Lill-Babs Explained

Lill-Babs
Birth Name:Barbro Margareta Svensson
Birth Date:9 March 1938
Birth Place:Järvsö, Sweden
Death Place:Stockholm, Sweden
Years Active:1953–2018
Spouse:
    Children:3, including -->
    Module:
    Embed:yes
    Instruments:Vocals

    Barbro Margareta Svensson (9 March 1938 – 3 April 2018), known by her stage name Lill-Babs, was a Swedish singer, actress and television host. From the early 1950s until her death in 2018, she was one of Sweden's best-known and popular singers. She represented Sweden in the 1961 Eurovision Song Contest in Cannes with the song "April, april". She was also well known for the song "Är du kär i mej ännu Klas-Göran?" ("Are You Still in Love with Me, Klas-Göran?").

    Early life and career

    Lill-Babs was born Barbro Svensson in Järvsö, north of Stockholm. She lived with her parents, Ragnar and Britta Svensson, for nine years in a small cottage without running water. She first sang in a church at age 11. Her first public appearance was with a colleague of her father accompanying her on the accordion.[1]

    Svensson's first public performance was at Barnens dag in Järvsö 1953.[2] [3] Soon after, she started singing with Lasse Schönning's orchestra. She was "discovered" when she sang on the radio program Morgonkvisten ("Early Morning") in 1954. Simon Brehm, a musician and record producer, liked her and took her to Stockholm where she made her professional singing debut at the Bal Palais restaurant.[4] Brehm was Svensson's manager until his death in 1967. He gave Svensson her stage name "Lill-Babs", a play on words as a connection to the older, and at that time better known, singer Alice Babs.[5] She released her first music album in 1954, a gramophone record with two songs: "Min mammas boogie" ("My Mamma's Boogie") and "Svar till 'Ung och kär'" ("Answer to 'Young And In Love'").[6] Soon afterwards, finding herself pregnant, she returned to Järvsö and gave birth to a daughter, Monica.[1]

    Lill-Babs made her television debut in 1957 and her first folkpark show using her birth name in 1958.[6] She visited every folk park in Sweden during her long career [6] [7]

    In 1959, Lill-Babs performed Stikkan Anderson's song "Är du kär i mej ännu Klas-Göran?" ("Are You Still in Love with Me, Klas-Göran?"); her recording of it became a major hit.[8] She made her theater debut in 1958 in the play Fly mig en greve ("Fly Me a Count") at Nöjeskatten theater.[9] She also appeared in the films Svenska Floyd and En nolla för mycket ("One Zero Too Many").[8] [10]

    Eurovision and later career

    Lill-Babs represented Sweden in the 1961 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "April, april". It had been performed by Siw Malmkvist in the national final, but Lill-Babs was selected to perform the song in Cannes.[2] [11] She participated in Melodifestivalen three times in 1960, 1961 (her own two songs did not win) and in 1973 without winning.[11] In 1969, she participated in the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix without winning.[12] Soon after Eurovision, she launched a career in West Germany, where she acted in several films. She also released two English-language solo singles for the United States market.[13]

    Lill-Babs met The Beatles in 1963 when she was the main guest star on the teen music show Drop-In broadcast on Sveriges Television (SVT). The then-unknown band asked for her autograph. Lill-Babs performed several shows in bars at Berns in Stockholm, Trädgår'n in Gothenburg and Kronprinsen in Malmö.[14] Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA wrote and produced her 1971 hit song "Welcome to the World". The four future members of ABBA sang on it.[1] Also in the 1970s she played in a Kar de Mumma revue at Folkan, and played Annie Oakley in the musical Annie Get Your Gun at Scandinavium arena[15] in Gothenburg.[14]

    Television

    Lill-Babs was the main guest on Här är ditt liv (Swedish version of "This Is Your Life") on 26 December 1983 when the host Lasse Holmqvist surprised her in the studio with a long line of ex-boyfriends.[16]

    She was the presenter on several TV shows like Hemma hos Lill-Babs (1987) ("At Home with Lill-Babs"), Morgonlust (1988) ("Morning Desire"), Vem tar vem (1990) ("Who Takes Whom"), and Cocktail (1991) all on SVT.[17]

    In 2010, she participated in the television show Så mycket bättre ("That Much Better"), broadcast on TV4.[18] In 2012, Lill-Babs appeared on Stjärnorna på slottet ("Stars at the Palace"), broadcast on SVT, where she spoke about her career.[19] In 2017 and 2018, she acted as a lesbian character Gugge in two seasons of the SVT series Bonusfamiljen; the series' script had to be changed following her death.[20]

    A two-part documentary was broadcast on TV4 in 2017 called Lill-Babs, Leva livet ("Lill-Babs, to Live Life"), which presented her life and career.[21]

    Death and tributes

    Lill-Babs died on 3 April 2018, following cancer and heart failure.

    On the day of her death, both SVT and TV4 changed their programming so that programs about Lill-Babs could air. SVT broadcast the 2004 biographical documentary Lill-Babs i 50 år ("Lill-Babs for 50 Years"),[22] including the TV4 documentary from 2017.

    Her funeral was at Järvsö Church on 28 May the same year and she was buried in the churchyard there.[23]

    Personal life

    Lill-Babs was married to the singer Lasse Berghagen 1965–1968.[24] She was then married to Norwegian footballer Kjell Kaspersen 1969–1973.[25] She had three daughters: Monica Svensson (born 1955), Malin Berghagen (born 1966), and Kristin Kaspersen (born 1969).[26] Her younger brother Lasse Svensson used to be the drummer for rock group Tages (and subsequently Blond) 1967–1969.[27]

    She released her autobiography Hon är jag ("She Is I") in 1996.[28]

    In 2017, she was inducted into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame.[6]

    Lill-Babs was a known supporter of AIK.[29]

    Discography

    Albums

    (Source: Discogs artist page)[30]

    Filmography

    (Source: Swedish Film Database)[31]

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. News: Lill-Babs Obituary . The Guardian . 9 May 2010 . 10 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180410165747/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/apr/10/lill-babs-obituary . live.
    2. Web site: Barbro "Lill-Babs" Svensson . 24 October 2023 . hant.se . sv . 3 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234834/https://www.hant.se/tag/lill-babs/ . live .
    3. Book: Palm, Car Magnus . Carl Magnus Palm . ABBA – The Complete Recording Sessions . Century 22 Limited UK . 1994 . 0-907938-10-8.
    4. Web site: Lill-Babs 80 år – nu hälsar hon från sin sjuksäng. Expressen. 9 March 2018 . 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234710/https://www.expressen.se/noje/lill-babs-80-ar-nu-halsar-hon-fran-sin-sjuksang/. live.
    5. News: Barbro "Lill-Babs" Svensson är död – P4 Stockholm. Sveriges Radio. 3 April 2018. 3 April 2018. sv. 4 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180404072912/http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=103&artikel=6923165. bot: unknown. Landén. Markus.
    6. Swedish icon Barbro "Lill-Babs" Svensson is dead at 80. Sveriges Radio. 3 April 2018 . 3 April 2018. 4 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180404072910/http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=6923195. live.
    7. Book: Palm, Carl Magnus . Bright Lights – Dark Shadows . Omnibus Press UK . 2001 . 0-7119-8389-5.
    8. Web site: Lill-Babs är död efter kort tids sjukdom – blev 80 år gammal. 3 April 2018. Sveriges Television. 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403141629/https://www.svt.se/kultur/musik/lill-babs-ar-dod. live.
    9. News: Ibland är det jobbigt att vara ensam . Expressen . 3 April 2018 . sv . 3 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234609/https://www.expressen.se/noje/ibland-ar-det-jobbigt-att-vara-ensam/ . live.
    10. Book: Barbro . Svensson . Anna . Wahlgren . Lill-Babs – Hon Är Jag: Minnen Av Ögonblick . Bra Böcker . 1996 . 91-7133-184-0. sv.
    11. Web site: Lill-Babs passed away. 3 April 2018. eurovisionary.com. 3 April 2018. 4 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180404073029/https://www.eurovisionary.com/lill-babs-passed-away/. live.
    12. Web site: Lill-Babs kunne ha vore ei verdsstjerne. 3 April 2018 . NRK. 3 April 2018. no. 29 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180429182212/https://www.nrk.no/kultur/_-lill-babs-kunne-ha-vore-ei-verdsstjerne-1.13989570. live.
    13. Web site: Svensk succé. Lill-Babs & Co i en tidsresa till schlagerns guldålder.. 11 January 2006. Dagens Nyheter. 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234534/https://www.dn.se/arkiv/kultur/svensk-succe-lill-babs-co-i-en-tidsresa-till-schlagerns-guldalder/. live.
    14. Web site: Lill-Babs – svenska folkhemmets drottning. Aftonbladet. 3 April 2018 . 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403140326/https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/a/0Ek462/lill-babs--svenska-folkhemmets-drottning. live.
    15. News: Lill-Babs: Jobbigare fylla 48. Sydsvenskan. 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234811/https://www.sydsvenskan.se/2013-03-06/lill-babs-jobbigare-fylla-48. live.
    16. Web site: Kuppen mot Lill-Babs rev upp stora känslor. Expressen. 30 September 2013 . 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234749/https://www.expressen.se/noje/kuppen-mot-lill-babs-rev-upp-stora-kanslor/. live.
    17. News: Från The Beatles till Bonusfamiljen – här är "Lill-Babs" liv. Dagens Nyheter. 3 April 2018. 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403155906/https://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/fran-the-beatles-till-bonusfamiljen-har-ar-lill-babs-liv/. live.
    18. Web site: Bilden på Lill-Babs som TV4 aldrig visade. Aftonbladet. 21 December 2017 . 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234721/https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/a/VRqEq3/bilden-pa-lill-babs-som-tv4-aldrig-visade. live.
    19. Web site: Stjärnorna anländer till slottet . Sveriges Television . 3 April 2018 . sv . 4 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180404014748/https://www.svt.se/stjarnorna-pa-slottet/stjarnorna-anlander-till-slottet/ . dead .
    20. News: Lill-Babs kollega i "Bonusfamiljen": "Det var det största människohjärtat som funnits". Dagens Nyheter. 3 April 2018. 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403152226/https://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/kollegan-i-bonusfamiljen-det-var-det-storsta-manniskohjartat-som-funnits/. live.
    21. Web site: Lill-babs – Leva livet. tv4play.se. 3 April 2018. sv. https://web.archive.org/web/20180404073007/https://www.tv4play.se/program/lill-babs-leva-livet. 4 April 2018. dead.
    22. Web site: Så ändrar kanalerna tablåerna efter Lill-Babs död. Aftonbladet. 3 April 2018 . 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403184521/https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/a/G1qrgQ/sa-andrar-kanalerna-tablaerna-efter-lill-babs-dod. live.
    23. News: Lill-Babs begravdes i sitt älskade Järvsö. Uppsala nya tidning. sv. 28 May 2018. 31 August 2018. 29 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180529054104/http://www.unt.se/kultur-noje/lill-babs-begravdes-i-sitt-alskade-jarvso-4992768.aspx. dead.
    24. Web site: Lill-Babs – Uppslagsverk. Nationalencyklopedin. 3 April 2018. sv. 19 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210219111447/https://www.ne.se/uppslagsverk/encyklopedi/l%C3%A5ng/lill-babs. live.
    25. Web site: 1063 (Vem är det : Svensk biografisk handbok / 1993). Project Runeberg. 3 April 2018. sv. 7 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005142/http://runeberg.org/vemardet/1993/1063.html. live.
    26. Web site: Lill-Babs mindre kända dotter – gått en annan väg än systrarna. 19 December 2017. Hemmets Veckotidning. 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234802/https://www.hemmets.se/lill-babs-mindre-kanda-dotter-gatt-en-annan-vag-an-systrarna/. live.
    27. Web site: Vännernas och familjens sorg på Lill-Babs minnesgudstjänst. 18 September 2020. Expressen. 27 May 2018 . sv. 27 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180527143327/https://www.expressen.se/noje/vanner-och-familj-sorjer-lill-babs-/. live.
    28. Web site: Fan, vad bra jag har varit. Aftonbladet. 31 March 2004 . 3 April 2018. sv. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234658/https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/tv/article10444436.ab. live.
    29. Web site: Döttrarnas känslosamma ord efter hyllningen till Lill-Babs . 24 May 2022 . www.expressen.se . 15 April 2018 . sv . 25 April 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180425015834/https://www.expressen.se/sport/fotboll/allsvenskan/lill-babs-hedrades-infor-derbyt-pa-friends-arena/ . live .
    30. Web site: Lill Babs discography . . 3 April 2018 . 2 July 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170702070049/https://www.discogs.com/artist/573552-Lill-Babs . live .
    31. Web site: Barbro 'Lill-Babs' Svensson. 9 March 1938 . Swedish Film Database. 3 April 2018. sv. 4 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180404141518/http://www.svenskfilmdatabas.se/sv/item/?type=person&itemid=65367#films. live.

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