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Björk (album)

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Björk
Studio album by
Björk Guðmundsdóttir
ReleasedDecember 1977
RecordedAugust–September 1977
StudioHljóðriti Studios, Reykjavík
GenreNovelty[1]
Length31:55
LanguageIcelandic
LabelFálkinn
Björk Guðmundsdóttir chronology
Björk
(1977) 		Gling-Gló
(1990)

Björk is the only studio album by Icelandic singer Björk as a child singer, released in December 1977 by Fálkinn. 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 the release, with the help of stepfather Sævar, of her first solo album in 1977.

The album is reputed to be juvenilia work and it is not included in the singer's official solo discography, hence the 1993 release Debut is widely considered to be Björk's first studio album.[2][3][4][5][6]

Background

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The songs were a mixture of covers translated into Icelandic, like The Beatles' "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 recorder-tribute to Icelandic painter Jóhannes Kjarval, written and performed by 11-year-old Björk.

Björk 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.[7]

The album was released in two formats, vinyl and cassette,[8] 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.

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]

AllMusic critic Joslyn Layne gave the album an overwhelmingly negative review, stating: "Novelty value can only carry an album so far, and even covers of Stevie Wonder's 'Your Kiss Is Sweet', sung in Icelandic, and the Beatles' 'The Fool on the Hill' will probably not be enough to keep you laughing, or interested for the duration."[9]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Arabadrengurinn (The Arab Boy)"
  • Sævar Árnason
  • Björgvin Hólm
5:27
2."Búkolla (Your Kiss Is Sweet)"
3:30
3."Alta Mira"
  • Edgar Winter
  • Björgvin Hólm
2:42
4."Jóhannes Kjarval"Björk Guðmundsdóttir2:34
5."Fúsi Hreindýr"
  • Björgvin Gíslason
  • Björgvin Hólm
3:44
6."Himnaför"Björgvin Hólm2:41
7."Óliver"
  • Jóhann Helgason
  • Björgvin Hólm
2:52
8."Álfur Út Úr Hól (The Fool on the Hill)"
3:16
9."Músastiginn"Björgvin Gíslason2:55
10."Bænin (Christopher Robin)"
2:14
Total length:31:55

Releases

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  • Fálkinn FA – 006 – 12" Vinyl
  • Fálkinn FA – 006 – 4 – Cassette

References

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  1. ^ Pitchfork Staff (August 24, 2015). "The 200 Best Songs of the 1980s". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 16, 2022. ...covering the Beatles and Stevie Wonder in Icelandic on a novelty record released when she was just 12...
  2. ^ "Björk's brilliant Debut bridges Jazz and Pop". Now magazine. 1993-11-01. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  3. ^ "The secret history of Björk". Record Collector #175. 1994-03-29. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  4. ^ "Björk" (Press release). Elektra Entertainment. May 1995. Retrieved 2016-04-06. Debut, her first international solo album
  5. ^ "Björk - Icelandic musician". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  6. ^ "Still solving riddles". The Economist. 2011-11-22. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  7. ^ Aston, Martin (1996). Björk: Björkgraphy. London: Simon & Schuster. pp. 44–45. ISBN 0-684-81799-3.
  8. ^ "Official Björk discography". 77ísland.
  9. ^ a b Lane, Joslyn. Björk review Allmusic Retrieved on 25 May 2011
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