The Cardigans

Released: August 12, 1996

Songwriter: Magnus Sveningsson Peter Svensson

Producer: Tore Johansson

[Verse 1]
Oh, I think you're standing on my left foot
It's hurting but that's okay
'Cause I'm in your way
You'll break that foot that you're standing on
I'll walk with the other one

[Pre-Chorus]
Do what you want to do what you want to
Be what you want to be what you want to
Go on and step on me

[Chorus]
You're free to have everything you can see
All that you want from me
Free to be all that you want to be
Do what you want with me

[Verse 2]
Oh, I think you're spinning inside my head
I think of you all the day
'Cause you're in my way
Oh, I think you're holding the heart of mine
Squeeze it apart, that's fine

[Pre-Chorus]
Do what you want to do what you want to
Be what you want to be what you want to
Go on and step on me

[Chorus]
You're free to have everything you can see
All that you want from me
You're free to be all that you want to be
Do what you want with me
Go on and step on me
Go on and step on me
Go ahead and step on me

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

First Band on the Moon

From the album

First Band on the Moon (1996)

The Cardigans popular songs

Step on MeThe Cardigans

The Cardigans

First Band on the Moon