A Dream Is a Dream and a Fairy Tale a Fairy Tale
or: “Can a Man Love Two Women?”

A Married Fan’s Love Letter  to a Queen of Hearts in 25 Songs

A dream is a dream and a fairy tale a fairy tale
[...]
We all have our cozy places
There we go so many times.
We all have our memories
We all have our songs.

(Dröm är dröm och saga saga. Album: När en vacker tanke blir en sång / Tio År med Agnetha)

Dear Agnetha,

please don’t tell my wife, but I’m afraid I’m in love with you. At least I’m in love with your voice. You’re one of my Little White Secrets. I Can’t Shake Loose. Because you're the perfect woman and the perfect companion. Why?

When I enter my car in the morning in order to drive to work, you're already waiting on the co-driver's seat, smiling. "Good morning, dear! Which song shall be the starter for the day?" Now I will have you some thirty minutes only for myself and you never disappoint me and always sing the songs I wish. When I feel like joining into a duet, you will indulgently ignore that I can't sing at all and we're lucky that we're alone in the car. (I like Nånting händer med mig or Så här börjar kärlek) When we arrive, I take my case, lean over to kiss you goodbye, go upstairs to the office and miss you. When I return nine hours later I will be full of anticipation because I know you will be there on my way home. You will await me with Kisses of Fire, burning, burning! You will tell me that I'm the one you've been waiting for (Den jag väntat på) or you'll say "I've told you so many times I'm in love with you" (I can’t reach your heart). Honestly, what man's heart shouldn't melt if been told daily by a lady of such unmatched loveliness?

Sometimes, when I’m away, you fall in love with someone else, but that’s only fair. You know, I did as well. Since you perpetually refused to climb out of my record player, I decided one day to be tired of waiting and married another nice girl many years ago. Nevertheless, in the end I don’t have to worry because you always come back to me. Then I will find you in the morning, crying and sad, telling me stories of Disillusion, that you were so in love (Jag var så kär) and that you would be a millionaire, if tears were gold. (Om tårar vore guld) Some people say you really are cutest when you’re sad and therefore I always forgive you and give you consolation. I take you in my arms again and whisper your name and you will believe in love again. (När du tar mig i din famn)

When I arrive at home from work and turn off the CD-player my lovely wife will say something like "I've told you so many times the front fence has to be fixed. When will you do it?" She's not to blame for it, it's just what women usually say to their husbands after 20 years and you can be pretty sure the fence indeed HAS to be fixed and she HAS told me so many times.

You, Agnetha, never do anything like this. You will still sing "Here for your love, so please don't hinder me" when I'm as old as this Farbror Jonathan you were singing about on your first album. (Let me confess that this line “’cause once I’m in, you’re in heaven, I promise you, hmmm-mmm” really brings me near to fainting every time. Can be dangerous while driving.) According to the Swedish version of this song I still will imagine sometimes to be the lucky guy waiting for you at this place with the funny name "Korpilombolo". (Tio mil kvar till Korpilombolo)

Agnetha, please promise me that it will stay that way forever. I won’t let you go. No, no, no! I’ll do everything (Jag ska göra allt) that we never will arrive at the refrain of our last farewell song (Vi har hunnit fram till refrängen). Your wonderful voice is one of my cozy places where I can return to so many times. You are my blond Snowwhite (Snövit och de sju dvägarna), my lovely princess, and I will kiss you awake time and time again. (Många gånger än) And you will allow me to be your crown prince of the heart (Hjärtats kronprins), riding on a white horse. In a land far far away.

Damnit. And now I'll go and mow the grass. Can't say anything against it, my wife is perfectly right. It has to be done. - And it's funny, I almost feel unable to quote a song concerning this last sentence. But when I try to reason about it, perhaps there are even three: “A Song and a Fairy Tale” (En sång och en saga), “A Song about Sorrow and Joy” (En sång om sorg och glädje) and “Thanks for a Wonderful Usual Day” (Tack för en underbar vanlig dag).

A dream is a dream and a fairy tale a fairy tale
[...]
We all have our cozy places
There we go so many times.
We all have our memories
We all have our songs.

Love and thank you for the music

Johnny