Bo Hansson was a Swedish Progressive Rock musician and performer in the 1970s. He had one very successful Tolkien themed album Sagan Om Ringen (translated and subsequently released as Lord of the Rings).
The Album is a single LP and was released initially in Sweden, but has subsequently been released and re-released in many countries around the world in various formats giving quite a few Tolkien collectables.
It should be noted that I have only given versions below which have different cover art, and I have also only given the first version of each. A lot of each version were also, in many cases, released and re-issued in many other countries as well.
The album was originally released on Vinyl record.
The original Swedish Version, Sagan Om Ringen, was first released by Silence records in 1970. This version was only released in Sweden and had a very colourful cover of an almost abstract Middle-Earth landscape featuring 2 towers.
The “Hand” cover version of the album, titled Lord of the Rings, was first released by Charisma records in 1972. This version is a lot more well known and was released, and re-issued, many times in many different countries.
The “Nazgul” cover version was first released by Charisma records in 1972. This version was primarily released in the UK and Canada. It features some spectacular artwork wrapped around the front and back covers by the artist Rodney Matthews (the image is called A View over Isengard).
A Swedish remixed version with dark figures on the cover was released by Silence records in 1988. This version was also released in Spain.
8-Track
The album was also released on 8-Track cassette in the UK by Charisma records. This had the “Hand” image on the slipcase and cassette label.
Cassette Tape
The original Swedish Version, Sagan Om Ringen, with the colourful landscape cover, was also first released on cassette by Silence records in 1970. This version was only released in Sweden.
The “Hand” cover version (with pink header) was released on cassette in New Zealand by Charisma records in 1972.
A yellow variation of the “Hand” cover version was released on cassette in the UK by Charisma records in 1972.
A black variation of the “Hand” cover version was released on cassette in the US by Charisma records, date unknown.
A “Nazgul” cover version was released on cassette by Charisma records in the UK, date unknown. This had an expanded fold out cover to show the full Rodney Matthews image.
CD
The first CD release of the album was the extended remix version in Sweden by Silence records in 1988 with the dark figures cover.
The second CD version was released in Sweden by Resource records in 1993 with the original colourful landscape, with a red header and footer, cover.
A “Hand” cover version, with red border, was released in the US by One Way records in 1996.
Another “Hand” cover version, no border, was released in the UK by Edsel records, also in 1996.
A remastered version with the colourful landscape cover and titled Sagan Om Ringen was released in Sweden by Silence records in 2000. There was also a re-issue of this with a slight cover variation.
The final CD issue had a “Hand” cover, with large brown border, and was released in Europe by Silence records in 2018.
Singles
One song from the album was released as a single vinyl record, this was Black Riders Flight to the Forge. It was released in the Netherlands by Stateside EMI records in 1973. It had a Black Rider sleeve cover. The B-side was the song The Grey Havens.
The song, Black Riders Flight to the Forge, was also released as a single vinyl record in the UK by Charisma records in 1974. The B-side was the Wandering Song.
Compilation Album
Bo Hansson also had a compilation record, Reflections best of Bon Hansson, which featured the track Flight to the Ford/At the House of Elrond from the Lord of the Rings album. This album was released in Germany by Fontana records in 1977.
It was also released on cassette in Germany by Philips records, date unknown, as part of a “Sonic” series.
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