I'd Rather Write A Symphony is the sixth studio album and the second international release from Swedish singer/songwriter Ted Gärdestad. It was released in 1980 through the Polydor label in West Germany and The Netherlands, promoted by the single "Don't Treat Me This Way" backed with "Mindblower". An expanded and partly re-recorded version of the album was released as Stormvarning on the Polar Music label in Sweden the following year, the track "Love Light" is however only available on the international edition.
Two unreleased songs from the album sessions, the title track and "Nobody Loves You Now" saw their debut 20 years later as part of the 2001 4 CD box set Solregn.
I'd Rather Write A Symphony in its entirety remains unreleased on CD. However, all tracks are included in the 2009 8-CD box set Helt Nära Dig - Samlade Album.
Track listing All lyrics written by Kenneth Gärdestad, music by Ted Gärdestad
Side A: "Mindblower" ("Stormvarning") "Don't Treat Me This Way" "You Got Me Dancing" "How Do You Wanna Make Love" "The Reason"
Side B: "Let the Sun Shine Through" ("Låt Solen Värma Dig") "It's You" "Love Light" "Slingan" "Down at the Zoo"
Personnel Ted Gärdestad - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, keyboards, cymbals, strata Janne Schaffer - guitars Lasse Wellander - guitars Kjell Öhman - piano Björn J:son Lindh - piano, string arrangements Per-Erik Hallin - piano Wlodek Gulgowski - piano Rutger Gunnarsson - bass guitar Stefan Brolund - bass guitar Mike Watson - bass guitar Sam Bengtsson - bass guitar Åke Sundqvist - drums Per Lindvall - drums Ola Brunkert - drums Lennart Östlund - strata Ulf Andersson - saxophone Tomas Ledin - backing vocals Mikael Rickfors - backing vocals Annica Boller - backing vocals Diana Nunez - backing vocals Maritza Horn - backing vocals Liza Öhman - backing vocals Py Bäckman - backing vocals Agneta Olsson - backing vocals Lasse Westman - backing vocals
Production Ted Gärdestad - producer Lennart Östlund - producer Janne Schaffer - producer Leif Mases - sound engineer Lennart Östlund - sound engineer Recorded at Polar Studios, Stockholm
Release history Polydor Records 2344 164, (West Germany & The Netherlands), 1980
Sources and external links Official home page, The Ted Gärdestad Society Liner notes I'd Rather Write A Symphony, Ted Gärdestad, Polydor 2344 164, 1980.