Fernando (song)
"Fernando" is a song written by ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and their manager Stikkan Anderson. It was originally recorded for their fellow group member Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who included it on her second album Frida ensam. Anderson wrote the Swedish lyrics to Lyngstad's version. It was released in January 1976 via Polar Music as a radio-only single in Sweden and a physical release in Norway.
In 1976, ABBA would later re-record "Fernando", with re-written English lyrics provided by Ulvaeus. This version was released on 12 March 1976, initially as a standalone single, but was later included on re-issues of their 1975 compilation album Greatest Hits, as well as the Australasian version of their fourth studio album Arrival. It is also included on ABBA Gold.
Both versions of "Fernando" would become major successes in their own right. Lyngstad's Swedish version spent nine weeks atop the important Svensktoppen radio chart, and was voted the favorite song of the year. ABBA's English version would become one of their best-selling hits of all time, selling six million copies alone in 1976, and most notably spent a then record breaking 14 weeks atop the Australian Kent Music Report chart. It is one of fewer than forty singles to have sold at least 10 million physical copies worldwide.
Background
"Fernando" was not originally released as an ABBA song but as a solo single by band member Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It was featured on her No. 1 Swedish solo album Frida ensam. The song was composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and carried the working title of "Tango". Preparations for recording began in August 1975. The writers made last-minute changes to the title before recording. The name "Fernando" was inspired by a bartender of that name who worked at a club the band frequented in Stockholm, Sweden.The beach and campfire setting for the music video was inspired by the band after visiting Ayr Beach in Scotland.
For ABBA's version of "Fernando", Anni-Frid Lyngstad is the sole vocalist for approximately the first minute of the finished recording. Thereafter, she is joined by Agnetha Fältskog who sings with her in harmony for the rest of the song.
Swedish-language version
The original Swedish-language version's lyrics were written by ABBA's manager Stig Anderson, and differ substantially from the English-language version. In the original, the narrator tries to console the heartbroken Fernando, who has lost his great love.English-language version
The English version, with completely different lyrics by Björn Ulvaeus, presents a vision of nostalgia for two veterans reminiscing in old age about a long-ago battle in which they participated. "I wrote all the songs as little stories. 'Fernando' was about two old freedom-fighters from the Mexican Revolution. I was lying outside one summer night, looking at the stars and it suddenly came to me". "I knew that the title 'Fernando' had to be there, and after pondering a while, I had this vivid image in my mind of two old and scarred revolutionaries in Mexico sitting outside at night talking about old memories".The B-side to "Fernando" was the song "Hey, Hey, Helen", a track from the group's third album ABBA, although in some countries other tracks from the album were used instead, namely "Tropical Loveland", "Rock Me" or "Dance ".
Spanish-language version
The title and rhythm of the song made it an obvious choice for inclusion on ABBA's Spanish album, Gracias Por La Música. The lyrics were translated into Spanish by Mary McCluskey and recorded at Polar Music Studio on 3 January 1980. The song was released as a promotional single in Spain.Reception
"Fernando" was released in March 1976 and became one of ABBA's best-selling singles, topping the charts in at least 13 countries, and selling over 10 million copies worldwide. It was the longest-running No. 1 in Australian history, and remained so for over forty years, until it was surpassed by Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You", which achieved fifteen weeks at No. 1 in May 2017. Prior to 1997, it was Australia's highest-selling single. "Fernando" also reached the top of the charts in Austria, Belgium, France, West Germany, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa and Switzerland. It was also a Top 5 hit in ABBA's native Sweden, Finland, Norway, Spain, Canada and Rhodesia.The track became ABBA's fourth Top 20 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 13. It also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, the first of two chart-toppers for ABBA on this chart. The song remains an airplay staple on American radio stations specializing in the MOR, adult standards and easy listening formats. Record World called the song "a classic!"
"Fernando" was the fourth-biggest single of 1976 in the UK. It spent 10 weeks in the UK Top 10, and was also the second of three consecutive UK No. 1 singles for ABBA, after "Mamma Mia" and before "Dancing Queen". As of September 2021, it is ABBA's sixth-biggest song in the UK with 903,000 chart sales.
In Portugal the single sold 80,000 copies; in France it went to No. 1 and sold 850,000 copies.
In popular culture
In 2025, the song was featured in the second episode of the final and fifth season of Stranger Things, titled "The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler".In the 2025 US college football season, the song became a common sound at Indiana Hoosiers football games in honor of Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.
Charts
Anni-Frid Lyngstad version
| Chart | Peak position |
| Sweden | 1 |
| Chart | Position |
| Sweden | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart | Peak position |
| UK Physical Singles | 2 |
| UK Vinyl Singles | 2 |
Cher version
American singer and actress Cher recorded "Fernando," which was released as the third single from the movie soundtrack of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Her version was released on 21 June 2018, by Capitol and Polydor Records. Produced by Benny Andersson, the song debuted on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in July 2018 at number 22. This cover version features background vocals by actor Andy Garcia and also references the Mexico–Guatemala conflict of 1959, part of which had been seen by Cher's character, Ruby Sheridan, Donna's mother, along with her long lost love, Fernando Cienfuegos. Cher's solo cover version without background vocals by García appears on her 2018 ABBA tribute album Dancing Queen.Critical reception
Writing for Idolator, Mike Wass felt that, in contrast to Cher's version of "Mamma Mia", which sounds "so playful and well-intentioned that it's impossible to resist," "Fernando" sounds "disarmingly faithful to the original, which is probably due to the fact it was co-produced by ABBA's own Benny Andersson. It has a warm, live feel that was so peculiar to ABBA's '70s fare and that sound really suits our heroine's soaring vocals."Live performances
Cher performed "Fernando" at the CinemaCon 2018 to promote the Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again film. During her Here We Go Again Tour she also performs the song together with "Waterloo" and "SOS". On 31 October 2018 "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" and "Take Me Home" were cut from her Classic Cher concert residency and "Waterloo", "SOS" and "Fernando" were added.Track listings and formats
Digital download
- "Fernando" – 3:59
- "Fernando" – 3:57