Björk (album)
Encyclopedia
Björk is the first official release
(considered juvenilia
) from the Iceland
ic singer Björk
. In 1976, Björk appeared on Icelandic radio
singing "I Love to Love
" through the music school she attended, which led her to a record deal. And so Björk, with the help of stepdad Sævar, released her first solo album in 1977.
The songs were a mixture of covers translated into Icelandic, like The Beatles
hit "The Fool On The Hill
" ('Álfur Út Úr Hól'), Edgar Winter
's 'Alta Mira,' Melanie Safka
's "Christopher Robin" ('Bænin') and Stevie Wonder
's song "Your Kiss Is Sweet" ('Búkolla'), but it also contained some songs written specifically for the album, like the song "Arabadrengurinn" ('The Arab Boy') written by stepfather Sævar, and one instrumental flute-tribute to Icelandic painter Jóhannes Kjarval written & performed by 11-year old Björk herself.
Bjork was offered the chance to do a second album, but she turned it down. With the money she earned she bought herself a piano and started composing new songs of her own.
The album was released in two formats, vinyl and cassette, in fairly limited edition (at least 7000 copies) and is rare outside of Iceland.
It was recorded at Hljóðriti Studios in Reykjavík. Hildur Hauksdóttir (Björk's mother) designed the cover and the photo was taken at a local Reykjavík studio.
Release (music)
In the music industry, a release is usually a term referring to the creative output from an artist available for sale or distribution; a broad term covering the many different formats music can be released in, and different forms of pieces .The word can also refer to the event at which an album or...
(considered juvenilia
Juvenilia
Juvenilia is a term applied to literary, musical or artistic works produced by an author during his or her youth. The term often has a retrospective sense. For example, written juvenilia, if published at all, usually appear some time after the author has become well-known for later works.The term...
) from the Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic singer Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
. In 1976, Björk appeared on Icelandic radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
singing "I Love to Love
I Love to Love (But My Baby Loves to Dance)
"I Love to Love " was a popular single by Tina Charles, from her debut album, I Love to Love; the song was composed by Jack Robinson and James Bolden...
" through the music school she attended, which led her to a record deal. And so Björk, with the help of stepdad Sævar, released her first solo album in 1977.
The songs were a mixture of covers translated into Icelandic, like The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
hit "The Fool On The Hill
The Fool on the Hill
"The Fool on the Hill" is a song by The Beatles. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney and recorded in 1967...
" ('Álfur Út Úr Hól'), Edgar Winter
Edgar Winter
Edgar Holland Winter is an American musician. He is famous for being a multi-instrumentalist. He is a highly skilled keyboardist, saxophonist and percussionist. He often plays an instrument while singing. He was most successful in the 1970s with his band, The Edgar Winter Group, notably with their...
's 'Alta Mira,' Melanie Safka
Melanie Safka
Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk is an American singer-songwriter. Known professionally as simply Melanie, she is best known for her hits "Brand New Key", "Ruby Tuesday" and "Lay Down ".-Early career:...
's "Christopher Robin" ('Bænin') and Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's song "Your Kiss Is Sweet" ('Búkolla'), but it also contained some songs written specifically for the album, like the song "Arabadrengurinn" ('The Arab Boy') written by stepfather Sævar, and one instrumental flute-tribute to Icelandic painter Jóhannes Kjarval written & performed by 11-year old Björk herself.
Bjork was offered the chance to do a second album, but she turned it down. With the money she earned she bought herself a piano and started composing new songs of her own.
The album was released in two formats, vinyl and cassette, in fairly limited edition (at least 7000 copies) and is rare outside of Iceland.
It was recorded at Hljóðriti Studios in Reykjavík. Hildur Hauksdóttir (Björk's mother) designed the cover and the photo was taken at a local Reykjavík studio.
Track listing
- "Arabadrengurinn (The Arab Boy)" [Sævar] – 5:00
- "Búkolla (Your Kiss is Sweet)" [Stevie Wonder; Syreeta Wright] – 3:16
- "Alta Mira" [Edgar Winter] – 2:30
- "Jóhannes Kjarval" [Björk Guðmundsdóttir] – 2:15
- "Fúsi Hreindýr" – 3:27
- "Himnaför" – 2:32
- "Óliver" – 2:47
- "Álfur Út Úr Hól (The Fool on the HillThe Fool on the Hill"The Fool on the Hill" is a song by The Beatles. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney and recorded in 1967...
)"[ Lennon/McCartneyLennon/McCartneyThe Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history...] – 3:04 - "Músastiginn" – 2:44
- "Bænin (Christopher Robin)" [Melanie Safka] – 2:00