^[c]	Joker Buddha	Joker Buddha Denniz Pop	3:30
2.	"Don't Turn Around"	Albert Hammond Diane Warren	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 Buddha^[c]	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"	Linn Jenny	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	Joker	4:10
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	Joker Buddha Ekman^[e] Carr^[e]	3:45

Happy Nation – remastered U.S. version (bonus track)^[11]
No.	Title	Length
16.	"Giving It Up" (Ace Version)	3:29

Happy Nation - China edition^[12]
No.	Title	Length
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

Notes

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

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart	Peak position
Austrian Albums Chart	3
Danish Albums Chart	1
Dutch Albums Chart	2
French Albums Chart	1
German Albums Chart	1
Greek Albums Chart	1
Hungarian Albums Chart^[13]	1
Israeli Albums Chart	1
New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart	1
Norwegian Albums Chart	1
Portuguese Albums Chart	1
Spanish Albums Chart	5
Swiss Albums Chart	2
Swedish Albums Chart	3
UK Albums Chart	1

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
Argentina (CAPIF)	4× Platinum	240,000^*
Austria (IFPI Austria)^[14]	Platinum	50,000^*
China (SARFT)	Platinum	30,000
Czech Republic (IFPI)	Gold	5,000
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)	4× Platinum	200,000^{^}
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)^[15]	Gold	82,715^[15]
France (SNEP)^[16]	Diamond	1,295,500^[17]
Germany (BVMI)^[18]	3× Platinum	1,500,000^{^}
India (IMI)	Platinum	20,000
Indonesia (ASIRI)	4× Platinum	200,000
Ireland (IRMA)	Gold	7,500^{^}
Italy (FIMI)	Gold	50,000^*
Greece (IFPI Greece)	Gold	30,000^{^}
Netherlands (NVPI)^[19]	2× Platinum	200,000^{^}
New Zealand (RMNZ)	3× Platinum	45,000^{^}
Portugal (AFP)	Platinum	40,000
Singapore (RIAS)	3× Platinum	45,000
South Korea (RIAK)	7× Platinum	700,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE)	2× Platinum	200,000^{^}
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)^[20]	Platinum	50,000^{^}
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)^[21] Happy Nation (US version)	Platinum	50,000^{^}
South Africa and Lesotho (RISA)	Gold	25,000
Thailand (TECA)	Gold	20,000
United Kingdom (BPI)^[22]	2× Platinum	600,000^{^}
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone

References

↑ Larkin, Colin (2010). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Volume 1. Guinness Publishing. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-5615-9176-3. When Ace of Base scored a massive worldwide number 1 in 1993 with 'All That She Wants', the comparisons to fellow Swedish group, Abba, seemed obvious: Two female vocalists, one blonde, one brunette, and two male musicians, playing catchy dance pop.
↑ Daw, Robbie (20 November 2014). "The 50 Best Pop Singles of 1994". Idolator. Retrieved 21 September 2016. Released stateside by Arista in 1993, 'All That She Wants' was a reggae-pop oddity (compared to everything else on the radio at the time) about a woman on the prowl [...] for 'another baby'.
↑ "Ulf Ekberg (Ace of Base): The Interview". EuroMenTravel. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
↑ Tortorici, Frank (2000-05-18). "Ace of Base's Jenny Berggren". MTV. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
↑ Fletcher, Alex (2007-10-26). "Ace Of Base announce reunion tour". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
↑ "Ace of Base". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
↑ RIAA - Gold & Platinum - November 03, 2010
↑ The Sign (booklet). Ace of Base. Mega Records. 1992. MRCD 3206.
↑ https://itunes.apple.com/se/album/happy-nation-remastered/id951696344
↑ The Sign (booklet). Ace of Base. Mega Records. 1993. MRCD 3239.
↑ https://itunes.apple.com/se/album/happy-nation-u.s.-version/id951700379
↑ "Cartula Trasera De Ace Of Base". Coveralia.com. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
↑ "Archívum › Kereső - előadó/cím szerint". Mahasz. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
↑ "Austrian album certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Ace of Base in the field Interpret. Enter Happy Nation in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
1 2 "Ace of Base" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
↑ "French album certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
↑ "Les Albums Diamant :" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Ace Of Base; 'Happy Nation')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
↑ "Dutch album certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.
↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Ace of Base; 'Happy Nation')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Ace of Base; 'Happy Nation (U.S. version)')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
↑ "British album certifications – Ace of Base – Happy Nation". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Happy Nation in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search

Preceded by Superunknown by Soundgarden The Crow by various artists	Billboard 200 number-one album April 2–8, 1994 June 11–17, 1994	Succeeded by Far Beyond Driven by Pantera Ill Communication by Beastie Boys
Preceded by Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? by The Cranberries	UK number one album July 2, 1994 – July 15, 1994	Succeeded by Music for the Jilted Generation by The Prodigy

Ace of Base

Jonas Berggren Ulf Ekberg Linn Berggren Jenny Berggren Clara Hagman Julia Williamson

Studio albums	Happy Nation The Sign The Bridge Flowers Cruel Summer Da Capo The Golden Ratio

Compilations	Singles of the 90s Greatest Hits (2000) The Collection/All That She Wants Platinum & Gold Collection Platinum & Gold Hidden Gems

Box Sets	The Ultimate Collection Greatest Hits (2008)

Extended plays	All That She Wants (Remixed)

Related articles	Discography List of songs recorded by Ace of Base Yaki-Da My Story

Billboard Year-End number one albums

1956–1975	1956: Calypso – Harry Belafonte 1957: Music from My Fair Lady – Original Cast 1958: Music from My Fair Lady – Original Cast 1959: The Music from Peter Gunn – Henry Mancini 1960: Music from The Sound of Music – Original Cast 1961: Camelot – Original Cast 1962: West Side Story – Soundtrack 1963: West Side Story – Soundtrack 1964: Music from Hello, Dolly! – Original Cast 1965: Music from Mary Poppins – Soundtrack 1966: Whipped Cream & Other Delights – Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass 1967: More of the Monkees – The Monkees 1968: Are You Experienced – The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1969: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly 1970: Bridge over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel 1971: Jesus Christ Superstar – Soundtrack 1972: Harvest – Neil Young 1973: The World Is a Ghetto – War 1974: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John 1975: Greatest Hits – Elton John

1976–2000	1976: Frampton Comes Alive! – Peter Frampton 1977: Rumours – Fleetwood Mac 1978: Saturday Night Fever – Soundtrack 1979: 52nd Street – Billy Joel 1980: The Wall – Pink Floyd 1981: Hi Infidelity – REO Speedwagon 1982: Asia – Asia 1983: Thriller – Michael Jackson 1984: Thriller – Michael Jackson 1985: Born in the U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen 1986: Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston 1987: Slippery When Wet – Bon Jovi 1988: Faith – George Michael 1989: Don't Be Cruel – Bobby Brown 1990: Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 – Janet Jackson 1991: Mariah Carey – Mariah Carey 1992: Ropin' the Wind – Garth Brooks 1993: The Bodyguard – Soundtrack 1994: The Sign – Ace of Base 1995: Cracked Rear View – Hootie & the Blowfish 1996: Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morissette 1997: Spice – Spice Girls 1998: Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture – James Horner 1999: Millennium – Backstreet Boys 2000: No Strings Attached – NSYNC

2001–present	2001: 1 – The Beatles 2002: The Eminem Show – Eminem 2003: Get Rich or Die Tryin' – 50 Cent 2004: Confessions – Usher 2005: The Massacre – 50 Cent 2006: Some Hearts – Carrie Underwood 2007: Daughtry – Daughtry 2008: As I Am – Alicia Keys 2009: Fearless – Taylor Swift 2010: I Dreamed a Dream – Susan Boyle 2011: 21 – Adele 2012: 21 – Adele 2013: The 20/20 Experience – Justin Timberlake 2014: Frozen – Soundtrack 2015: 1989 – Taylor Swift 2016: 25 – Adele

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