Son of a Plumber
Son of a Plumber is an album released by Swedish pop-rock singer and composer Per Gessle. It is the first album by Gessle to use a pseudonym artist name; Son of a Plumber. The album, which was officially released on 23 November 2005,[3] is a double CD album packed with deeply personal and highly inventive music according to Gessle.
Son of a Plumber | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 23 November 2005 | |||
Recorded | November 2004 – August 2005 | |||
Studio | Aerosol Grey Machine, Scania | |||
Genre | Pop[1][2] | |||
Length | 30:33 (CD1) 41:39 (CD2) | |||
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Producer |
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Per Gessle chronology | ||||
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Singles from Son of a Plumber | ||||
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There were three singles released from the album. A double A-side, "C'mon"/"Jo-Anna Says" which was released on 7 November 2005, the second single "Hey Mr. DJ", on 1 February 2006 and the final release was "I Like It Like That" on 24 May to the Swedish radio stations.
Background and recording
Per Gessle is the lead songwriter of Swedish acts Gyllene Tider and Roxette.[4][5] In addition to this, he has released material as a solo artist; his 2003 album Mazarin is his most successful solo record.[6] It spent thirteen weeks at number one on the Swedish Albums Chart,[7] and sold over 335,000 copies in Sweden as of January 2005.[8] In 2004, Gyllene Tider reformed to celebrate their 25th anniversary,[9] releasing the studio album Finn 5 fel!, their first new material since 1996.[10] That album was also successful, selling 230,000 copies in Sweden by January 2005.[8] Finn 5 fel! was promoted by a concert tour of Sweden, with the band performing to over 58,000 people in a single night at the Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg,[11] breaking an attendance record previously held by Bruce Springsteen.[12]
![](../I/Agm_studio_vallarum_se.jpg.webp)
Rather than release his next album as a solo artist, or with Gyllene Tider or Roxette,[upper-alpha 1] Gessle chose to work under the pseudonym Son of a Plumber.[2][15] Producer Clarence Öfwerman initially suggested the idea of working under a pseudonym, saying that recording an album under a new name could liberate Gessle creatively.[9] Gessle said he was reluctant to release another Swedish-language album following the success of Mazarin and Gyllene Tider,[16] and that he wanted Son of a Plumber to "feel like a debut, for my own sake. Because I'm afraid people will get tired of me."[6] He chose the Son of a Plumber pseudonym as a tribute to his father Kurt Gessle, who worked as a plumber.[4]
The album was recorded between November 2004 and August 2005 at Christoffer Lundquist's Aerosol Grey Machine studio in Scania, and was produced by Gessle, Öfwerman and Lundquist. They mixed the record at the same studio from August to October 2005.[17] Gessle claimed the studio – built in a 16th-century farm house – is haunted, and that he experienced multiple paranormal events during recording.[18] The album was recorded by many of the same musicians who contributed to Mazarin,[19] including Lundquist and Öfwerman,[6] and vocalist Helena Josefsson.[20]
Son of a Plumber differs from Gessle's previous work, in that he created only three demos for the album. Gessle said this was done at the behest of Öfwerman, who had worked with Gessle since 1986 and complained that he was "far too prepared before recording sessions". Gessle elaborated that he often created "very advanced demos. Demos that sometimes sound exactly like the end result." Instead, he performed the songs live in the studio on an acoustic guitar, which he said gave Öfwerman and Lundquist "a much better chance of influencing" the songs during the recording process.[4] Two of the demos – "Something in the System" and "I Like It Like That" – were created during sessions for Roxette's 2003 compilation The Pop Hits,[21][22] while a demo for "Jo-Anna Says" was recorded in January 2005.[23] All three demos were released for free download on Gessle's official website in 2006.[9] Two of the bonus tracks were also previously recorded: "A Girl Like You" was demoed for Roxette's 1999 album Have a Nice Day, but was not included on that record,[24] while "Keep the Radio On (This Is the Perfect Song)" appeared on 1995's The Lonely Boys, a collaborative album recorded alongside Nisse Hellberg of Wilmer X.[25]
Composition and style
Son of a Plumber is a double album consisting of 24 songs.[1][19] Despite the record being approximately 60 minutes in length, Gessle chose to release it as a double CD. He said this was done to simulate the experience he had listening to vinyl as a child, saying he wanted listeners to "feel that moment when one side of the vinyl ran out and you had to turn to the next. You had no idea what to expect from the other side. It was always a wonderful moment for me."[26] He said the album contains relatively personal lyrics,[16] and that it was best experienced when listened to in its entirety.[27] He wanted Son of a Plumber to be a cohesive album,[4] elaborating that it "doesn't have eighteen number one singles on it, but that was never the intention. It's a well-rounded, harmonious album and if you like it, you can play it again and again."[9] The record utilises panning techniques commonly found in late 1960s and early 1970s recordings, most notably drums appearing on the left channel and vocals appearing on the right channel.[9]
In 2014, Gessle said he considers Son of a Plumber "to be probably my best album. I think it's got a great vibe to it; great writing and a great production and it's just a very organic record that I really enjoy."[23] He described it as an homage to the music he listened to as a child,[9] specifically music released between 1969 and 1972, and said the album "spreads out in many different directions".[16] He said he rediscovered much of this music when transferring his vinyl collection to an iPod.[16][18]
Aftonbladet called it a "strange, highly personal mishmash of pop, psychedelia, singer-songwriter anthems, glam rock, West Coast rock and little instrumental Spaghetti Western songs."[16] Nöjesguiden noted influences from the acts such as Swedish band Hep Stars, The Beatles and Paul McCartney's solo work, as well as Elton John's collaborations with Kiki Dee, and said the album as a whole could be described as psychedelic power pop.[28] Musiklandet noted influences from late 1960s and early 1970s British psychedelic rock and progressive rock bands Marmalade, Love Affair, Dantalian's Chariot and McGuinness Flint, and compared it to several albums released in 1967, including Between the Buttons by the Rolling Stones, The Who Sell Out, Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, and the discography of Andrew Loog Oldham's label Immediate Records.[2] Sydsvenskan said the album contained "echoes" of the Kinks, the Monkees, Serge Gainsbourg, Burt Bacharach, and Simon & Garfunkel.[19]
Songs
Expressen described the first disc of the album as "playful", but said the second disc was the stronger of the two.[1] The first song on the record, "Drowning in Wonderful Thoughts About Her", is a power pop song inspired by 1960s psychedelia.[15] Gessle composed "Jo-Anna Says" while driving with his family in the south of Sweden. He said Roxette tracks "7Twenty7" – from Have a Nice Day – and "Vulnerable" were written in a similar way, and that he thinks "Jo-Anna Says" is "a really cool song. It's got a classic pop touch to it which I like."[23] He compared it to the early solo work of Paul McCartney.[29] Gessle said "I Have a Party In My Head (I Hope It Never Ends)" is his favourite song on the album, saying the track "turned out exactly as I had imagined it."[29] It is a folk rock song featuring acoustic guitars,[30] vocals from Helena Josefsson,[20] and Indian flutes.[1]
"C'mon" is a glam rock track, and is the first song in Gessle's discography to feature him singing in falsetto.[29] Gessle's then-eight year old son was involved in its writing.[6] He said his son entered the studio and started imitating him while it was being composed. Gessle said he "thought that sounded so sweet, so I recorded it."[9] "Week with Four Thursdays" is the first of several instrumental songs on the album.[20] "Hey Mr. DJ (Won't You Play Another Love Song)" is a duet with Helena Josefsson,[30] which Expressen described as the best song on the album.[31] Gessle compared it to the work of Chicago,[29] while Aftonbladet described it as a mix between Burt Bacharach and The Carpenters.[15] "Late, Later On" is a power ballad, while "Ronnie Lane" is an instrumental piece named after a member of Faces.[15][32] The final five tracks on disc one are merged together as a medley, titled "The Junior Suite".[1][15]
Disc two opens with "Kurt - The Fastest Plumber in the West", an instrumental song inspired by the music of Spaghetti Western films.[20] The song is named after his father,[6] and is dedicated to him.[29] Expressen compared "I Never Quite Got over the Fact That the Beatles Broke Up" to the work of Air.[1] "Substitute (For the Real Deal)" is a pop song featuring tambourines and hand-claps.[15] "Waltz for Woody" is an instrumental piece dedicated to Gessle's wife Åsa. He explained "Woody" is her nickname, but said: "I actually don't know why. That's just her name."[29] It is the only song on the record where Gessle performs keyboards.[6] "Carousel" features a string section.[15]
Gessle said the final five songs on disc two are his favorite tracks on the record,[27] and said "I Like It Like That" contained the strongest chorus of the entire album.[29] "Something Happened Today" is an acoustic track,[15] and a love song.[1][20] Expressen described "Brilliant Career" as "insanely cute",[1] while Aftonbladet compared "Burned Out Heart" to the work of Pink Floyd and Queen.[15] The album concludes with a reprise of "Drowning in Wonderful Thoughts About Her",[15] and "Making Love or Expecting Rain", which begins with a church organ[33] and features an outro sung in French.[15] Expressen said the latter song exemplifies Gessle in "top form".[33] A hidden reprise of "Jo-Anna Says" – titled "Jo-Anna Says Farewell" – is the final song on the album. On CD versions, the reprise plays after ten minutes of silence.[17]
Artwork
The album cover was created by Pär Wickholm and Kjell Andersson,[17] while Anton Corbijn provided photography for the booklet.[19] The booklet includes two pencil and watercolour drawings made by Gessle when he was approximately seven years old. The drawings represent a handball match and an ice hockey match,[4] with the latter showing Swedish ice hockey player Kjell-Rune Milton scoring a goal against Brynäs IF.[34] The booklet also includes a photograph of Gessle's parents, taken on their silver wedding anniversary, as well as pictures of Gessle's wife and son.[35]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Aftonbladet | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Expressen | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Göteborgs-Posten | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Hallands Nyheter | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Hallandsposten | Positive[32] |
Nerikes Allehanda | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Nöjesguiden | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Norrbottens-Kuriren | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Svenska Dagbladet | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sydsvenskan | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The album received generally positive reviews from the Swedish music press.[41] Svenska Dagbladet said it contained some of the best songs Gessle had ever written. They noted the album's disparate influences and called Gessle a "pop nerd" and a postmodernist, elaborating that he was "freely quoting and, to a lesser extent, deconstructing pop music history". They highlighted the production and musicianship of Öfwerman, Lundquist, and Josefsson, and called the album "a musical statement worth taking seriously".[30] Both Göteborgs-Posten and Norrbottens-Kuriren expressed similar sentiments, with the former dubbing it a gourmet version of Gessle's work with Roxette and Gyllene Tider,[37] while the latter complimented Gessle for creating a "fresh and exciting" project.[40]
Hallands Nyheter described the album as a tribute to 1960s pop music and compared it to the Beatles's self-titled album, saying it featured unpredictable music.[38] Hallandsposten said the record may have sold more copies were it shorter in length, and praised Gessle for releasing an album not determined by commercial expectations.[32] Expressen commended the quality of songwriting, saying that many of the tracks sound like hit singles, and that the album leaves "a most unsatisfied longing for more" despite being a double album.[1] Nöjesguiden praised the scope of musicality found on the record, complimenting Gessle for "playing with sounds, harmonies and moods from his favourite records of the early seventies."[28]
Nerikes Allehanda said Son of a Plumber is "light years away from the hip attitude" of his previous English-language solo album, 1997's The World According to Gessle, saying it features Gessle "a bit wild, fragmented and playful, with a lot of inspiration and influences from pop history." They said the quality of the album's 25 songs was "relatively high", and that "With so many different sources of inspiration, it has become an astonishingly personal result."[39] Gradvall called the record Gessle's "prettiest release to date", saying it demonstrates his "astonishing breadth" as a songwriter. They highlighted the album's instrumental tracks, calling them "amazingly good instrumental songs that sound better than all the film music made in Sweden in the last 30 years."[35]
The album also received some mixed reviews. Dagensskiva said it contained songs that would have been better suited to Roxette's discography.[20] Aftonbladet complained about the album's length, saying it contained too much filler.[15] Sydsvenskan compared it negatively to Gessle's work with Gyllene Tider and Roxette, saying it did not contain enough potential singles.[19] Conversely, Musiklandet noted criticism of the album seemed to focus on how Gessle chose not to "trot out one potential hit song after another", and that this demonstrated "with embarrassing clarity, that said journalists have no idea about the pop history from which Gessle picks one delicious pop praline after another. Because Per Gessle knows his music history. He belongs to a category [of musicians] that loves English pop of the late 1960s, a period of time which is still unmatched when it came to putting together three-minute pop masterpieces", a style their writer described as "the most difficult style of music there is".[2]
Awards and nominations
Per Gessle was nominated as Son of a Plumber in the "Male Pop Artist of the Year" category at the 2006 Grammis,[42] the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards.[43] The award was eventually won by Håkan Hellström.[44]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Per Gessle.[17]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Drowning in Wonderful Thoughts About Her" | 2:46 |
2. | "Jo-Anna Says" | 3:23 |
3. | "I Have a Party in My Head (I Hope It Never Ends)" | 2:06 |
4. | "C'mon" | 2:58 |
5. | "Week with Four Thursdays" (Instrumental) | 2:10 |
6. | "Hey Mr. DJ (Won't You Play Another Love Song)" | 3:43 |
7. | "Late, Later On" | 3:53 |
8. | "Ronnie Lane" (Instrumental) | 1:04 |
No. | Title | Length |
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9. | "Are You an Old Hippie, Sir?" | 1:42 |
10. | "Double-Headed Elvis" | 1:22 |
11. | "Something in the System" | 1:31 |
12. | "Speed Boat to Cuba" | 1:47 |
13. | "Come Back Tomorrow (And We Do It Again)" | 2:08 |
Total length: | 30:33 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Kurt - The Fastest Plumber in the West" (Instrumental) | 1:37 |
2. | "I Never Quite Got over the Fact That the Beatles Broke Up" | 4:09 |
3. | "Substitute (For the Real Deal)" | 3:08 |
4. | "Waltz for Woody" (Instrumental) | 1:03 |
5. | "Carousel" | 2:28 |
6. | "I Like It Like That" | 3:34 |
7. | "Something Happened Today" | 2:46 |
8. | "Brilliant Career" | 2:29 |
9. | "Burned Out Heart" | 3:42 |
10. | "Drowning in Wonderful Thoughts About Her" (Reprise) | 0:57 |
11. | "Making Love or Expecting Rain" | 4:59 |
12. | "Jo-Anna Says Farewell" (hidden track) | 10:47[upper-alpha 3] |
Total length: | 41:39 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
13. | "Keep the Radio On (This Is the Perfect Song)" | 2:58 |
14. | "A Girl Like You" | 2:59 |
15. | "Plonk" (Alternate version of "Ronnie Lane") | 1:08 |
Total length: | 48:44 |
- Vinyl editions include "Keep the Radio On (This Is the Perfect Song)" as a bonus track, appearing on disc 2 between "I Like It Like That" and "Something Happened Today".[17]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "A Girl Like You" | 2:58 |
2. | "Keep the Radio On (This Is the Perfect Song)" | 2:56 |
3. | "Shopping with Mother" | 2:41 |
4. | "Plonk" (Alternate version of "Ronnie Lane") | 1:07 |
5. | "Hey Mr. DJ (Won't You Play Another Love Song)" (Love-For-Sale Remix) | 3:55 |
6. | "I Never Quite Got over the Fact That the Beatles Broke Up" (Jimmy Monell Short Treatment) | 4:10 |
7. | "Shopping with Mother" (Voz Vibrante Remix) | 3:54 |
8. | "Hey Mr. DJ (Won't You Play Another Love Song)" (Jimmy Monell Treatment) | 3:43 |
9. | "I Never Quite Got over the Fact That the Beatles Broke Up" (Jimmy Monell Long Treatment) | 5:41 |
10. | "Shopping with Mother" (Mother's Dub by Voz Vibrante) | 3:54 |
11. | "Plumber in Progress #1" ("Substitute (For the Real Deal)") | 0:45 |
12. | "Plumber in Progress #2" ("Hey Mr. DJ (Won't You Play Another Love Song)") | 0:45 |
13. | "Plumber in Progress #3" ("C'mon") | 0:45 |
14. | "Plumber in Progress #4" ("Kurt - The Fastest Plumber in the West") | 0:45 |
15. | "Plumber in Progress #5" ("I Have a Party in My Head (I Hope It Never Ends)") | 0:45 |
16. | "Plumber in Progress #6" ("Burned Out Heart") | 0:45 |
17. | "Plumber in Progress #7" ("Double-Headed Elvis") | 0:39 |
18. | "Plumber in Progress #8" ("Are You an Old Hippie, Sir?") | 0:44 |
19. | "Plumber in Progress #9" ("Late, Later On") | 0:45 |
20. | "Plumber in Progress #10" ("Making Love or Expecting Rain") | 0:45 |
21. | "Plumber in Progress #11" ("Brilliant Career") | 0:34 |
22. | "Plumber in Progress #12" ("Speed Boat to Cuba") | 0:41 |
23. | "Plumber in Progress #13" ("Something Happened Today") | 0:45 |
24. | "Plumber in Progress #14" ("Carousel") | 0:40 |
25. | "Plumber in Progress #15" ("Come Back Tomorrow (And We Do It Again)") | 0:31 |
Total length: | 45:33 |
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the CD and vinyl liner notes.[17][47]
- Recorded at Aerosol Grey Machine, Vallarum, Sweden between November 2004 and August 2005.
- Mixed at Aerosol Grey Machine, Vallarum, Sweden between August 2005 and October 2005.
- CD version mastered by Bjorn Engelmann at Cutting Room, Stockholm.
- Vinyl version mastered by Janne Hansson at Atlantis Studio, Stockholm.
Musicians
- Per Gessle – vocals, composer, instrumentation, production, mixing, artwork and illustrations
- Jens Jansson – drums
- Helena Josefsson – vocals
- Christoffer Lundquist – backing vocals, instrumentation, string and horn arrangements, engineering, production and mixing
- Clarence Öfwerman – backing vocals, instrumentation, string and horn arrangements, production and mixing
- The Chico Chihuahua Vocal Ensemble – backing vocals
- The Funky Färs Härads Chamber Orchestra – strings and horns
Additional personnel
- Kjell Andersson – cover artwork
- Anton Corbijn – photography
- Lennart Haglund – engineering assistant
- U.N. Owen – photography
- Pär Wickholm – cover artwork
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Sweden (GLF)[51] | Platinum | 60,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- Notes
- Roxette vocalist Marie Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2002,[13] but the duo reconvened to recorded two new songs for A Collection of Roxette Hits: Their 20 Greatest Songs! in 2006.[14]
- Tracks nine to thirteen of disc 1 are mixed together as a medley, listed on CD and vinyl editions as "The Junior Suite".[17]
- The first ten minutes of "Jo-Anna Says Farewell" consists of silence, followed by a 47-second instrumental reprise of "Jo-Anna Says". The vinyl edition does not include the ten minutes of silence.[17]
- References
- Nunstedt, Anders (23 November 2005). "Son of a Plumber: 'Son of a Plumber'". Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 September 2023.
- Wrigholm, Lennart (11 December 2005). "Gessle Goes Pop!". musiklandet.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 28 December 2005. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- Son of a Plumber official website
- Gradvall, Jan (10 June 2006). "I huvudet på Per Gessle" ["In the head of Per Gessle"]. gradvall.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- Roberts, Dave (4 October 2022). "Generally, the more people involved in writing a song, the less personal it gets". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- Nunstedt, Anders (16 November 2005). "Jag är rädd att folk ska tröttna på mig" ["I'm afraid people will get tired of me"]. Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- "swedishcharts.com - Per Gessle - Mazarin". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- "Gyllene Tider sålde mest album 2004" ["Gyllene Tider sold the most albums during 2004"]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 11 January 2005. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
- "Interview mit Per Gessle" ["Interview with Per Gessle"]. Swiss Hitparade (in German). Retrieved 10 October 2023.
- Malmqvist, Stefan (11 June 2004). "Recension: Finn 5 fel!" ["Review: Find 5 Errors!"]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- Wikström, Jan-Owe; Bieri, Walter (13 July 2013). "Marie gyllene överraskning för drygt 42 000 på Ullevi" ["Marie's golden surprise for just over 42,000 at Ullevi"]. Hallands Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- Sandahl, Ronnie (8 August 2004). "Vilken skön rekordfest, GT!" ["What a nice record party, GT!"]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- Edwards, Gavin; Magra, Iliana (10 December 2019). "Roxette Singer Marie Fredriksson Is Dead at 61". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- Regnell, Tobias (December 2008 – January 2009). "50 År Och Diskokung? Per Gessle Börjar Om" ["50 Years Old and a Pop King? Per Gessle Starts Over"]. Filter (in Swedish). No. 5. Stockholm, Sweden: Offside Press. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
- Larsson, Markus (23 November 2005). "Testamente utan röd tråd" ["Testament without a common thread"]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- Bjurman, Per (10 November 2005). "USA nästa för Gessle" ["USA next for Gessle"]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- Gessle, Per (2005). "Booklet". Son of a Plumber (Vinyl liner notes). Son of a Plumber. Elevator Entertainment · Capitol Records. 0946 3 48026 1–1.
- Wikström, Jan-Owe (24 December 2005). "Julafton med Per Gessle" ["Christmas Eve with Per Gessle]. Hallandsposten (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 18 February 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- Francke, Maria G (22 November 2005). "Varför, Gessle?" ["Why, Gessle?"]. Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- Welander, Fredrik (16 December 2005). "Son Of A Plumber "Son Of A Plumber"". dagensskiva.com (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- Gessle, Per (2014). "Demos & Other Fun Stuff! Vol. 1, Disc 2 – 08: "Something in the System" (Conversation with Sven Lindström)". The Per Gessle Archives (A Lifetime Of Songwriting) (Audio commentary). Lindström, Sven. Stockholm, Sweden: Elevator Entertainment. 334 43503.
- Gessle, Per (2014). "Demos & Other Fun Stuff! Vol. 3, Disc 2 – 18: "I Like It Like That" (Conversation with Sven Lindström)". The Per Gessle Archives (A Lifetime Of Songwriting) (Audio commentary). Lindström, Sven. Stockholm, Sweden: Elevator Entertainment. 334 43503.
- Gessle, Per (2014). "Demos & Other Fun Stuff! Vol. 2, Disc 2 – 08: "Jo-Anna Says" (Conversation with Sven Lindström)". The Per Gessle Archives (A Lifetime Of Songwriting) (Audio commentary). Lindström, Sven. Stockholm, Sweden: Elevator Entertainment. 334 43503.
- Gessle, Per (2014). "Demos & Other Fun Stuff! Vol. 1, Disc 2 – 11: "A Girl Like You" (Conversation with Sven Lindström)". The Per Gessle Archives (A Lifetime Of Songwriting) (Audio commentary). Lindström, Sven. Stockholm, Sweden: Elevator Entertainment. 334 43503.
- Gessle, Per (2014). "Demos & Other Fun Stuff! Vol. 4, Disc 2 – 02: "Keep the Radio On (This Is the Perfect Song)" (Conversation with Sven Lindström)". The Per Gessle Archives (A Lifetime Of Songwriting) (Audio commentary). Lindström, Sven. Stockholm, Sweden: Elevator Entertainment. 334 43503.
- Gessle, Per (10 December 2005). "Interview with Per Gessle". Nyhetsmorgon (Interview). Interviewed by Steffo Törnquist. Stockholm, Sweden: TV4.
- Zendry Svärdkrona (1 December 2005). "Självklart att man måste betala för nedladdning" ["Of course you have to pay for downloading"]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- Forshage, Patrik (28 December 2005). "Per Gessles rykte som utpräglad popkonnässör och listexpert gjorde att" ["Per Gessle's reputation as a pronounced pop connoisseur and chart expert made this [record]"] (in Swedish). Nöjesguiden. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
- Per Bjurman (10 November 2023). "Så tycker Gessle om låtarna på nya skivan" ["How Gessle thinks about the songs on the new album"]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- "Värd att ta på allvar" ["Worth taking seriously"]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 22 November 2005. Archived from the original on 25 November 2005. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- Anders Nunstedt (30 November 2005). "Veckans 4 skiv-val" ["This Week's 4 Disc Selections"]. Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- Balogh, Tony (23 November 2005). "Raka rör in i popnostalgin" ["Straight into pop nostalgia"]. Hallandsposten (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 5 September 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- Anders Nunstedt (7 December 2005). "Veckans fyra skivval" ["The four disc selections of the week"]. Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- Olsson, Mats (8 January 2006). "Mats Olsson: King Henrik regerar" ["Mats Olsson: King Henrik reigns"]. Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- Gradvall, Jan (25 November 2005). "Gradvall.se – Artiklar Intervjuer Essäer 1979-2023" ["Gradvall.se – Articles Interviews Essays 1979-2023]. gradvall.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- "Kolla Expressens getingbetyg på veckans skivsläpp" ["Check Expressen's ratings on this week's record releases"]. Expressen (in Swedish). 23 November 2005. Archived from the original on 17 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- Lindqvist, Johan (23 November 2005). "Mjuk och full av referenser" ["Soft and full of references"]. Göteborgs-Posten (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 24 October 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- Samuelson, Mårten (23 November 2005). "Son of a Plumber". Hallands Nyheter (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 5 September 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- Pettersson, Håkan (23 November 2005). "Nerikes Allehanda - Son of a Plumber". Nerikes Allehanda (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 27 May 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- Nilsén, Rolf (6 December 2006). "Per Gessle - Son of a plumber". Norrbottens-Kuriren (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- "Dagens Ord" ["Today's Word"]. Expressen (in Swedish). 24 November 2005. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- Nunstedt, Anders (15 December 2005). "Du slår rekord, Laleh!" ["You beat the record, Laleh!"]. Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "Här är de nominerade i några av de tyngsta klasserna" ["Here are the nominees in some of the heaviest classes"]. Expressen (in Swedish). 16 December 2005. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- Carnhede, Anna-Maria (7 February 2006). "Här är listan på alla pristagarna" ["Here is the list of all the award winners"]. Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- "Gessle.com - Son Of A Plumber (iTunes) (DIGITAL) Release date: April 3rd, 2006". Gessle.com. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- "Son Of A Plumber (Extended Version) by Per Gessle on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
- Gessle, Per (2005). "Booklet". Son of a Plumber (CD liner notes). Son of a Plumber. Elevator Entertainment · Capitol Records. 0946 3 48038 2–3.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Son of a Plumber – Son of a Plumber". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- "Årlistar Album, 2005". Sverigetopplistan (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- "Årlistar Album, 2006". Sverigetopplistan (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 September 2023.
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- "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2005" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 13 September 2023.