Swedish progg rock of the 70s was certainly something.

I think you guys should listen to Doin' The Omoralisk Schlager Festival because it's like one of the most popular songs from alternativfestivalen

here's the translation

a translation of a part of the wikipedia page on the song:

The song was made because Sweden organized the Eurovision Song Contest in 1975 for the first time. This event was seen as a commercial stunt* by the music movement**, and as a counter-reaction alternativfestivalen was held where multiple artists criticized the competition***. One of these was Sillstryparn****, a type of Gothenburgish cabaret character potrayed by Ulf Dageby. The song contributed, alongside other protests, to Sweden cancelling their participation in eurovision 1976.

*it's called "jippo" in the article which doesn't quite translate to "stunt" but it's the best I could think of. a jippo doesn't always have to be commercial, but it's the most common use of the word.

**the music movement refers to "progg" which was a political music movement in the 60's in sweden. x

***as in eurovision

****the artist's name is a typed out version of the gothenburgish pronounciation of the word "sillstryparen", the artist's name translates to "the herring strangler"

**Nationalteatern - Doin' The Omoralisk Schlagerfestival **

mood: loving eurovision, but also loving this old swedish leftist song

context for this song. when Abba won melodifestivalen in sweden, and were therefore picked to perform in eurovision, that year spain were the hosts of eurovision.

Spain was at that time under the rule of Francos fascist regime, and close to the date when eurovision was to be held, several widely published mass killings had been commited by Francos regime.

the solidarity movement with the people of spain was in sweden rather large at the time, and many called for that sweden should boycott eurovision in spain that year. but ABBA still travelled to spain and performed and won.

this song then, is about the rage of musicians ignoring morals for profit. also, Stickan which is talked about alot in the song, was a producer of pop music, and i believe also producer of the ABBAs song Waterloo. he was often criticized for being all for the profit, and zero for the art.

looking back, this song got a very dated 1970s contempt towards pop music but at the same time, it showcases 1970s swedish leftists views on showing solidarity with the people in a dictorship, via not supporting the regime of that country.

my translation of the lyrics

"Dear listener, let me announce The One and Only Strangler Of Herrings from Gothenburg!

or as the Spaniard says Geratta di Anjovis

singing to his true Semperfiser “Doin 'the immoral schlager festival”

In the choir you hear the boisterous bushes Björnligan and the Gondola

It's a One, It's a two

It's a One, two three four "

you can hear the twinkling of jewels and the glitter of gold

they are praising the Spanish sun

but Francos murders and executions

they don’t give a fuck about

instead they twirls their fascist skirts 

and now ABBA enter the stage, wearing plastic clothes

they are just as dead as the fish in ABBAs caned herring Abba too,

doesn’t give a fuck,

All the wanna do is make a quick buck

aaaah, my French blood is boiling!

Doin 'the immoral schlager festival

Doin 'the immoral schlager festival

And the world's melodies, oppressions and slavery

doesn’t bother Sweden’s representatives in Eurovision

They want to become rising stars, they smile, laugh and charm

Oh yes, they have so many stupid flaws

They will do any gig, and they keep their cool,

While performing in the oven of fascism

they entertain us until death, spinning their tracks in the grammafon,

should we really fall for their trick?

NO!

Doin 'the immoral schlager festival

Doin 'the immoral schlager festival

And ABBAS music producer Stickan Andersson believes the public is stupid

produces love songs

But real love is stronger, And punches Stickan,

As is fitting for a cynical capitalist bastard

But, for you who work hard

And whose life is a difficult

sing a long to the melody of the Herring Stranglers

We have our own melody,

and we do not give a fuck about them

and their spineless bowing to fascism