It seems like every musical era finds a new act from Sweden that comes around and reminds people of the pristine pop music that emerges from that country. In the early ‘90s, that act was Ace of Base.
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The quartet found their ultimate success in the United States with their 1993 single “The Sign,” which was a worldwide smash and made it all the way to No. 1 in the U.S. It’s a song whose upbeat music masks a somewhat sobering message about getting out of a dead-end relationship.
Coming Up Aces
Ace of Base may have seemed like they came from nowhere when they started dominating the U.S. charts. In fact, it was a process that took them about five years from their original incarnation to worldwide success. That included changes in their membership and even the band name.
When the dust cleared, they had settled on a four-person lineup featuring a trio of Berggren siblings (band founder Jonas and sisters Jenny and Linn), along with Ulf Ekberg. Their sound was one that could best be described as techno meets reggae, with a heaping helping of pop smarts thrown into the mix as well.
Their success started on a local level with the song “All That She Wants.” Ace of Base struggled for a while to find a U.S. distribution deal, at least until the legendary exec Clive Davis stepped in and secured them that opportunity. “All That She Wants” was then released in the U.S. and hit big, setting the table for the group to make an even deeper incursion into the charts.
“Sign” Language
Davis didn’t want the band’s first international album to simply be a rerelease of Happy Nation, which had been their Swedish debut in 1992. He wanted some newer songs involved that would specifically target the American market. When he heard an instrumental demo of “The Sign,” he suggested this song for the next single.
It had been written by Jonas Berggren, who also provided lyrics for it. Berggren set about crafting the track with the help of producers Douglas Carr and Denniz Pop. Meanwhile, the Berggren sisters worked out a vocal arrangement whereby they’d trade off on the lead vocals throughout.
Armed with indelibly catchy music and a perky chorus, “The Sign” had smash written all over it, and it became just that. Most folks hear a song that’s upbeat and decisive, and in many ways it is. But the song also details the somewhat acrimonious end of a romantic relationship.
What is “The Sign” About?
A close listen to the lyrics reveals the narrator has claimed her freedom from a romantic partner who was holding her back. I got a new life / You would hardly recognize me, she insists. She contrasts that with the negative scenario of being with her ex: How can a person like you bring me joy?
She keeps asking, Is enough enough? In the chorus, she makes her declaration of independence, all thanks to some sort of beacon that led the way: I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes. From there, she instructs her audience that it sometimes takes a proactive move to reach happiness: No one’s gonna drag you up / To get into the light where you belong.
Ace of Base’s time in the pop spotlight was relatively short, as their success had largely waned by the end of the decade. That doesn’t in any way diminish their high points, with “The Sign” representing their ultimate pop peak.
Photo by Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images
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