1. Roxette Central
  2. 2024
  3. April
  4. 15

Have a Nice Day XL

This album was quite a departure five years after Roxette’s previous studio album. It was still Roxette, but the large gap between albums meant this was a radical change instead of a gradual one. It gave us many demos, outtakes, and remixes, meaning this one came together much more quickly than anticipated.

Have a Nice Day: XL Edition

Let’s not forget the visual assault of the album’s packaging. More than the change in the sound, the change in the look of Marie and Per and the album itself came out of left field. Fans didn’t expect edgy clothing and makeup, vibrant colours, and wild typography, even though it was in keeping with the times. (I know it’s a bit of a stretch, but go with it.) Even though it’s busy, the design is straightforward, which meant it was easy to add the “XL Edition” text and not look tacked on.

In a sense, this was Roxette 2.0. It’s easy to forget that some countries censored the artwork, and some TV stations relegated some videos to late-night slots due to their controversial themes and imagery. But not because of the trashy ducks, since they were marvellous.

Album

Sadly, Have a Nice Day is the last studio album with more than 12 tracks. Luckily, it’s a great selection, but it could’ve been more cohesive. It was much more electronic, even though typical Roxette ballads and guitars weren’t wholly missing.

  1. Crush on You (3:35)
  2. Wish I Could Fly (4:40)
  3. You Can’t Put Your Arms Around What’s Already Gone (3:30)
  4. Waiting for the Rain (3:37)
  5. Anyone (4:31)
  6. It Will Take a Long Long Time (4:03)
  7. 7Twenty7 (3:53)
  8. I Was So Lucky (4:17)
  9. Stars (3:56)
  10. Salvation (4:38)
  11. Pay the Price (3:48)
  12. Cooper (4:17)
  13. Staring at the Ground (2:58)
  14. Beautiful Things (3:48)

Demos

Marie contributed demos to an album for the first time, with them originally surfacing on the Duets, Demos and Odd Live Tracks bootleg album from 2002. The rest were all by Per except for “Happy Together”, which features both Marie and Per. We already have demos for all the album tracks, but you never know if Per has some other versions or other tracks presented for the album, gathering dust somewhere.

  1. It Hurts (demo, 3 August 1995: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (2:56)
  2. Beautiful Things, Terrible Things (demo, 7 April 1996: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (4:12)
  3. New World (demo, 1996: Studio Vinden) — Marie Fredriksson (3:37)
  4. Waiting for the Rain (demo, 1997: Studio Vinden) — Marie Fredriksson (3:33)
  5. All I Ever Wanted (demo, April 1997: Studio Vinden) — Marie Fredriksson (4:16)
  6. Staring at the Ground (demo, 29 August 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:47)
  7. Being With You (Demo, 11 September 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (4:01)
  8. Pay the Price (demo, 16 September 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:43)
  9. Turn of the Tide (demo, 30 September 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (4:19)
  10. The Centre of the Heart (Is a Suburb to the Brain) (demo, 2 October 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:37)
  11. Little Miss Sorrow (demo, 14 October 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:41)
  12. Ghost In The House #1 (Demo, 19 October 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (2:50)
  13. Better Off on Her Own (demo, October 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (2:48)
  14. Ghost In The House #2 (Demo, 14 November 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:18)
  15. Wish I Could Fly (demo, 18 November 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (4:11)
  16. 7Twenty7 (demo, 20 November 1997: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:25)
  17. Beautiful Things (demo, 1998: Studio Vinden) — Marie Fredriksson (4:15)
  18. Only When I Dream (demo, 1998) — Per Gessle
  19. Cooper (demo, 10 February 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (4:14)
  20. You Can’t Put Your Arms Around What’s Already Gone (demo, 17 February 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:22)
  21. It Will Take a Long Long Time (demo, 18 February 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:43)
  22. Salvation (demo, 24 March 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (4:44)
  23. Always the Last to Know (demo, 3 June 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:38)
  24. I Was so Lucky (demo, 4 June 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (4:12)
  25. Always the Last to Know (demo, 1998: Studio Vinden) — Marie Fredriksson (4:42)
  26. Happy Together (demo, 1–2 July 1998: Tits & Ass) (3:55)
  27. Stars (demo, 9 July 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:57)
  28. Holiday (demo, 16 July 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:40)
  29. Anyone/I Love How You Love Me (demo, 26 July 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (4:10)
  30. Anyone (demo, 29 July 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (4:13)
  31. Crush on You (demo, 30 July 1998: Tits & Ass) — Per Gessle (3:26)

Outtakes, B-sides and non-album tracks

With five outtakes, three alternate mixes, and three Spanish versions, this is probably the album with the most bonus tracks. I often wonder how many alternate mixes exist that we have never heard.

  1. It Will Take a Long Long Time (modern rock version) (3:59)
  2. I Was So Lucky (The Golden Blow) (4:21)
  3. Cooper (Closer to God) (4:20)
  4. The Centre of the Heart (Is a Suburb to the Brain) (3:38)
  5. It Hurts (3:52)
  6. Little Miss Sorrow (3:54)
  7. Makin’ Love to You (3:52)
  8. Better Off on Her Own (2:50)
  9. Quisiera volar (4:41)
  10. Alguien (4:29)
  11. Lo siento (4:44)

Mixes and edits

While no other Roxette album will beat Look Sharp! for the amount of remixes, Have a Nice Day holds its own quite well. When EMI cancelled the “Crush on You” single due to Marie and Per heading to the studio to start recording Room Service, we never thought we’d hear the rumoured remixes. Luckily, they became public in 2013, were later featured on the ROX RMX compilation, and rightly belong to this list.

  1. Wish I Could Fly (radio edit) (3:59)
  2. Wish I Could Fly (Tee’s radio mix) (4:02)
    Remixed by Todd Terry
  3. Wish I Could Fly (Tee’s In-House remix) (7:57)
    Remixed by Todd Terry
  4. Wish I Could Fly (StoneBridge R&B remix) (4:32)
    Remixed by StoneBridge
  5. Wish I Could Fly (StoneBridge club remix) (6:34)
    Remixed by StoneBridge
  6. Wish I Could Fly (Stoney’s dub trax) (6:10)
    Remixed by StoneBridge
  7. Anyone (radio edit) (3:59)
  8. Stars (Almighty 7-inch radio edit) (3:46)
    Remixed by Almighty
  9. Stars (Almighty 7-inch mix) (3:48)
    Remixed by Almighty
  10. Stars (Almighty 12-inch definitive mix) (8:00)
    Remixed by Almighty
  11. Stars (Almighty dub) (6:43)
    Remixed by Almighty
  12. Stars (Almighty alternate 12-inch mix) (7:02)
    Remixed by Almighty
  13. Stars (X-Treme extended mix) (6:13)
    Remixed by X-Treme
  14. Crush on You (Almighty 7-inch radio mix) (3:04)
    Remixed by Almighty
  15. Crush on You (Almighty club mix) (6:25)
    Remixed by Almighty

At 71 tracks, this turned out much more substantial than I’d imagined possible. Have a Nice Day could probably be considered the start of the second part of Roxette’s career, which continued until 2006’s Hits and The Rox Box. It was unexpected, but it’s held up incredibly well after 25 years. Let’s hope that Per kept a few surprises locked away for a special occasion and that they’ll rear their heads at some point.