Kenneth Gärdestad

John Charles Kenneth Gärdestad (9 May 1948 – 3 March 2018) was a Swedish songwriter, lyricist and architect who was known for his contribution with his younger brother Ted Gärdestad, who was a singer and composer whose music career was popular in his native country during the 1970s.

In my world, I would like to take as much positive vibrations as possible.

Quotes

• Om man hade nyckeln till hur en psykisk sjukdom kan uppkomma och hur man ska ta hand om den hade vi väl klarat oss bättre här i världen.
  • Translation: If one had the key to how a mental illness rises and how to take care of it, we would have done it better in the world.
  • On mental illness, as quoted on Kenneth Gärdestad: Han ville inte gå någon annan väg än kärlekens väg, Sveriges Radio P4 Sörmland, published on 31 December 2015 (web)
• Jag vill inte att minnet av Ted [Gärdestad] förknippas för mycket med hans sjukdom utan också hur positiv han var. Han kunde ju göra det här trots rösterna han hörde. Han sade ibland att han skulle ställa rösterna inför rätta, de skulle stå till svars för grejerna de gjorde mot honom.
  • Translation: I don't want the memory of Ted Gärdestad to be associated with his illness too much; but also how positive he was. He could, of course, do it, regardless of his hearing of the voices. He sometimes said that he would set for the votes to justice; they would answer for stuffs they did against him.
  • On the circumstances of Ted Gärdestad's mental illness, as quoted on Kenneth Gärdestad: “Jag vill inte att minnet av Ted förknippas för mycket med hans sjukdom”, Lahti, Gabriella, News55.SE, published on 20 February 2016 (web)
• ...ar det ju viktigt att låtarna inte innehöll för många ord på “p”, eftersom det gav ett poppande ljud. “K” var inte heller så poppis. Däremot var “u” en bra bokstav och så gärna mycket vokaler i texterna...
  • Translation: ...It was important that the songs do not contain too many words with "P" since it gave a popping sound. "K" was not so poppy either. On the other hand, "U" was a good letter and had so many vowels in the texts...
  • On constructing the lyrics for Ted Gärdestad's songs, to avoid plosives, such as "Himlen är oskyldigt blå”, as quoted on Kenneth Gärdestad: “Jag vill inte att minnet av Ted förknippas för mycket med hans sjukdom”, Lahti, Gabriella, News55.SE, published on 20 February 2016 (web)
• I min värld vill jag ju ta upp så mycket positiva vibrationer som finns. Samma gäller vår musik. Jag känner ju att det finns så stort genomslag.
  • Translation: In my world, I would like to take as much positive vibrations as possible. The same goes for our music. I feel that there is a big impact.
  • Regarding the connection between his fighting of his illness (skin cancer and lymphoma) and the brothers Gärdestad's music as quoted on Kenneth Gärdestad: "Blir sista stora hurraropet", Selåker, Johannes, Expressen.SE, published on 8 February 2018 (web)

Song lyrics

I want to have my own moon I can go to, where I can forget that you left me.

Sun, wind and water are the best as I know.

With Ted Gärdestad

Undringar (1972)

• Jag vill ha en egen måne, jag kan åka till
  Där jag kan glömma att du lämnat mig
  Jag kan sitta på min måne och göra vad jag vill
  Där stannar jag tills allting ordnat sig.
  • Translation: I want to have my own moon, I can go to
    Where I can forget that you left me
    I can sit on my moon and do what I want
    Where I stay until everything is alright.
  • "Jag vill ha en egen måne", lyrics written by Kenneth

Ted (1973)

• Sol, vind och vatten är
  Det bästa som jag vet
  Men det är på dig jag
  Tänker I hemlighet
  Sol, vind och vatten
  Höga berg och djupa hav
  Det, är mina drömmar vävda av
  • Translation: Sun, wind and water are
    The best as I know
    But it's on you, I
    Think secretly
    Sun, wind and water
    High mountains and deep sea
    That is my dream woven off.
  • "Sol, vind och vatten", lyrics written by Kenneth

Satellite (1979)

• I, I've got no fear of flyin' high
  'Cause high above the rainbow, my sun's gonna shine
  And nothing can happen as long as you're mine
  So I'll make my landing alive
  • English version of "Satellit" (non-album song representing Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 1979), lyrics written by Kenneth

Quotes about Kenneth Gärdestad

• Kenneth Gärdestad var en bra kille, en bra människa och en textförfattare som jag verkligen såg upp till.
  • Translation: Kenneth Gärdestad was a good guy; a good person and a lyricist who I really looked up to.
  • Björn Ulvaeus, "Björn Ulvaeus: Jag såg verkligen upp till Kenneth Gärdestad", published on 3 March 2018, Dagens Nyheter (web)

External links

• Official website of Ted Gärdestadstipendiet (English: The Ted Gärdestad Stipend) and the Ted Gärdestad Memorial Fund, both founded by Kenneth in 1999