One of Sweden's most significant

hitmakers- and one of the most secret.

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Most people have heard his songs like “Oh Susie,” “Ten O’clock Postman,” and “Flash In The Night” – famous hits all over the world.

His compositions became the launching pad for the incredibly successful pop group Secret Service.

They also laid the foundation for the songwriting trio Norell/Oson/Bard, making Tim Norell one of the most significant Swedish composers of his time.

 

And yet, very few people know who he is.

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Summer of 1979: The Rise of “Oh Susie”

In the summer of 1979, “Oh Susie” was on everyone’s lips. The single cover could be seen in every store window in Stockholm, and nightclubs played the song on repeat. But who was behind this hit? No one knew. Some thought it was Paul McCartney; others were sure it had to be Sting.

 

In early August, the single hit the stores – and made a huge splash. “Oh Susie” instantly became the most played song on the radio and hit number one in 29 countries.

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How did it all begin?

It all started with a chance meeting between Tim Norell and Ulf Wahlberg – an up-and-coming music producer. Young and full of enthusiasm, they set out to conquer the music business.

Ola Håkansson, the former frontman of Ola & The Janglers, who had outgrown his teen idol image, took them under his wing. Now head of Sonet Records, he immediately saw Tim’s genius as a composer and Ulf’s talent as a producer.

Tim’s music needed lyrics, so Ola introduced him to Björn Håkanson (no relation), who later became his main co-writer.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves…

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First Breakthrough: “Det Känns Som Jag Vandrar Fram”
 

Tim’s first big step came when his early composition “Det Känns Som Jag Vandrar Fram” was submitted to the Swedish national selection for Eurovision. It was performed by the group Ola + 3, which included:

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• Ola – vocals

• Ulf – keyboards

• Tony Lindberg – guitar

• Leif Johansson (ex-Ola & The Janglers) – drums

 

That year, the competition was packed with stars, and Ted Gärdestad won. Ola + 3 came in third, sharing the spot with Eva Dahlgren. Not a major victory, but it was close.

 

Plans were made to record an Ola + 3 album, and new songs were needed. One of them was the Swedish version of what would later become “Oh Susie.”​

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The Birth of Secret Service

 

When a few DJs at Café Opera heard the song, they gave some advice:

“Translate it into English – and you’ve got a hit!”

 

“At that time, it wasn’t very credible for Swedish artists to sing in English,” Tim Norell recalls, “so we decided to keep things a bit secret. Someone came up with the name Secret Service – and it stuck.”

 

Bass player Leif Paulsén joined the group.

 

To hide the Swedish origins, Tim used the pseudonym “Hob” on the single cover – the band joked he looked like a hobbit from The Lord of the Rings. Björn Håkanson already had a stage name – Gaga.

 

As part of the promotion, Ola printed 10,000 stickers with the song title, and Tim ran around plastering them all over town. He also convinced stores to display the single cover in their windows. The iconic image of the record needle – used both on the sticker and the single – was borrowed from Ola’s friend Tom Talomaa, who used it as the symbol for his club BZ at Berzelii-Terrassen.

 

Afterward, Secret Service released several albums and became a global sensation – especially in Germany, France, Italy, the Soviet Union, Japan, and South America.

 

Once the debut album was out, the secret was revealed – but Tim Norell himself remained behind the scenes.

 

“I was very shy and happy not to travel around Europe for TV shows,” he says. “Besides, I had a family with three young children. I preferred sitting at my piano in the studio and writing new songs.”

After Secret Service: The Composer’s Journey
 

Following the success of Secret Service, Tim was commissioned to write a song to promote Sweden

as a candidate to host the Winter Olympics.

Agnetha Fältskog (from ABBA) and Ola Håkansson recorded the track, “The Way You Are.”

Sweden didn’t get the Olympics – but the song became a huge hit at home.

 

Soon after, Tim, Ola, and Alexander Bard formed the songwriting team Norell/Oson/Bard, writing hits for:

• Army of Lovers

• Tone Norum

• Tommy Nilsson

• Lili & Susie

• The Boppers

• Jerry Williams

• Ankie Bagger

… and many others.

 

Tim composed all the music, Ola and Alexander wrote the lyrics, and with Anders Hansson, they produced all the artists. Anders also worked as sound engineer and arranger.

The Tim Norell Sound

Despite working with so many different artists, Tim’s music has a unique style – simple yet powerful melodies with a touch of classical melancholy.

 

“I once read that Jonas Berggren (Ace of Base) said the best way to write a hit is to use as many notes as possible. For me, it’s the opposite – I try to use as few notes as possible, but make them strong.

‘Oh Susie’ – I threw it together in a few minutes. I was rushing to the studio and realized we didn’t have a song. It’s very simple – just four notes – but it worked,” Tim says.

 

Unexpected elements are his signature – like the 9-bar chorus in “Oh Susie” instead of the usual 8.

The Romantic and the Classicist
 

Behind the hitmaker is a romantic soul – a classically trained pianist, a lover of opera and dark, emotional music.

He adores Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich… and, of course, Puccini.

 

“When I start working on a new song, something usually moves me – a film, a personal moment, or some music – and tears are often close.

People are more romantic than they admit, and maybe that’s why my music has touched so many.”

Life’s Challenge: A Stroke
 

At the peak of his career, Tim suffered a stroke and lost feeling in one hand.

But the setback didn’t stop him – he continued to work on musical projects until the end of his life.