Wheel of Fortune (Ace of Base song)

"Wheel of Fortune" is a song by Swedish pop group Ace of Base, and also their debut single. It was first released in the Nordics in April 1992 through Danish Mega Records as the first single from their first album, Happy Nation. It was re-released worldwide in April 1993 after the success of "All That She Wants". The single peaked within the top 10 in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland. And within the top 20 in Finland, Iceland, Ireland and the UK. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number 5.

"Wheel of Fortune"
Artwork for original release
Single by Ace of Base
from the album Happy Nation/The Sign
B-side"My Mind"
ReleasedApril 1992
Recorded1991[1]
Genre
Length3:54
Label
  • Mega (1993)
  • Playground Music (2009)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Ace of Base singles chronology
"Wheel of Fortune"
(1992)		 "All That She Wants"
(1992)
Unspeakable
(2002)
Wheel of Fortune 2009
(2008)
All for You
(2010)
Music video
"Wheel of Fortune" on YouTube
"Wheel of Fortune 2009" on YouTube
2009 cover
Wheel of Fortune 2009 (remake single)

"Wheel Of Fortune" is a reggae flavoured dance-pop song written by Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg. It was recorded in Studio Decibel in Stockholm, Sweden for a budget of SEK 30,000. It didn't enter the charts when it was released for the first time. It was the third re-release of the single that entered the charts after radio stations and clubs started to play it. The song reached #1 in Norway, and in Denmark and Netherlands; it peaked at #2.

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis noted the song as a "stellar" track in his review.[2] Tore Bø from Bergensavisen wrote that Ace of Base "shows that the 70s are alive" in "Wheel of Fortune".[3] Nikola Nedeljkovic Gøttsche from Dagbladet Information noted "its immediate melodic pop appeal and the combination of dancefloor pop and the fashionable warm reggae".[4] Göteborgsposten described it as a "dance-song with some Bad Boys (Inner Circle) and Dr. Alban rhythms, but with more pop direction." The reviewer complimented Linn Berggren's voice, adding that it "makes me think of Angel for a while".[5] Liverpool Echo said that the song is "cannily close to All That She Wants with its reggae-ish beat and just as catchy."[6] Andrew Balkin from Kingston Informer wrote that "the Aces go downbeat" on "Wheel of Fortune" and "Happy Nation". He added that "both songs have a soul/dance feel about them and wouldn't be out of place on the dance floor, or setting the mood in a smoky club."[7] Music & Media described it as a "oriental-tinged" song,[8] Ulf Nygaard from Romerikes Blad stated in his review of Happy Nation, that "Wheel of Fortune" and "All That She Wants" "are difficult to get out of your head and completely impossible to stand still to."[9] Chuck Campbell from Scripps Howard News Service called the song a "reggae-paced" number.[10]

Music video

1992 version

The original version's music video was directed by Viking Nielson and features all four original members. In an 2018 interview, Ulf Ekberg told that they had $1000 to shoot the video.[11]

It begins with Linn singing. A woman is sitting in a chair on the middle of a big wheel of fortune. Then different characters appear along the video. Like a boxing blonde, a little girl playing with an hourglass, a bride in an wedding dress, an angel playing with a golden ball and an older couple. Sometimes the woman in the chair also appears with a man or with the older couple. In between these characters, we see the four members of Ace of Base performing standing together in a circle with their backs against each other. Linn sometimes sings in the chair on the wheel. Other times she sings standing with Jenny. Joker and Buddha are seen playing on different instruments such as keyboard, drum, and trumpet. Occasionally, a clockwise turns in the background.

2009 version

The 2009 re-recording was the first and only single released by the band as a trio. For this version, the label decided not to shoot a video for the song. However, a promo video was published on 21 October 2008 on the band's official website. Similar to their 1998 single "Always Have Always Will", the video completely consists of live footage from their Redefined tour and video footage from a photoshoot. The edit used in the video is a combination of the radio and album versions, lasting at 3:15 minutes.[12]

Chart performance

The 1992 version failed to reach the singles chart on its first two releases, but when it was re-released a third time in September, it eventually reached number two. After the success of "All That She Wants" in the United Kingdom, it was released as the second UK single and it reached number 20 in the UK Singles Chart in August 1993.

Prior to the official release of the song, a live version of the song entered the charts at #2 in Brazilian radio station Emboabas FM on 3 December 2007.[13] The song entered the Radio Aachen chart in Germany at #26 on 15 December 2007.[14] It also entered the Euro WebCharts at #5 in the last week of 2007 and eventually reached #1.[15]

Track listings

Original release
CD single - The Nordics
  1. "Wheel of Fortune"
CD maxi - UK
  1. "Wheel of Fortune" (7" mix) — 3:42
  2. "Wheel of Fortune" (12" mix) — 5:27
  3. "Wheel of Fortune" (club mix) — 4:39
  4. "My Mind" (dance mix) — 4:19
7" single
  1. "Wheel of Fortune" — 3:42
  2. "Wheel of Fortune" (club mix) — 4:39

2009 version
Digital single
  1. "Wheel of Fortune 2009" (radio edit)
  2. "Wheel of Fortune 2009" (club mix)
CD single - Promo
  1. "Wheel of Fortune 2009" (radio edit)
  2. "Wheel of Fortune 2009" (club mix)
  3. "Wheel of Fortune 2009" (album version)
  4. "Wheel of Fortune" (1993 12" mix)
  5. "Wheel of Fortune" (1993 club mix)

Personnel
  • Vocals by Linn Berggren, Jenny Berggren and Ulf Ekberg
  • Written by Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg
  • Produced by Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg, T.O.E.C.
  • Recorded at Studios Decibel

Charts

References
  1. http://aceofbase.com/#y1991
  2. "Ace of Base - Singles of the 90s". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  3. Bø, Tore (1992-12-23). "MIDDELS". Bergensavisen. p. 34. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
  4. Nedeljkovic Gøttsche, Nikola (2018-11-23). "'The Sign' fylder 25 år – vi genanmelder Ace of Bases popklassiker". Dagbladet Information (in Danish). Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  5. "Wheel Of Fortune". Göteborgsposten. 1992-03-24.
  6. "SINGLES". Liverpool Echo. 1993-08-06. page 29. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
  7. Balkin, Andrew. (1993-07-23). "LEISURE CENTRE: Balkin talkin'". page 20. Kingston Informer. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
  8. "Ace Of Base Draws the Reggae Card" (PDF). Music & Media. 1992-10-24. p. 11. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  9. Nygaard, Ulf (1993-02-03). "MusikkXtra". Romerikes Blad (in Norwegian) (28). p. 7. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  10. Campbell, Chuck (1994-02-22). "NEW RELEASES: ACE OF BASE, CRASH TEST DUMMIES, SHONEN KNIFE". Scripps Howard News Service. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  11. "When Ace of Base rode the wheel of fortune". The Times of India. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  12. "Ace of Base – official website" (in German). Aceofbase.com. Retrieved 2012-03-14.
  13. ACE OF BASE RETURNS, Wheel of Fortune topping the charts!, Retrieved on December 3, 2007
  14. RADIO AACHEN, Aus Aachen - für Aachen, Retrieved on December 17, 2007.
  15. Euro WebCharts, your europe, your music. music charts for all over europe, Retrieved on December 31, 2007.
  16. "Wheel of Fortune", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  17. "Ultratop.be – Ace Of Base – Wheel Of Fortune" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  18. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  19. "Offiziellecharts.de – Ace of Base – Wheel of Fortune". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  20. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (04.06.1993 - 10.06.1993)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  21. Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  22. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Ace of Base" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  23. "Dutchcharts.nl – Ace of Base – Wheel of Fortune" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  24. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  25. UK Singles Chart Official Charts Company (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  26. 1993 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved August 10, 2008)
  27. "Jaaroverzichten 1993" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  28. "Single top 100 over 1993" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  29. "JAAROVERZICHTEN - Single 1993". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  30. "1993 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  31. "Top 100 Singles – Jahrescharts 1993" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  32. 1993 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved August 10, 2008)
  33. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Ace of Base; 'Wheel of Fortune')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
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