With a Focus on the Lyrics

In this chapter, we present a study that examines the innovative use of language, in relation to music production, focusing on the lyrics in popular songs from Sweden that have had an international impact. Sweden has a strong history of exporting music dating back several decades. The study aims to determine whether the export of Swedish music can be partially attributed to the innovative use of lyrics containing “Bad English.” We analyzed the lyrics of hit songs by ABBA, Herreys and Ace of Base. The research question is: What are the key success criteria for the innovative use of language, particularly “Bad English,” in Swedish popular music? The results indicate that Swedish songwriters often prioritize the sound of the lyrics over their meaning and focus on creating universally understood titles. Since they may not be familiar with English idioms, their lyrics can fit the melody, rhyme and phonetics, while not precisely conveying the correct meaning. Although the lyrics are not strictly incorrect, they may appear odd and perhaps even innovative, offering charm and amusement to native English speakers.