The World According to Gessle is the third solo album by Swedish pop singer Per Gessle, released on 2 May 1997. It was his first solo album in English. The title is a paraphrase of "The World According to Garp" - the novel by John Irving. The album topped the Swedish Album Chart.
"Do You Wanna Be My Baby?", "Kix" and "I Want You to Know" were released as singles. The videos for the singles were all directed by Jonas Åkerlund. At the end of the "Lay Down Your Arms" track, there is a hidden track. The track, an alternate version of "Kix" is called Cha-cha-cha, sung like Elvis Presley. The Japanese release of this album features the ballad "Love doesn't live here", the song was also recorded by Belinda Carlisle, featured on her album A Woman and a Man.
Gessle used Brainpool and Gyllene Tider as backing musicians for the album.
Re-releases The World According to Gessle was re-released on 22 May 2003 as a low budget edition in a cardboard sleeve, and again re-released on 14 May 2008 as an anniversary edition. This time it was a double CD, with 26 bonus tracks.
Track listing Original release
2008 remastered re-release
Charts ChartPeakpositionCertificationSwedish Album Chart11997Gold142008 re-release
Credits Per Gessle - Words & Music, Vocals, Electric & Acoustic guitars, Harmonica, Tambourine, Vox Jaguar Christoffer Lundquist - Bass guitar, Zither, Flute, Electric guitar, Backing vocals, Minimoog Clarence Öfwerman - Piano, Mellotron, Vox jaguar, Organ, Synthesizers, Vocoder, Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals Michael Ilbert - Programming & percussion Mats M.P Persson - Electric & acoustic guitars Anders Herrlin - Bass guitar Micke "Syd" Andersson - Drums & percussion Jonas Isacsson - Electric guitars & E-bow Marie Fredriksson - Additional vocals on "I'll Be Alright" Micke "Nord" Andersson - Acoustic guitars David Birde - Electric & acoustic guitars Christer Jansson - Drums & percussion Jens Jansson - Drums & percussion Jalle Lorensson - Harmonica Pelle Siren - Acoustic guitar Jackie Öfwerman - Additional vocals on "Elvis in Germany" Erik Hausler - Baritone saxophone Wojtek Goral - Tenor saxophone Strings by S.N.Y.K.O - Conducted by Mats Holmquist. Arranged by Gessle, Ilbert & Öfwerman
References
External links Per interviewing himself about the album