Den ständiga resan (The Eternal Journey) is the fourth studio album by Swedish singer-songwriter Marie Fredriksson, released on 9 October 1992 by EMI Sweden.

"Så länge det lyser mittemot" ("As Long as There Is Light on the Other Side") and "Mellan sommar och höst" ("Between Summer and Autumn") were issued as singles.

The success the record achieved in Scandinavia led EMI to release it internationally; it was issued throughout Europe, as well as in Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Marie Fredriksson began her musical career as keyboardist and co-lead vocalist of Swedish punk rock group Strul (Trivial' or 'Insignificant), who released their first and only single in 1981 before disbanding the following year.

Strul's only permanent members – Fredriksson and her then-boyfriend Martin Sternhufvud – went on to form power pop band MaMas Barn alongside Gyllene Tider bassist Anders Herrlin and drummer Micke "Syd" Andersson.

[2][3] Den ständiga resan was Fredriksson's first solo album since 1987, and was produced alongside Gyllene Tider and MaMas Barn bassist Anders Herrlin.

"[6] "Så länge det lyser mittemot" was written when Fredriksson returned to her Stockholm apartment after a prolonged period of touring.

[1] Album closer "Till sist" was written by Fredriksson in dedication to her future husband, Mikael "Micke" Bolyos,[7] whom she met while touring Australia during "Join the Joyride!".

[1] It was promoted by a documentary directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who also created music videos for several songs on the album, many of which were never released as singles.

Åkerlund later said that this collaboration with Fredriksson was his first experience working with an established recording artist, saying: "Marie was the first to give me a real chance.

[12] Swedish journalist Håkan Pettersson included Den ständiga resan at number three on his list of the best albums of 1992,[13] while Sveriges Television described it as Fredriksson's "great masterpiece" and "an obvious soundtrack to the hardships of adulthood."

They elaborated that the tracks were tuned to the "same tone as the disillusionment and loneliness of adulthood, and nothing is as comforting as when Sweden's best singer puts words and music to these dark thoughts.

[19][20] On 26 February 1993, the latter song was released exclusively in Sweden as the second and final single from the album; this single was issued in limited quantities – only 640 copies were manufactured – and featured live versions of "Bara för en dag", "Värdighet" and "Den bästa dagen" recorded at Stockholm Circus on 7 December 1992.

This version contained four bonus tracks, three of them being covers from the 1988 tribute album to Cornelis Vreeswijk: Den flygande holländaren.

[1] Christer Björkman's recording of a song written during the Den ständiga resan sessions, "Om du bara sagt ja" ("If You Just Said Yes"), was released as a single from his 1992 album I morgon är en annan dag.