Blue Swede

Travel around the world back to its owner (Stockholm, Sweden).

Blue Swede's silhouette is shaped like a swedish Dalecarlian horse or Dala horse (Swedish: Dalahäst). The Dala hourse is a traditional carved and painted wooden statuette of a horse originating in the Swedish province of Dalarna. In the old days the Dala horse was mostly used as a toy for children; in modern times it has become a symbol of Dalarna as well as Sweden in general. Several different types of Dala horses are made, with distinguishing features common to the locality of the site where they are produced. One particular style has, however, become much more common and widespread than others. It is stoutly carved and painted bright red with details and a harness in white, green, yellow and blue.

Blue Swede is also the name of a a pop band first formed in 1973 in Sweden, when Björn Skifs, a top vocalist in Sweden, was looking for a band to accompany him during his concerts. The band was originally called "Blåblus" (Swedish for "blue blouse", a pun on the word "blues") and featured Skifs singing the lead vocals. The band got their international breakthrough in 1974 with their cover of the 1969 B.J. Thomas song "Hooked on a Feeling". Released that same year on their album Hooked on a Feeling, Blue Swede's version was adapted from British pop eccentric Jonathan King, using his ooga-chaka ooga-chaka background on a version he had earlier recorded of the same song. "Hooked on a Feeling" was released in Sweden in May 1973 and in the United States in February 1974, and reached #1 for one week in the U.S. staying in the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 18 weeks The R.I.A.A. granted gold disc status on 28 March 1974. The track also topped charts in Canada, Australia and the Netherlands.  

(Source: Wikipedia)