Tommy Körberg (born July 4, 1948) is a Swedish singer and actor. English-sp… Read Full Bio ↴Tommy Körberg (born July 4, 1948) is a Swedish singer and actor. English-speaking audiences know him best for his role in the Benny Andersson–Björn Ulvaeus–Tim Rice musical Chess. He was the first to play the role of "The Russian" on the 1984 concept album Chess, and performed the same role on stage in the 1986 world premiere production in London. In the 1990s and 2000s he took time off from other projects in order to recreate the role in subsequent productions of Chess, including the 1994 tenth anniversary concert and the 2002 Stockholm production. He has also appeared in the Swedish productions of other musicals, including The Sound of Music and Les Miserables.

Eurovision Song Contest 1969 - Madrid
Entry for Sweden

Performer: Tommy Körberg
Song title: Judy, Min Vän
Song writer(s): Britt Lindeborg
Song composer(s): Roger Wallis

Sang in Position: 9
Final Position: 9
Total Points: 8

For the first time in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, the outcome of the voting resulted in a tie for the first place. Four countries gained 18 points each: France, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. Since there was no solution for this situation, all four countries were declared winners. Luckily, there were four medals available to the four winning singers - the four medals were intended for the winning singer and three winning songwriters.

The four winners differed a lot from one another: France had a haunting ballad performed by Frida Boccara, the Netherlands sent in Lenny Kuhr with a guitar, Spain and Salomé performed the energetic Vivo Cantando whereas the star from the British islands, Lulu, had a happy, clap-along song. However, having four winners caused lots of criticism from the media and several TV-stations re-considered participating in the following Eurovision Song Contest. Had the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest still attracted 16 countries, the number went down to only 12 in the 1970 edition of the contest.

Eurovision Song Contest 1988 - Dublin
Entry for Sweden

Performer: Tommy Körberg
Song title: Stad I Ljus
Song writer(s):
Song composer(s): Py Bäckman

Sang in Position: 2
Final Position: 12
Total Points: 52

The 1988 Eurovision Song Contest was hosted in Dublin for the third time, and featured one of the most exciting votings in the long history of the contest. Switzerland's entry Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi performed by Céline Dion beat the runner-up, the United Kingdom's Scott Fitzgerald by just a single point. Before the last vote, the UK entry was leading with 136 points to Switzerland's 131 but then Yugoslavia, the last country to vote, gave six points to Switzerland while ignoring the British song Go completely.

For Céline Dion, winning the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest was the starting point of her globe-wide career. Had she only been known in Canada and France before 1988, the Eurovision Song Contest gave her the opportunity to record songs which would sell millions of copies all around the world. But not only Céline Dion made a huge profit from the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest, also her colleague Lara Fabian who was singing for Luxembourg started a successful career after the contest with a mainly French-sung repertoire.

In 1988, 21 countries participated in the Eurovision Song Contest. Cyprus decided to withdraw because their entry did not match the rules of the contest: it had already been published previously. The venue of the 1988 contest was the same as in 1981, but this time, RTÉ managed to create a very special stage that created the illusion of a spage age-style grid which suggested that it was a huge arena with lots of lighting and special effects. Even nowadays, this set is still praised by experts.

Bonde Söker Fru
Tommy Körberg Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Var finns du, kvinna
Hjälp mig nu, kvinna
Bonde söker fru
Kom igen, kvinna
Bli min vän, kvinna
Bonde söker fru

När hästarna och geten

Har släppts ut på sia beten
Det är då som ensamheten
Ger sig till känna
Och till kärleksranka
Bönder väcks en räddnignsplanka
När dom känner hjärtat banka
Bulta och bränna

Var finns du, kvinna
Hjälp mig nu, kvinna
Bonde söker fru
Kom igen, kvinna
Bli min vän, kvinna
Bonde söker fru

Och strikt privata zoner
Kan beses av millioner
Och Big Brother - prestationer
Ger karriärer
En tönt klär av sig naken
Sätter snurr på själva saken
Ja, då har den usla smaken
Sprängt barriärer

Var finns du, kvinna
Hjälp mig nu, kvinna
Bonde söker fru
Kom igen, kvinna
Bli min vän, kvinna
Bonde söker fru

Ja, den diskreta charmen
Hos en ko som tömmer tarmen
Det var tveklöst bäst i Farmen
Pärlan i skiten
Och talloider skriver
Efter bönder och rubriker
Man har närts av drömfabriken
Sen man va' liten

Var finns du, kvinna
Hjälp mig nu, kvinna
Bonde söker fru
Kom igen, kvinna

Bli min vän, kvinna
Bonde söker fru

Overall Meaning

These lyrics are from the song "Bonde söker fru" by Tommy Körberg. The song is about a farmer's search for love and companionship. In the first verse, the singer calls out to a woman, asking for her help and expressing his desire to find a wife. The repetition of the phrase "Bonde söker fru" emphasizes the theme of the song, which is a farmer looking for a wife.

The second verse describes the feeling of loneliness that the farmer experiences when the horses and goats are set free in the pastures. This solitude brings forth a longing for love, and the farmer sees finding a partner as a lifeline, a rescue plank. When the farmers feel their hearts beating and burning with desire, they seek companionship to alleviate their solitude.

The third verse mentions the invasion of strictly private spaces that can be witnessed by millions, referring to reality TV shows like "Big Brother." The accomplishments and performances on these shows can lead to careers and success. The mention of someone getting naked and bringing excitement to the situation suggests that people are willing to go to extremes to gain attention and break barriers.

The fourth verse speaks of the charm and appeal found in the simple acts of nature, even the mundane ones like a cow emptying its bowels. The portrayal of this act as the best moment on a farm implies that sometimes the most genuine and authentic things can be found in unexpected places. The mention of tabloids and dreams being nourished by the entertainment industry since childhood suggests that society has been fed a constant stream of fabricated fantasies.

Overall, the lyrics depict the longing for love and companionship felt by farmers and the search for genuine connections amidst a world filled with manufactured realities and illusions.

Line by Line Meaning

Var finns du, kvinna
Where are you, woman?

Hjälp mig nu, kvinna
Help me now, woman

Bonde söker fru
Farmer seeks wife

Kom igen, kvinna
Come on, woman

Bli min vän, kvinna
Be my friend, woman

Bonde söker fru
Farmer seeks wife

När hästarna och geten
When the horses and goats

Har släppts ut på sia beten
Have been let out onto their fields

Det är då som ensamheten
It is then that loneliness

Ger sig till känna
Makes itself known

Och till kärleksranka
And to the longing for love