A truly singular artist who made his
debut as a skiffle singer in the late 1950's. He made several albums
over the next decade and became famous for his hummable and humourous
troubadour styled pop songs, many of them became mainstream classics.
The Pling & Plong Show (EMI, 1970)
as Robert Karl Oskar Broberg
as Robert Karl Oskar Broberg
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *
In 1970, Broberg made a TV series for
children, ”The Pling & Plong Show”. It was crazy, corny,
imaginative, bizarre but also popular. The songs from the series were
released on an album the same year it was televised, and just by
hearing the soundtrack you'll get an idea what the show was like. The
album jerks back and forth between genres and while it doesn't hold
up nearly as well as Jojje Wadenius' ”Goda' goda'”, it has a
couple of memorable songs, especially the contagiously swinging title
track.
En typiskt rund LP med hål i mitten
(Pling & Plong, 1971)
as Robban
Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance: *
Robert Broberg's first proper album of
the 70's was released on his own label named after the children's TV
series. There are good songs on the album but a lot of them appear
wasted on a overzealous humour. You can trace a John Lennon influence
on the album's finest tracks ”Redan när vi sätter oss till bords”
and ”Insidan av ditt lår”.
Jag letar efter mig själv (Pling &
Plong, 1972)
as Robert Karl Oskar Broberg
as Robert Karl Oskar Broberg
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **
The album title – ”I'm looking for
myself” – suggests Broberg was harbouring existential doubts. And
he did. He later spoke a lot about his bipolar disorder, something
that came to affect his career in different ways. ”Jag letar efter
mig själv” is a rather dark album even when the music sounds
cheerful. The contradiction between what's said and how it's said
creates a sometimes unnerving tension. At times it's as if Broberg
thinks aloud and talks to himself (especially on the very explicit
”Snabbköpsbutiken”) which gives the entire album a certain rough
and candid feel.
Vem är det som bromsar & vem är
det som skjuter på? (RKOB, 1974)
as Robert Karl Oskar Broberg
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **
This is the closest Robert Broberg ever
got a political album – as it happens, members of Hoola Bandoola Band appear on it. But it's not the typically trendy political album
of the time. Broberg asks questions Kjell Höglund could have asked,
and some of them are probably blasphemous to the converted smartaleck
legions: 'If you want to change the world, should you start with the
world or yourself?' Broberg recognizes the real person, the
individual of flesh and blood, beyond the rigid political structures.
And as should be clear to anyone who's read this blog before, I'd
much rather listen to people allowing themselves to ask questions and
inhibit doubts. Or, as Broberg says: ”It's got to be fun making a
revolution”. But contrary what some people used to
think in those days, an album isn't the lyrics alone – the songs
here are very good with an introspective feel to go along with the
words.
One of Broberg's finest.
The Pling & Plong Show full album playlist
En typisk rund LP med hål i mitten full album playlist
Jag letar efter mig själv full album playlist
Vem är det som bromsar & vem är det som skjuter på? full album playlist
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