Career
Blue Swede was first formed in 1973, when Björn Skifs, a top vocalist in Sweden, was looking for a band to accompany him during his concerts. The band was originally called "Blåblus" (Swedish for "blue blouse", a pun on the word "blues") and featured Skifs singing the lead vocals. The band got their international breakthrough in 1974 with their cover of the 1969 B. J. Thomas song "Hooked on a Feeling". Released that same year on their album Hooked on a Feeling, Blue Swede's version was adapted from British pop eccentric Jonathan King, using his ooga-chaka ooga-chaka background on a version he had earlier recorded of the same song. "Hooked on a Feeling" was released in Sweden in May 1973 and in the United States in February 1974, and reached #1 for one week in the U.S. staying in the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 18 weeks. The R.I.A.A. granted gold disc status on 28 March 1974. The track also topped charts in Canada, Australia and the Netherlands.
The group had a U.S. Top 10 hit with a cover of The Association's "Never My Love". Also of note, the group recorded a medley that combined "Hush" by Deep Purple and "I'm Alive" by Tommy James and the Shondells (not The Hollies' song of the same name), and which achieved its greatest success in Scandinavia.
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