Released in October 1991 as the fourth single from Joyride, “Spending My Time” marked a shift in Roxette’s tone—from glossy pop to something more introspective. Written by Per Gessle and Mats Persson, the song was originally intended for Gessle’s voice, but it quickly became clear that Marie Fredriksson’s delivery would give it the emotional weight it needed. And she delivered—quietly devastating, never overdone.
The track was recorded at EMI Studios in Stockholm in July 1990, with longtime collaborator Clarence Öfwerman producing. It was paired with “The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye” on the B-side.
Melancholy Wrapped in Melody
“Spending My Time” is built around a soft pop-rock arrangement—acoustic guitar, gentle synths, and a rhythm section that never rushes. The lyrics follow someone trying to get through the day after a breakup: making coffee, watching TV, staring at the wall. It’s heartbreak in the mundane, and that’s what makes it hit.
Lines like “I fall asleep to the sound of ‘Tears of a Clown’ / A prayer gone blind” capture the kind of sadness that doesn’t scream—it just lingers. Fredriksson’s voice carries it all with aching precision, turning small moments into emotional gut punches.
The Video: Isolation in Motion
Directed by Wayne Isham, the music video shows Marie alone in a house—by the window, in bed, on the couch—while Per Gessle appears occasionally playing guitar. It’s a visual echo of the song’s theme: solitude, longing, and the quiet collapse that follows a breakup. The muted color palette and slow pacing match the mood perfectly.
A Spanish-language version, “Un Día Sin Ti,” was released in 1996–for their Spanish-language compilation album “Baladas en español”–with a new video directed by Jonas Åkerlund. That version added a darker edge, intercutting scenes of addiction and emotional unraveling.
Chart Performance
“Spending My Time” didn’t match the chart heights of Roxette’s earlier singles, but it still made a solid impact. It reached No. 9 in Germany and Canada, No. 11 in Sweden and Belgium, No. 22 in the UK, and No. 32 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It also landed in the top 20 across Australia, Austria, Finland, and Switzerland.
Per Gessle later said he thought it could’ve been their biggest hit—if not for label shakeups that disrupted its promotion in the U.S.
Why It Still Resonates
“Spending My Time” isn’t flashy. It doesn’t build to a dramatic climax. It just sits with the sadness and lets it breathe. That’s why it still works. It’s the sound of someone trying to move on but not quite making it. And Marie Fredriksson’s voice—clear, vulnerable, and quietly fierce—makes every line feel lived-in.
Roxette were known for their hooks, but this one proved they could do heartbreak just as well as euphoria. It’s not about getting over it. It’s about living through it.