The Cardigans

Hold me, don't ever leave me
Know me, never believe me
Stay here but don't get too near me
Leave me, leave me alone
But don't ever let me go

Show me but don't ever teach me
Touch me, don't try to reach me
Hold me but don't ever keep me
Baby, don't ever let me in

And don't let me win
Cause I leave myself to you
Yes, I release myself with you
I believe in 'me and you'
So don't ever say you do

Love me, try not to need me
Need me but don't let the greed in
Feel free but don't ever leave me
Give in, don't ever let me
No, don't ever let me win

Hold me, don't ever leave me
Ask me but don't ever make me
Save me, don't ever forsake me
Call me but don't ever say my name

Know what you do
Cause I leave myself to you
Yes, I release myself with you
I believe in 'me and you'
So don't ever say you do

Don't let me win
Just hold me

And you say:
Nina, Nina, Nina-na
Nina, Nina, Nina-na
Nina, Nina, Nina-na
Nina, Nina, Nina-na-na-na

Now how can I let you go?

Hold me, don't ever leave me
Love me but don't ever let me
No, don't ever let me win

One of the most pleasing pop groups of the ‘90s, the Cardigans specialized in sugary confections that would grow annoying very quickly if they weren’t backed by solid musicianship and clever arrangements. The band’s 1995 breakout album, Life, reflected the Cardigans at their most saccharine – the sunny disposition of vocalist Nina Persson being the major argument in favor – and critics inserted the group into the space age pop revivalist camp. the Cardigans later proved that they were more difficult to pigeonhole, however.

Even the band’s origins showed that their later appearance was quite misleading; two heavy metal fanatics formed the group in October 1992 in Jonkoping, Sweden. Guitarist Peter Svensson met bassist Magnus Sveningsson in a hardcore group, though he had previously trained in music theory and jazz arranging. The two later grew tired of metal and decided to form a pop band with vocalist Nina Persson – an art-school friend who had never sung professionally – plus keyboard player Lars-Olof Johansson and drummer Bengt Lagerberg.

All five Cardigans moved into a small apartment in 1993 and began recording a demo tape that entered the hands of producer Tore Johansson later that year. He liked what he heard and invited the group to record at his Malmö studio. Signed to the dance-oriented Stockholm label, the Cardigans released Emmerdale in May 1994. The single “Rise & Shine” became a hit on Swedish radio soon after the release of the LP, and a readers poll in Sweden’s Slitz magazine voted Emmerdale the best album of 1994.

more tracks from the album

Best Of (Bonus CD)

From the albums

You’re The Storm - Single (2003)
Best Of (Bonus CD) (2008)

The Cardigans popular songs

Hold MeThe Cardigans

The Cardigans

Best Of (Bonus CD)