The year 1969 was a crucial turning-point in the ABBA saga. That was the year when Benny Andersson’s group, The Hep Stars, split, and it was the year when the Hootenanny Singers, Björn Ulvaeus’ band, decided to quit touring for the foreseeable future, confining their infrequent group activities to the recording studio. It was also the year when Björn became romantically involved with Agnetha Fältskog, and Benny was engaged to Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Björn and Benny strengthened their working partnership as songwriters and producers, and solidified their connection with Stig Anderson of the record company Polar Music; he also contributed lyrics to many of their songs. In hindsight, it seems the scene was set for ABBA to happen, whenever those involved felt so inclined. The reality at the time, however, was quite different.
In Sweden, the late Sixties and early Seventies were a difficult period for former pop stars such as Benny and Björn. The first, innocent pop era collapsed when the discotheques became popular and killed off many gig opportunities. “Pop” became “rock” and there were demands for a “heavier” and more advanced musical setting; also, the lyrics had to deal with philosophical or political issues if artists wanted to be taken seriously. Those who wanted to devote themselves to pure entertainment found it tough: the market for Swedish light-pop was limited, so what remained was Swedish schlager (a form of European easy listening) and cabaret. That was how the duo Björn and Benny kept themselves afloat, although they dreamed about an international career in English-language pop. Stig Anderson was confident that their dream would come true: “One day you will write a song that becomes a worldwide hit!”
The duo’s first recording project together was less than glamorous, however. In the autumn of 1969, they wrote most of the music for a not-very-good Swedish soft-porn movie, using the working title Inga II (it was a follow-up to a similar film entitled Inga). Two of the songs for the film were released as a single in the spring of 1970: ‘She’s My Kind Of Girl’ (later included on the international version of ABBA’s Ring Ring album) backed with ‘Inga Theme’. None of the songs became a hit, and the film didn’t even open until the autumn of 1971, at which time its English title had changed to The Seduction Of Inga.
Despite this setback, it was decided that Björn and Benny should record an entire album. As early as the summer of 1969 there had been talk of a demo album, for the purpose of attracting other artists to record Andersson/Ulvaeus compositions, but the plans weren’t realised until the following year. Also, it was decided to make it a “real” album for commercial release, even if there was still the hope that there would be cover versions of the songs. The album, eventually entitled Lycka (“Happiness”), was recorded between June and September 1970, although according to a contemporary interview with Björn Ulvaeus, only five days in total was spent in the studio for the 11 tracks on the album. In terms of style, the album was fairly eclectic: intimate ballads were followed by somewhat rawer electric guitar-based pop (the rocky ‘Nånting är på väg’ [“Something’s On The Way”] had appeared in an instrumental version in The Seduction Of Inga), which in turn was followed by folk-pop and perky schlager songs. But in general the album was characterised by a sort of singer/songwriter ambition, as if Björn and Benny wanted to become a Swedish version of Simon and Garfunkel.
One Night in Bangkok
Björn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bangkok, Oriental Setting
But the city don't know what the city is getting
The creme de la creme of the chess world
In a show with everything but Yul Brynner
Time flies – doesn't seem a minute
Since the Tirolean spa had the chess boards in it
Play at this level there's no ordinary venue
It's Iceland, or the Philippines, or Hastings
Or … or this place!
Company
One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster
The bars are temples but their pearls ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
And if you're lucky, then the god's a she
I can feel an angel sliding up to me
The American
One town's very like another
When your head's down over your pieces, brother
Company
It's a drag, it's a bore, it's really such a pity
To be looking at the board
Not looking at the city
The American
Whattaya mean?!
You've seen one crowded, polluted, stinking town
Company
Tea, girls, warm and sweet, sweet
Some are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite
The American
Get tied, you're talking to a tourist
Whose every move's among the purest
I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine!
Company
One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me
The American
Siam's gonna be the witness
To the ultimate test of cerebral fitness
This grips me more than would a muddy old river
Or reclining Buddha
But Thank God I'm only watching the game, controlling it
I don't see you guys raging
The kind of mating I'm contemplating
I'd let you watch, I would invite you
But the queens we use would not excite you.
So, you better go back to your bars, your temples …
Your "massage parlours" …
Company
One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster
The bars are temples but their pearls ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
A little flesh, a little history
I can feel an angel sliding up to me
One night in Bangkok makes the hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me
The song "One Night in Bangkok" is a musical number from the 1984 album "Chess" by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. The track was composed for the short-lived musical Chess, which tells a politically charged story about the Cold War and features a chess championship as its centrepiece. The song is sung by an American chess player who has been invited to participate in the world championship in Bangkok, Thailand. He reflects on the ironic differences between the country's ancient traditions and modern-day realities. The track opens with the chess player expressing his awe at the 'Oriental' setting of Bangkok, coupled with the sense that the city does not know what it is getting into.
Throughout the number, the chess player laments about how being a chess player means spending time in isolated venues instead of exploring the city's nightlife and attractions. The song delves into the concept of the city as an alien place with different customs and a unique allure; where an individual can come and lose themselves from their past or their problems. However, the song refrains from promoting the glamour of the city's red-light district or sex tourism, instead emphasizing the city's culture and spiritual heritage.
Line by Line Meaning
Bangkok, Oriental Setting
The song is set in Bangkok, a city in the Orient.
But the city don't know what the city is getting
The city is not aware of the high level chess tournament that is about to take place in it.
The creme de la creme of the chess world
The highest level of chess players in the world are gathered here for this tournament.
In a show with everything but Yul Brynner
The show has everything one could imagine, except for Yul Brynner, missing only as a tongue-in-cheek reference to his involvement with similar shows.
Time flies – doesn't seem a minute
Time is passing quickly and the chess tournament is already underway.
Since the Tirolean spa had the chess boards in it
It seems like only yesterday that the chess players were at a spa in Tirolean playing each other.
All changed, don't you know that when you
Everything has changed since the players started playing at such a high level.
Play at this level there's no ordinary venue
When playing at this level of chess, the venues are anything but ordinary.
It's Iceland, or the Philippines, or Hastings
Matches can happen anywhere in the world, even in the geographically disparate locations of Iceland, the Philippines, and Hastings.
Or … or this place!
Matches can even happen in Bangkok.
One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster
One night in Bangkok can feel like anything is possible in the world.
The bars are temples but their pearls ain't free
The bars in this city are like holy temples, but the drinks and entertainment are not free.
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
At every turn, there is a new and divine experience to be had.
And if you're lucky, then the god's a she
If you are fortunate, the experience may take on a romantic dimension.
I can feel an angel sliding up to me
The singer senses the presence of an otherworldly being who is approaching him.
One town's very like another
All of the towns he has visited so far have been similar and unremarkable.
When your head's down over your pieces, brother
When you're focused on your chess pieces, it's hard to pay attention to the city around you.
It's a drag, it's a bore, it's really such a pity
Being constantly focused on chess is a depressing and monotonous way to live.
To be looking at the board
While looking down at the chess board, you're missing out on so much else happening around you.
Not looking at the city
Instead of observing the city around him, the chess player is stuck looking at the board in front of him.
Whattaya mean?!
The artist is surprised and taken aback by the other person's comments.
You've seen one crowded, polluted, stinking town
The other person is saying that there is nothing special about Bangkok, as it is just like any other crowded, polluted town.
Tea, girls, warm and sweet, sweet
There are pleasurable experiences to be had in Bangkok such as drinking tea and spending time with the local girls.
Some are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite
Some of these experiences take place in the luxurious Somerset Maugham suite.
Get tied, you're talking to a tourist
The other person recognizes that the singer is a tourist and inexperienced with the city.
Whose every move's among the purest
The singer is always careful and ethical in all of his actions.
I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine!
The singer is more interested in romantic and emotional experiences than anything physical.
One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Even the most confident and assured individuals can be humbled by the experiences available in Bangkok.
Not much between despair and ecstasy
It's easy to move between feelings of desperation and extreme ecstasy when in Bangkok.
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Even the toughest of individuals can falter and become vulnerable to the experiences found in Bangkok.
Can't be too careful with your company
It's important to be wary of who you spend your time with in Bangkok, as not everyone has good intentions.
I can feel the devil walking next to me
The artist senses an ominous presence accompanying him on his journey.
Siam's gonna be the witness
Siam (the former name of Thailand) will be the site of this intense chess tournament.
To the ultimate test of cerebral fitness
This tournament will test the limits of the players' mental acumen.
This grips me more than would a muddy old river
The tension of this tournament is even more engrossing and captivating than a dirty river.
Or reclining Buddha
Even the serene and relaxing atmosphere of the reclining Buddha cannot compare to the intensity of the chess tournament.
But Thank God I'm only watching the game, controlling it
The singer is relieved that he is only an observer and not a player in this tournament, although he is controlling the broadcast of the game.
I don't see you guys raging
The singer is commenting on how focused and controlled the chess players are during this tournament.
The kind of mating I'm contemplating
The singer is thinking about the competition and strategy that goes into chess moves as if it is a game of love and mating.
I'd let you watch, I would invite you
The artist is teasing the other person, saying they could watch him play chess, but does not expect them to be interested.
But the queens we use would not excite you.
The chess pieces, including the queen, would not interest the other person as they are not familiar with the game.
So, you better go back to your bars, your temples …
The singer is telling the other person that they should go back to the places that they find more exciting in Bangkok, as chess may not be their thing.
Your "massage parlours" …
The singer is making a cheeky reference to the other person's interest in Bangkok's infamous massage parlours.
A little flesh, a little history
There is always something new to discover and experience in Bangkok, whether it be something physical or related to the city's rich history.
I can feel an angel sliding up to me
The artist senses an otherworldly, perhaps even divine presence approaching him once again.
Contributed by Ian F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.