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*****ABBA-Arrival October
1976 in Sweden (later other territories ) Available worldwide
on CD
Was ABBA at it's peak here?
Quite possibly! This is a very strong pop album. There are few
studio albums in pop music that are so filled with catchy listenable
hooks . ARRIVAL's only flaw is that many of the songs lack emotional
depth. This was the first of the ABBA studio albums
to sell in large quantities in a large variety of territories.
This album featured three
big hits. "Dancing Queen' , ABBA's first nod
toward Disco was probably ABBA 's biggest hit worldwide (it hit
# 1 in the most
countries). This elegant single was ABBA's only #1 hit in America.
"Dancing Queen' was even sung to
Sweden's queen in a Royal Command Performance. "Knowing
Me, Knowing You" was ABBA's first single (with the possible
exception of
"Fernando' )that had lyrics that were as
good as the music. The troubled relationship
theme was one that would prove to be important theme for later
ABBA songs.The vocals of "KMKY" seemed derivative perhaps
of the 1960's American group,the Mamas and The Papas ,but the
guitar in KWKY was playing a melody that could only have been
dreamt up by Europeans.
Oh and did I mention the bass guitar...
Well,"KMKY is just a great record.
ARRIVAL's third single was "Money,Money, Money". Björn
admits that MoneyX3 uses a lyrical theme that had already been
done one too many times, but Frida's jazzy caberet singing brings
it off with verve.
All the other songs are highly
listenable, the album opens with "When I Kissed The Teacher"
an amazing example of B&B's and
their bands' ability to come up with original
arrangements-12 string guitars, basses,
keyboards all come at you from surprising places." My Love,
My Life" was one of ABBA's sweetest ballads and best melodies.
"Why Did To HAve to Be Me' is amongst
the msot enjoyable of the songs with Björn
in the lead. "Tiger" is a good rock number
elevated by it's lovely soft bridge.
"Dum Dum Diddle" is quite dumb but also incredibly
hooky. "That's Me" (also on the b-side to "Dancing
Queen") is a great showcase for cool, smooth A&A harmonies.
ARRIVAL's ' closer was also
the title track , it's a instrumental though it does have backing
vocals. It's very effective, even if to some it seemed out of
place. ARRIVAL is ABBA's best pop album, although artistically
it's not their best.
had not been on any previous additions
of this album.
1. When I Kissed The Teacher; 2. Dancing
Queen; 3. My Love, My Life; 4. Dum Dum Diddle; 5.Knowing Me,
Knowing You. 6. Money, Money, Money; 7. That's Me; 8. Why Did
It Have To Be Me; 9. Tiger; 10. Arrival;
BONUS TRACKS FOUND ON 2001 remaster....
extra tracks: 11. Fernando; 12. Happy
Hawaii
Svenne & Lotta-Letters
Late 1976 Swedish Lp out of print
Includes B&B's disco song -"Funky
Feet" and English version of B&B's 1971 song-"Tänk
Om Jorden Vore Ung "which here is called "If We only
Had the Time"
Michael B. Tretow -LET'S BOOGIE September
1976 Swedish & British Lp release (Released on CD January
1999)
Agnetha plays piano!
This album is famous for featuring all of
the members of ABBA and most of their session band in the roles of sideman to
the incredibly silly -Michael B. Tretow(ABBA engineer and resident
comedian,)Agnetha, Björn , Benny and the Abba band play
on this album and Agnetha, Frida and Karin Glenmark sing backing
vocals, it's a very funny album The albums'
title implies that this is a disco album but it's not-it's an
album of humourous songs inspired by singers like the Coasters.
Most of the songs have
funny lyrics or at least funny singing.
The album's main flaw is that Micke
can't sing, or rather he sings too much. But he is funny.
This would have been even more listenable
album if Micke had Agnetha & Frida, hell, even Björn
sing lead on a few of the songs. Until it's recent and much belated
release on Cd , this album had been one of the rarer ABBA collectibles..
Hey Micke they tell me your middle name is
Bo!
1999 CD Version track lisitng
Lets Boogie / Paper Dolls
/ Robot Man / Bottom Coming Up / Brief Intermission / Moonbeams
/ I Can See What You Mean / That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles
/ Sandwich / Hesitating Hanna / Brief Intermisson / Keep
Your Hands to Yourself / Doc McGurgles etc. / Buy Buy Buy
/ He Can´t Sing/
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1977
1977 saw ABBA 's world
tour, and ended with the release of ABBA the Album in Sweden.
ABBA the Movie premiered in December.
Do Snickers really taste
better than Milky Way bars?
Nashville Train -Play ABBA OUR WAY 1977
Swedish LP
Abba-Live 77 1977 Swedish Flexi-disc
ABBA-ABBA's Greatest
Hits-24 Fall 1977 Japanese 2lp set.
Debbie Boone -You Light Up My Life-
Late 1977 Out of print American LP
*ABBA-The Album Released December 1977 (Sweden)and Early
1978 (rest of world)Available worldwide on CD
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Nashville Train -Play ABBA OUR WAY
April 1977 Swedish LP
This album features 11 ABBA covers, and
Nashville Train's version of "Please Change Your Mind".
a rare country tune writtten by B&B that was used near the
beginning of ABBA-THE MOVIE. (the scene with Kangaroos) Nashville
Train features Rutger Gunnarsson and Roger Palm, both members
of ABBA's studio band as well as Hasse Rose & Lasse Westmann.
Lasse sings most of the lead vocals.
Ring, Ring
Why Did It Have To Be Me
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
People Need Love
Honey, Honey
I've Been Waiting For You |
Please Change Your Mind
Hasta Mañana
Fernando Another Town, Another Train
I Am Just A Girl
Waterloo |
ABBA-ABBA's Greatest
Hits-24 October 1977 Japanese 2lp set.
Yes
it's a 24 song ABBA compilation album,!!The Japs were already
back with another ABBA compilation album . They named this ABBA
album after the Kiefer Sutherland show 25 years before the classic
TV show , 24 even existed..
.Abba-Live 77 December 1977 Swedish
Flexi-disc
Abba put out this four song flexi-disc
(essentially a floppy plastic 45)-for school children.
five edited live tracks -Fernando, Rock Me,Why Did It Have
to Be me,Money Money money and ,Waterloo are
included...For whatever reason this particular live mix has not
been rereleased, ..
Debbie Boone -You Light Up My Life-
Late 1977 Out of print American LP
This generally underwhelming debut album
features Debbie's huge1977 American Hit "You Light Up My
Life" and a cover of ABBA's song "Hasta Manana"
.Debbie was Pat Boone's daughter, sadly or not-her career faded
after this album...This album is available on not avialbale CD
currently. Her version of "Hasta Manana' was also the b-side
of ""You Light Up My Life"
*****ABBA-The Album Released December
1977 (Sweden)and Early 1978 (rest of world)Available worldwide
on CD
It is interesting, that at the heighth of
ABBA's worldwide popularity they ended up
recording their first more "serious" album.
ABBA-THE ALBUM was the album tied in with ABBA-THE MOVIE their
only theatrical
movie release. Many,but not all of the songs on the album can
be heard in some form in the movie.
THE ALBUM, though .it has only nine songs
has the richest and most colorful production work
of all the ABBA albums. The songs vary considerably in subject,
tempo,
and instrumentation but none of the songs
seem out of place.
Where, THE ALBUM fares less well in comparision to the albums
that bookend
it (ARRIVAL & VOULEZ-VOUS) is in the fun department. Only
two or three
songs here are liable to cheer you up. This album was also lacking
somewhat in the singles department-only two of the songs were
worldwideTop Ten hits-Not very impressive compared to the albums
that bookend it. (Eagle and "Thank You For
The music" were only hits in some places).
"Take A Chance on ME " was the one song most in
line with ABBA's primary
mission of providing great pop singles to the world. "TACOM"
is a textbook case on how to make a record. It's almost ,but
not quite saved from sounding a bit too much like a well oiled
machine by Agnetha's singing and the very fresh sounding acapella
introduction.
The "Name of the Game" is not a great song
but it's a masterwork of arrangement.
You never know where they are going with this.There are elements
of funk, at times rock, gospel, and at times it's stately Europop
,and when the horns come in near the end you are reminded of
the Beatles' "Penny Lane".
The best bit on the song again is once
again the acapella part. The middle of
the song has been badly butchered on some
of the edited releases of this song.
"One Man , One Woman' was another song
about relationships in trouble , but unlike
most of the ABBA songs on this theme ,
this song ends with the sentiment that "It's never too late
for changing'. You dont
really pay as much attention as you might to the rich backing
vocals because Frida's lead vocal handles the lyrics so well.
On this album, ABBA seem to do things that even they dont
seem to realize were counter to the stereotypical view some had
of them. "Eagle" is a daring opening gambit, at nearly
six minutes it was ABBA's longest song. Agnetha & Frida sing
above a majestic, if somewhat droning-Hendrix with Morricone
with Spectre sound salad.
"Eagle" wasn't a song you could hum to, but
you could put the headphones on and fly along (at the end the
Eagle literally flys
from one speaker to the other and back).
"Move On", puts some people off with Björn's
spoken prologue , Some people also might not find it's searching
lyrics convincing,either, but for ABBA lyrics they
are preety good. In "Move On" a powerful
bass riff drives the song's stirring chorus. When A&F sing
"Like a roller in the ocean musically it sounds very much
like a powerful wave. Listen for the "la la la's"
and other background vocals and see how
they are mixed at varying sound levels
to help create a wall of sound.
"Hole in Your Soul" joins the distant
influences of 1960's Girl Group music with
Europop to create a quirky,fun tune.
The "paint your world and use all colors"
bridge harkens back to a similiar section in
"Tiger .The low male voice chorus on "it's got to be
rock roll to fill the hole in your soul"does little of value
for the song.
The opening riffs of "HIYS"
were used in the opening credits to ABBA-The movie.
A novel three song "mini-musical" closes
THE ALBUM. "The Girl with The Golden
Hair" was tried out live on the 1977 tour.When done live
the mini-musical also included a narrator, incidental music,
blonde wigs for the girls, and fourth song appearing at the end
called "Get on the Carusoul". "Get on the Carusoul"
remained unreleased but it was no great loss not having it on
THE ALBUM.
A lot of the mini -musical can be seen in ABBA-THE MOVIE.
On the album,the songs are arranged in a more formal orchestral
manner instead of the theatrical approach favored in the live
performences.
"Thank You For the Music" has become ABBA signature
song even though
it was only belatedly released as a single.
It probably doesn't deserve such stature,
but it sums up ABBA better than something
like "Dancing Queen". The song has a great
keyboard riff at 1:53 into the song.
"I wonder' was one of ABBA's more serious-
some might say more boring numbers.The arrangement for this is
surprisingly orchestral,it along with "Move On" and
"Name of the Game" were Stig Anderson last lyrics for
official release. All of the lyrics for ABBA's subsequent songs
were written by Björn.
"I'm a Marionette' despite the awkward lyric
has a theme that suggests there is something wrong with seeking
music stardom, kind of ironic considering that conquering the
world often seemed to be the only thing that ABBA cared about.The
opening bass riff and the two guitar solo add considerably to
"Marionette's" impact.
1. Eagle; 2. Take A Chance On Me;
3. One Man, One Woman; 4. The Name Of The Game; 5. Move On; 6.
Hole In Your Soul; "The Girl With The Golden Hair"
- 3 scenes from a mini-musical - 7. Thank You For The Music;
8. I Wonder (Departure); 9. I'm A Marionette
2001 remaster extra track: 10.
Thank You For The Music (Doris Day mix) (new bonus track)
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