Always Have, Always Will (Ace of Base song)

"Always Have, Always Will"
Single by Ace of Base
from the album Flowers
B-side	"Love for Sale"
Released	7 December 1998
Studio	Hitsville Productions LaCarr Studios
Genre	Pop
Length	3:48
Label	Mega
Songwriter(s)	Mike Chapman Jonas Berggren
Producer(s)	Ole Evenrude
Ace of Base singles chronology
"Travel to Romantis" (1998) "Always Have, Always Will" (1998) "Everytime It Rains" (1999)
Music video
"Always Have, Always Will" on YouTube

"Always Have, Always Will" is a 1998 song by Swedish pop band Ace of Base. Heavily inspired by the Motown sound of the mid-1960s, the intro samples the intros from the Supremes track "Where Did Our Love Go" and the Four Tops track "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)". It was co-written by Jonas Berggren with Mike Chapman. The song was originally titled "Killer on the Rampage" and contained different lyrics. When the song was pitched as a potential song for the upcoming Flowers/Cruel Summer album, Arista records liked the melody; however, requested that the lyrics be rewritten.

The song was released from their third album, Flowers (1998), in many parts of the world, but at different times.

• UK on 7 December 1998 as single three, following "Life Is a Flower" and "Cruel Summer".
• Australia in early 1999 as the second single, following "Cruel Summer"
• Scandinavia & Germany on 1 March 1999 as single four, following "Life Is a Flower", "Cruel Summer", and "Travel to Romantis".

Critical reception

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet wrote that the song "ties ecstatic summery serpentines between classic girl-pop and glittery seventies disco".[1] Quentin Harrison of Albumism described it as "classic Motown", adding that Ace of Base "showcase their expertise at branching out."[2] AllMusic editor Bryan Buss called it a "'50s throwback".[3] Chuck Campbell from The Daily News wrote that it "bask in an affable warmth never before divulged by the cold Swedes."[4] An editor from Expressen commented that it "begins as" Supremes "Baby Love", "then lets go of the Motown-bass and becomes a 90s version" of Chip's Melodifestival song "Dag efter dag".[5] Gary Shipes from The Stuart News noted that the "faux Motown bounce" of the "teen-idol homage" "Donnie" and "Always Have, Always Will", "with their sterling sawing strings and crystalline melodies, are begging to be blasting out of car radios everywhere."[6]

Music video

The accompanying music video for the song was directed by the band members themselves. It used footage from recording sessions, concerts and appearances of the band all across the world.

Track listings

• EU CD single

1. "Always Have, Always Will" – 3:47
2. "Mercy Mercy" – 3:38

• UK CD single

1. "Always Have, Always Will" 3:47
2. "Love for Sale" – 3:37
3. "Whenever You're Near Me" – 3:32

• UK CD single 2

1. "Always Have, Always Will" – 3:47
2. "Mercy Mercy" – 3:38
3. "Living in Danger" (D-House mix – short version) – 4:04

• Australian and German CD maxi

1. Always Have Always Will – 3:47
2. Mercy Mercy – 3:38
3. Living in Danger (D-House mix – short version) – 4:04
4. Love for Sale – 3:37

• Scandinavian CD maxi

1. Always Have Always Will – 3:47
2. Captain Nemo – 4:01
3. Love for Sale – 3:37

• CD promo

1. Always Have Always Will – 3:47

"Love for Sale"

"Love For Sale" is an Ace of Base B-side from their third European album Flowers.

It was included in the maxi single of "Always Have Always Will" from 1998 in Australia, Sweden and later in the UK. Originally planned to be in the final track list of the Flowers album, it is a dance song written by Jonas Berggren and sung by Jenny and Malin Berggren about prostitutes' life in the city.

Charts

Chart	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[7]	61
Austria (Media Control Charts)[8]	29
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[9]	44
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10]	59
Germany (Media Control Charts)	47
Ireland (IRMA)	15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11]	78
Poland (Music & Media)[12]	2
Scotland (OCC)[13]	10
Switzerland (Media Control Charts)	29
UK Airplay (Media Monitor)[14]	14
UK Singles (OCC)[15]	12

Sales

• UK: 163,717

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Ref.
United Kingdom	7 December 1998	London	[16]
Germany	1 March 1999	Polydor

Cover versions

Swedish dansband Friends recorded a cover version on the 1999 on the album Friends på turné.[17]

References

1. "ACE OF BASE Flowers". Aftonbladet. 12 June 1998.
2. Harrison, Quentin (13 June 2018). "Ace of Base's 'Flowers' Turns 20: An Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
3. Buss, Bryan. "Ace of Base - Greatest Hits [Arista]". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
4. Campbell, Chuck (5 August 1998). "'Ace of Base' is back with what we like". The Daily News. p. 7. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
5. "ACE OF BASE". Expressen. 12 June 1998.
6. Shipes, Gary (7 August 1998). "MAKING A CASE FOR ACE OF BASE; UN-APEELING 'AVENGERS'". The Stuart News. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
7. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
8. "Charts". Retrieved 8 May 2011.
9. "Charts". Ultratop. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 26 December 1998. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
11. "Charts". Retrieved 8 May 2011.
12. "Major Market Airplay - Week 7/1999" (PDF). Music & Media. 13 February 1999. p. 27. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
13. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
14. "Oops, there was an error! | Haven".
15. UK Singles Chart Official Charts Company (Retrieved August 8, 2011)
16. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 5 December 1998. p. 23. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
17. "Svensk mediedatabas". Retrieved 8 May 2011.