ACE OF BASE - ALL THAT SHE WANTS

Estrenada: 31 d'agost de 1992

Llistes: EUA: #2   Regne Unit: #1 (3 setmanes)

"All That She Wants" d'Ace of Base va ser llançada a Escandinàvia l’agost de 1992 com el segon single del seu àlbum debut, "Happy Nation". Produïda per Denniz Pop, amb lletra escrita per Jonas Berggren i Ulf Ekberg, el ritme de bateria de la cançó va estar inspirat en la cançó de Kayo "Another Mother". La cançó va passar per diverses revisions abans del seu llançament oficial el 1992. A Amèrica del Nord, es va llançar com a senzill principal de l'àlbum "The Sign" el 1993.

La cançó va gaudir d'un immens èxit a tot el món, encapçalant les llistes de tretze països, incloent-hi Austràlia, Àustria, Dinamarca, Alemanya, Regne Unit, Grècia, Itàlia i Espanya. Al Regne Unit, va passar tres setmanes en el primer lloc després de debutar en el número cinc a la llista UK Singles Chart. La cançó també va arribar a les tres primeres posicions en molts altres països on es va llançar. Als Estats Units, va assolir el número u a la llista Billboard Top 40 Mainstream i va arribar al número dos a les llistes Billboard Hot 100 i Cash Box Top 100, darrere de Janet Jackson i Meat Loaf respectivament.

"All That She Wants" és una cançó reggae-pop d'Ace of Base que retracta una dona sexualment promíscua, utilitzant "baby" com a sinònim de "parella". Tot i que la lletra pot suggerir una narrativa particular, l'origen suec de la banda va provocar alguns malentesos amb l’idioma anglès. Malgrat això, l'ús poc convencional de l'anglès podria haver funcionat a favor seu, permetent-los centrar-se més en la melodia.

Tot i que inicialment no li va agradar la demo d'Ace of Base, el productor suec Denniz Pop no podia escapar-se de la melodia enganxossa que no deixava de sonar al cassette del seu cotxe. A contracor, va acordar treballar en la cançó, que en aquell moment es deia "Mr. Ace". L'experiència de Pop residia en simplificar pistes, i va eliminar aproximadament la meitat de la instrumentació per netejar el so. També va fer un canvi clau en traslladar la melodia del xiulet del final de la cançó a la introducció, fent-la instantàniament més reconeixible.

El videoclip va ser dirigit pel director suec Matt Broadley al novembre de 1992. Té com a protagonista l'actriu i cantautora danesa Christiane Bjørg Nielsen en el paper principal. Filmada en tons sepia, el vídeo mostra els membres de la banda actuant en un apartament petit, intercalat amb escenes d'una dona que es prepara per sortir. Es troba amb un home en un bar, i finalment se’n van a casa junts. Tot i que a la cançó no té veu, Nielsen fa playback de les vocals durant la tornada.

ACE OF BASE - ALL THAT SHE WANTS

Released: August 31, 1992

Charted:  US: #2    UK: #1 ( 3 wks)

"All That She Wants" by Ace of Base was released in Scandinavia in August 1992 as the second single from their debut album, "Happy Nation." Produced by Denniz Pop, with lyrics written by Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg, the song's drum beat was inspired by the Kayo song "Another Mother." The song underwent several revisions before its official release in 1992. In North America, it was released as the lead single from the album "The Sign" in 1993.

The song enjoyed immense success worldwide, topping the charts in thirteen countries including Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. In the UK, it spent three weeks at the number one spot after debuting at number five on the UK Singles Chart. The song also reached the top three positions in many other countries where it was released. In the United States, it peaked at number one on the Billboard Top 40 Mainstream chart and reached number two on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, behind Janet Jackson and Meat Loaf respectively.

"All That She Wants" is a reggae-pop song by Ace of Base that depicts a sexually promiscuous woman, using "baby" as a synonym for "boyfriend." While the lyrics may suggest a particular narrative, the band's Swedish background led to some misunderstandings of English idioms. Despite this, the unconventional use of English may have worked in their favor, allowing them to focus more on melody. 

In defiance of initially disliking Ace of Base's demo tape, Swedish producer Denniz Pop couldn't escape the catchy tune, as it was stuck in his car's tape deck. Reluctantly, he agreed to work on the song, titled "Mr. Ace" at the time. Pop's expertise lay in simplifying tracks, and he removed about half of the instrumentation to clean up the sound. He also made a pivotal change by moving the whistling melody from the end of the song to the introduction, instantly making it more memorable and recognizable.

The music video was directed by Swedish director Matt Broadley in November 1992. It features Danish actress and singer-songwriter Christiane Bjørg Nielsen as the title character. Shot in sepia tone, the video depicts the band members performing in a cramped apartment, interspersed with scenes of a woman getting ready to go out. She meets a man at a bar, and they eventually go home together. Despite not having vocals in the song, Nielsen lip syncs the vocals during the chorus.