Opportunity Nox

The song was originally recorded at Per Gessle's Tits & Ass Studios in Halmstad on 4 March 2002.{{cite AV media notes |title=The Per Gessle Archives (A Lifetime Of Songwriting) |type=liner notes |chapter=The Roxette Demos, Vol. 1, Disc 2 – 01: "Opportunity Nox" (Conversation with Sven Lindström) |others=Per Gessle and Sven Lindström|publisher=Elevator Entertainment |year=2014 |id=334 43503 |location=Stockholm, Sweden}} Further recording took place later in October at EMI Studios in Stockholm, a month after vocalist Marie Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumour.{{cite book |last=Thorselius|first=Robert |title=The Look for Roxette: The Illustrated Worldwide Discography & Price Guide|edition=1st|date=May 2003|publisher=Premium Förlag Publishing |location=Sweden|isbn=978-9197189484}} Due to her illness, the song features practically none of her vocals: she sings just two line fragments during the song's final chorus.

The song was issued as the compilation's first and only single on 25 February 2003. Following Fredriksson's diagnosis, neither Roxette or Gessle himself publicly promoted the track, although an animated music video was directed by the duo's longtime collaborator Jonas Åkerlund, as well as Kristoffer Diös.{{cite AV media notes |title=Ballad & Pop Hits - The Complete Video Collection |type=DVD liner notes |others=Roxette |publisher=EMI |year=2003 |id=7243 4 90946 9 7}} The animation for the video was created by South African animation director Murray John.{{cite web |url=https://vimeo.com/user1387127 |title=Murray John on Vimeo |author=Murray John |work=Vimeo |date=11 June 2016 |access-date=25 August 2017}} Despite the lack of promotion, the song became a substantial hit in the duo's native Sweden. It spent two weeks at number 2 on Sveriges Radio P3's Tracks chart, held off the top spot in both weeks by The Cardigans' "For What It's Worth".{{cite web |url=https://www.nostalgilistan.se/tracks/20030301 |title=Tracks: 1 March 2003 |work=Sveriges Radio P3 |publisher=Nostalgilistan |date=1 March 2003 |access-date=25 August 2017 |language=sv}} It also spent two weeks at number 9 on Svensktoppen, becoming the first Roxette song to enter that chart.{{cite web |url=https://www.nostalgilistan.se/svensktoppen/20030309 |title=Svensktoppen: 9 March 2003 |work=Sveriges Radio |publisher=Nostalgilistan |date=9 March 2003 |access-date=25 August 2017 |language=sv}} The single peaked at number 11 on the national Sverigetopplistan sales chart. It was also a minor hit in Germany, Spain, and Switzerland.

The song received positive reviews from various Swedish publications. Per Bjurman of Aftonbladet called it "one of Gessle's strongest songs", and praised the chorus as a "classic distillate of the hardest power pop Per Gessle had knocking around in his Guaranteed-Gold-Disc-Collection—and it hits like a pissed-off hornet's nest." He went on to describe it as their best song since "Dangerous" (1989).{{cite web |url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,260316,00.html |title=Aftonbladet: En av Gessles starkaste låtar |author=Per Bjurman |work=Aftonbladet |date=6 February 2003 |access-date=25 August 2017 |language=sv |trans-title=One of Gessle's strongest songs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030206190621/http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,260316,00.html |archive-date=6 February 2003 |url-status=dead}} Anders Nunstedt of Expressen called it their best up-tempo single since "Joyride" (1991).{{cite web |url=http://www.expressen.se/noje/musik/roxette-har-en-hit-igen---med-marie-i-bakgrunden/ |title=Roxette har en hit igen - med Marie i bakgrunden |author=Anders Nunstedt |work=Expressen |date=6 February 2003 |access-date=25 August 2017 |language=sv |trans-title=Roxette has a hit again - with Marie in the background}}

All songs written by Per Gessle.

• CD Single (Europe 5518972)

1. "Opportunity Nox" – 2:59
2. "Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)" (Live from Forest National, Brussels on 22 October 2001) – 4:08
3. "Breathe" {{small|(Tits & Ass Demo, 10 January 2002)}} – 4:33

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Pop Hits.{{cite AV media notes|title=The Pop Hits|title-link=The Pop Hits|others=Roxette|year=2003|first=Sven|last=Lindström|type=CD liner notes|publisher=Capitol Records|id=72435 8215-0 1}}

• Recorded at Tits & Ass Studio, Halmstad in December 2001 and Polar Studios, Stockholm in March and October 2002.
• Mixed by Ronny Lahti, Clarence Öfwerman and Per Gessle at Polar Studios, Stockholm.

Musicians

• Per Gessle – lead and background vocals, acoustic, electric and lead guitars, production
• Marie Fredriksson – background vocals and production
• Ronny Lahti – engineering
• Christoffer Lundquist – bass and electric guitars
• Clarence Öfwerman – electric guitars, programming and production
• Mats "MP" Persson – electric guitars and engineering
• Shooting Star – programming

{{Reflist}}

• {{MusicBrainz release|mbid=731e5bb7-f93c-4336-8193-d382bbd227fc}}

{{Roxette}}

{{Roxette singles}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2002 songs

Category:2003 singles

Category:Roxette songs

Category:Capitol Records singles

Category:Songs written by Per Gessle

Category:Song recordings produced by Clarence Öfwerman

Category:Music videos directed by Jonas Åkerlund