Lasse Berghagen | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Berghagen in 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Lars Nils Berghagen (1945-05-13)13 May 1945 Stockholm, Sweden |
| Died | 19 October 2023(2023-10-19) (aged 78) Stockholm, Sweden |
| Genres |
|
| Occupation | Singer |
| Instrument | Acoustic guitar |
| Years active | 1965–2023 |
Spouses | |
Lars Nils "Lasse"Berghagen (13 May 1945 – 19 October 2023) was a Swedish singer and songwriter. He representedSweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975 with the song "Jennie, Jennie". He was also known for presentingAllsång på Skansen on Swedish television from 1994 up until 2003.
Berghagen was born inStockholm on 13 May 1945.[1] He was the son of nurse Britta (née Lindstedt; 1908–1997) and professor and dentist Nils Berghagen (né Nilsson; 1909–1995).[2]
Berghagen was married to singerLill-Babs between 1965 and 1968.[3] Together, the couple had a daughter,Malin Berghagen, born in 1966. From 1976 onwards, he was married to Eva (née Strand), and the couple had a daughter, Maria Berghagen Enander, born in 1976.[3]
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Berghagen was discovered by record producer Curt Pettersson at the record label Karusell, at the age of 19 while Berghagen performed at anNTO party inEnköping.[4][5] He released his first record in 1965.
His major breakthrough came in 1969, when he released the songs "Teddybjörnen Fredriksson" and "Gunga Gunga" which both charted onSvensktoppen.[6] Other notable songs include "En enkel sång om frihet", "Hålligång i skogen" and "Du som vandrar genom livet".[7] During the 1960s, Berghagen collaborated withBenny Andersson, and together they wrote songs like "Hej clown" (performed byJan Malmsjö inMelodifestivalen 1969), and "Sagan om lilla Sofie", performed by Andersson's bandHep Stars.[8]
In the 1970s, Berghagen participated in three consecutiveMelodifestivalen. He finished seventh in1973 with the song "Ding-Dong", second inMelodifestivalen 1974 with "Min kärlekssång till dig", and eventually won inMelodifestivalen 1975 with the song "Jennie, Jennie". Because of his win, he represented Sweden in theEurovision Song Contest 1975, where he placed eighth.[9][10] Berghagen also had a career inGermany where he released records, and appeared on German TV.[11]
Between 1994 and 2003, Berghagen presented theSVT showAllsång på Skansen. The show increased in popularity during his time as a presenter, going from 600 thousand viewers to over two million during his run.[3] He had earlier worked with SVT, hosting the showsStrapetz (1971),Positiva Klubben (1984) andTjocka släkten (1991).[3] In 2010, Berghagen appeared in the first season of theTV4 showSå mycket bättre.[12]
Between 1968 and 1974, he performed with theKar de Mumma revue atFolkan, where he played a charmingtango dancer namedFlirtiga Knut (Flirty Knut).[13] He also starred in the comedy showsSängkammarfars (1979) andSpanska flugan (1981) at theVasateatern.[3] In 1974, he did his first krogshow (bar show)Breda leenden atBerns. In 1985, he did his own musical atChinateatern calledVärldens galenskap. He returned to Chinateatern in 2003 with the revueChinarevyn co-starring withMagnus Härenstam andSissela Kyle.[14] Berghagen also acted in films likeFirmafesten (1972),Dante, akta're för Hajen (1978) andBert – den siste oskulden (1995).[14]
During the 1980s, he was the chairman of the anti-drug associationFöreningen Artister Mot Narkotika (FAMN).[15] In 1993, he released a book of poems titledI mina blommiga sandaler (In my flower-patterned sandals).
Berghagen was awarded for his work several times,[16] amongst them theLennart Hyland TV award, theS:t Eriksmedaljen,[6] theIllis quorum meruere labores of the eighth size,[17] and theCornelis Vreeswijk-scholarship.[10] He was also given theKristallen award for his participation in Så mycket bättre, alongside his fellow cast members.[16]
Berghagen was the son of professor and dentist Nils Berghagen (1909-1995) and nurse Britta, née Lindstedt (1908-1997). His father was born in Östersund and his mother in Svärdsjö,[18] where the family owned a farm for many years. The architect Robert Berghagen was his uncle.
Berghagen was married in 1965-1968 toBarbro "Lill-Babs" Svensson and had the daughterMalin Berghagen, an actress, in 1966. From 1976 he was married to Eva Berghagen (born Strand 1952),[19] and in the same year they had their daughter Maria Berghagen Enander, who was an executive at coffee company Arvid Nordquist and CEO for two smaller companies. She later cohabited with the coach and lecturer Olof Röhlander.[20]
Lasse Berghagen died from complications of heart surgery on 19 October 2023, at the age of 78.[21][22] On 20 November 2023, he was buried inside theHedvig Eleonora Church.[23]
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWE | |||
| "Tacka vet jag logdans"[24] | 1977 | 45 | Non-album singles |
| Preceded by | Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975 | Succeeded by |
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